Dosa Batter Recipe : How to Make Dosa Batter at Home

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The Dosa is crispy crepes made with fermented batter of parboiled rice and lentil. It is the famous South Indian snack which can be had in breakfast as well. All the restaurants serve this savory pancakes. We all love to eat delicious Dosa which is rice and lentil crepes. At times, we prefer to get the ready-made Dosa batter for the dosa recipe. But is always better to make the dosa from the homemade dosa batter. Follow the dosa batter recipe and learn to make dosa batter in the mixer-grinder. It is healthy as well as hygienic.

Dosa Batter

Author: Karishma Shah
Recipe Category: Batter
Cuisine: Indian

Description: The Dosa is crispy crepes made with fermented batter of parboiled rice and lentil. Follow the dosa batter recipe and make dosa batter in the mixer-grinder.

Dosa Batter Recipe

Ingredients for Dosa Batter Recipe:

Husked Black Lentils (Urad Dal) – ¼ cup (split)
Idli Rice – ½ cups (Parboiled Rice)
Regular Rice – ½ cup (Short Grains)
Fenugreek Seeds (Methi Seeds) – 2 pinches
Flattened Rice (Poha)– 2 tbsp. (optional)
Salt – ½ tsp.
Water :
- For Soaking Husked Black Lentils – 1 cup
- For Soaking Rice – 1 cup
- For Grinding Husked Black Lentils – ¾ cup
- For Grinding Rice – ¾ cup

Note: You can also add ¼ cup of Chana Dal as well. The use of flattened rice is optional, it only adds softness to the batter.

Steps for Dosa Batter Recipe:

The preparation of the Dosa batter is divided into two main process. The first is the soaking of the ingredients. And the second is the grinding of these soaked ingredients. It is also very important to let the dosa batter ferment properly. Follow the steps and make the dosa batter at home.

Soak Rice and Lentils:

Soak Rice:

Take a large or medium sized mixing bowl.
Wash it. Clean the bowl and dry it.
Add ½ cup of idli rice in the first bowl.
In this same bowl, add the ½ cup of regular rice.
Now, wash these two types of rice with fresh water.
Rinse more than once to clean it properly.
Then take the 2 tbsp. of Poha in a different bowl.
Clean it and rinse it under running water.
Add it in the bowl of the parboiled and regular rice.
Then pour 1 cup of water to this bowl.
Soak these two different rice in one bowl.
Stir and mix the rice evenly with water.
Cover the bowl of rice and soak it overnight.
Let them soak for 5 to 6 hours.

Soak Lentils:

In another bowl take ¼ cup Black Lentils.
Also mix 2 pinches of Fenugreek in the same bowl.
Rinse the ingredients in this bowl couple of times.
Wash more than once with cold and fresh water.
Mix the lentils and the fenugreek.
Pour 1 cup of water in this bowl.
Stir and mix them evenly with water.
Cover the bowl of dal and fenugreek