Plain Dosa Recipe

Soak ingredients

Rinse the rice in several changes of water until the water runs almost clear. Rinse the urad dal and fenugreek seeds together. Place the rinsed rice in a bowl and cover with water by about 1–1.5 inches. In a separate bowl, soak the urad dal and fenugreek seeds together and cover with water by 1–1.5 inches. Put the poha in a small bowl and pour just enough water to soak it (about 1/4 cup). Soak rice for 4–6 hours (or overnight). Soak urad dal + fenugreek and poha for 4–6 hours as well (can be same duration).

Grind batter

Drain the soaked urad dal and fenugreek. Reserve soaking water. Grind the urad dal + fenugreek in a wet grinder or high-speed blender with about 1/2–3/4 cup of reserved water until a smooth, airy, slightly sticky paste forms (5–10 minutes in a wet grinder; longer in a blender). Transfer to a large bowl. Next, drain the rice and poha and grind them together, adding water gradually (about 1–1.25 cups) to make a smooth but slightly grainy batter (like a thick pancake batter). Combine the rice mixture with the urad dal mixture and mix thoroughly by hand or spatula until homogeneous. The final batter consistency should be pourable but slightly thick (similar to heavy cream).

Ferment batter

Add salt and stir in well. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap. Leave in a warm place to ferment for 8–12 hours or until the batter has risen and shows bubbles on the surface (time depends on ambient temperature). In cooler climates, fermentation may take 12–18 hours; you can speed it up by placing the batter in an oven with the light on or a turned-off microwave with a cup of hot water.

Adjust batter before cooking

After fermentation, gently stir the batter. If it is too thick (should be pourable and spreadable), add a few tablespoons of water and mix to reach dosa batter consistency — slightly thinner than pancake batter but thicker than crepe batter. The batter should form a ribbon when dripped from a spoon.

Preheat pan

Heat a heavy nonstick or cast-iron tawa/griddle over medium-high heat until hot. To test, sprinkle a few drops of water on the surface — they should sizzle and evaporate quickly. Reduce heat to medium.

Season the pan (if using cast iron)

If using a cast-iron tawa for the first time, wipe the surface lightly with a paper towel lightly coated with oil and heat until smoking briefly, then wipe clean. For subsequent dosas, wipe the hot pan with a lightly oiled paper towel between batches to help crispness and prevent sticking.

Spread the dosa

Stir the batter once more. Ladle about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of batter (adjust by pan size) onto the center of the hot tawa. Using the bottom of the ladle or the back of a small bowl, quickly spread the batter in concentric circles outward to form a thin, even circle about 8–10 inches in diameter. If batter sticks while spreading, the pan may be too cool — increase heat slightly and try again. If batter spreads too easily and becomes translucent immediately, the batter may be too thin.

Cook until crisp

Drizzle 1/2 tsp oil or ghee around the edges and a little on top of the dosa. Let the dosa cook over medium heat until the edges lift and the surface becomes set and golden brown with crisp spots (about 1.5–3 minutes). If you prefer a softer dosa, cover with a lid for 30–45 seconds to steam; for a crispier dosa, do not cover.

Fold and serve

Using a spatula, gently loosen the edges and lift one side to fold into a half or roll. Transfer the dosa to a plate. Optionally brush with a little unsalted butter or ghee. Repeat with remaining batter, wiping and re-oiling the pan as needed between dosas. Batter quantity yields approximately 10–12 medium dosas depending on thickness and pan size.