Dosa is quite a celebrated South Indian recipe that has earned tremendous popularity across India and even worldwide. It is a protean and delicious dish that perfectly adapts to a breakfast menu, a snack, or even a full meal. Dosa is made by fermenting a batter of parboiled rice and lentils, which is then spread thin and cooked on a griddle or tawa or a flat pan. Dosa is typically served with coconut chutney and sambar.
Plain Dosa, Rava Dosa, and Masala Dosa are the most demanded and iconic dishes widely available in any South Indian restaurant, representing the rich culinary heritage of the South. They have charmed the taste buds of people from diverse backgrounds and age groups due to their versatility, delightful flavours, and a wide array of accompaniments that complement them perfectly. Let me now share the recipes for these three savoury dosa varieties.
1. Classic Delight: Traditional Plain Dosa
Plain dosa is widely appreciated for its incredible flavour, making it a favourite among many. As a North Indian myself, I love having dosa anytime, not only for its taste but also because it is an easy and healthy breakfast option. Made from a fermented batter of rice and lentils, looks wise; it is thin, crispy, and golden brown and tastes heavenly. Served with coconut chutney and sambar, it offers a delightful combination of flavours. A timeless favourite for breakfast or any meal of the day. Here’s a basic recipe for making simple and plain dosa.
Ingredients
- Parboiled rice (1 cup)
- Urad dal (split black lentils) (¼ cup)
- Fenugreek seeds (¼ teaspoon)
- Salt to taste
- Water (for soaking and grinding)
- Oil or ghee for cooking
Instructions
- Rinse the rice, urad dal, and fenugreek seeds separately under running water.
- Then, soak them in water in separate bowls for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- After soaking, drain the water from the bowls and grind the rice, urad dal, and fenugreek seeds separately to a smooth paste using a wet grinder or a high-speed blender.
- Add water as needed to achieve a thick but pourable consistency.
- Make sure that the urad dal batter should be fluffy and light.
- Mix the rice, urad dal, and fenugreek batters in a large bowl.
- Cover the bowl with a lid and keep it in a warm place.
- Let the batter ferment for 8 to 12 hours or overnight. During fermentation, the batter will rise and become slightly frothy.
- Once the batter has fermented, Add salt to taste and give it a good stir.
- If the batter is too thick, add a little water to get a pouring consistency.
- Heat a non-stick or cast-iron skillet (tawa) or griddle over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, grease it lightly with oil or ghee, sprinkle some water on the hot tawa, and let it evaporate.
- Pour a ladleful of batter onto the skillet’s center and spread it in a circular motion using the back of the ladle to make a thin, even layer.
- Drizzle a few drops of oil or ghee around the edges of the dosa and cook it on medium heat for a couple of minutes or until the bottom side turns golden brown and crispy.
- Flip the dosa using a spatula and cook the other side for a minute or so until it is cooked.
- Remove the dosa from the skillet and serve it hot with coconut chutney, sambar, or any other accompaniment of your choice.
- Repeat the process with the remaining batter to make more dosas.
Enjoy the comforting flavours of homemade crispy dosa!
Note: The fermentation time may vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen. In colder climates, you may need to keep the batter for a longer time to ferment properly.
2. Spiced Potato Delight: Filling and Crispy Masala Dosa
Masala Dosa, on the other hand, is a classic variation of dosa that tempts taste buds with its flavorful filling of spiced potato masala, which is typically made by sautéing boiled potatoes with onions, mustard seeds, curry leaves, turmeric, and other spices. The masala is then spread inside the dosa and rolled up into a cylindrical shape. Served with sambar, coconut chutney and sometimes a tangy tomato chutney Masala Dosa is truly a delightful culinary experience; let’s go through the recipe.
Ingredients
For Dosa
- Dosa rice or parboiled rice (1 cup)
- Urad dal (split black lentils) (¼ cup)
- Chana dal (split Bengal gram)(¼ cup)
- Fenugreek seeds (½ tsp)
- Salt to taste
- Oil or ghee (clarified butter) for cooking
Masala for Filling
- Potatoes, boiled and mashed (4 medium-sized)
- Boiled green peas ((½ cup)
- Finely chopped (1 onion)
- Green chillies, finely chopped (2-3)
- Ginger, grated (1 tsp)
- Mustard seeds (1 tsp)
- A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
- Curry leaves (5-10)
- Turmeric powder (1 tsp)
- Red chilli powder (¼ tsp)
- Coriander powder (¼ tsp)
- Pav bhaji masala (¼ tsp) – (It’s my pick, typically people don’t use this)
- Oil (3-4 tsp)
- Salt to taste
- Coriander leaves (2 tbsp)
Instructions
Dosa Batter Preparation
- Wash the rice, and soak it in a separate bowl.
- Then wash urad dal, chana dal, and fenugreek seeds together.
- Soak rice and lentils in water for about 6-8 hours.
- Drain the water and transfer the soaked rice and dal to a blender. Add water and grind them into a smooth batter; ensure to add water slowly.
- Transfer the batter to a large bowl, add salt, and mix them well.
- Let the batter ferment overnight or for at least 8-10 hours.
Masala Preparation
- Take a pan and heat oil, then add mustard seeds, let it splutter, and add asafoetida, curry leaves, chopped onions, green chillies, and grated ginger. Sauté until the onions turn golden brown.
- Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, and pav bhaji masala, and mix them thoroughly by adding 2 tbsp of water.
- Add mashed potatoes and peas to the pan, mix well, and add salt to taste. Cook the potato masala for a few minutes until the flavours meld together.
- Finally, add fresh coriander leaves and leave the potato masala mixture to cool down.
Final Masala Dosa Preparation
- Heat a non-stick dosa pan or skillet, sprinkle a few drops of water, let it evaporate, lower the gas flame to sim, and then pour a ladleful of the fermented dosa batter onto the centre of the pan.
- Spread the fermented batter on the tawa in a circular motion.
- Spray oil or ghee around the edges and cook the dosa on medium heat until it turns golden and crispy.
- Place 2 tbsp of the potato masala in the centre of the dosa and fold it.
- Serve the hot and crispy masala dosa with sambar and coconut chutney.
Enjoy the delightful flavours of homemade masala dosa!
3. Tempting Semolina Treat: Delicious Rava Dosa
My most loved variation of dosa is Rava Dosa, a popular South Indian delicacy known for its unique texture and instant preparation. Unlike traditional dosa, Rava Dosa is made with semolina (rava) instead of rice and lentils. Rava dosa batter is quick to make since it doesn’t need a fermentation process. While serving, it perfectly goes with chutneys and sambar. The main ingredients of rava dosa are semolina, rice flour, rice flour, cumin seeds, chopped onions, curry leaves, and green chillies. Let’s sneak peek at the quick and crispy rava dosa recipe.
Ingredients
- Rava/Suji (semolina) (1 cup)
- Rice flour (½ cup)
- All-purpose flour (¼ cup)
- Finely chopped onions (¼ cup)
- Finely chopped green chillies (2-3)
- Chopped fresh coriander leaves (¼ cup)
- Cumin seeds (1 tsp)
- A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
- Salt to taste
- Water, as needed
- Oil or ghee
Instructions
- Combine rava, rice flour, all-purpose flour, chopped onions, green chillies, coriander leaves, cumin seeds, asafoetida, and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix well to blend all the ingredients.
- Gradually add water and whisk thoroughly to form a smooth batter.
- Ensure the consistency of the batter should be thin and pourable.
- Let the batter rest for 20-30 minutes.
- Heat a non-stick dosa pan or griddle on medium heat.
- Drizzle a few drops of oil or ghee and spread it evenly on the pan.
- Stir the batter and take a ladleful of the batter.
- Pour the batter in a circular motion starting from the outer edge, moving towards the centre.
- The batter will spread on its own, creating a lacy pattern.
- Dribble a few drops of oil or ghee over the dosa and cook it on medium heat until the edges turn golden brown and crisp.
- Flip the dosa and cook on the other side for a few more seconds.
- Remove the rava dosa from the pan and repeat the process with the remaining batter.
- Serve the hot and crispy rava dosa with coconut chutney and sambar.
Note: If you want to make rava masala dosa, the potato filling which we made for masala dosa, same can be filled in rava dosa, and voila, rava masala dosa is ready to serve with your favourite coconut chutney.
Enjoy this delicious and crispy rava dosa recipe anytime; it will give you a satisfying experience!
Final Thoughts
That’s it! Relish your homemade dosas with delicious chutney and sambar. My all-time favourite is rava dosa; what’s yours? Dosa recipes offer a flavorful journey of South Indian cuisine. From the classic Plain Dosa to the irresistible Masala Dosa and the crispy Rava Dosa, these dishes give us a glimpse of the culinary artistry of dosa-making. Whether it is breakfast, lunch, or dinner, one can love having them anytime. Explore the above-shared recipes and celebrate the irresistible flavours of dosas.
Also Read: Food enthusiasts are constantly thrilled by their culinary experiences, eagerly waiting for their next meal. Food lovers often radiate joy, making them some of the happiest individuals on the planet.
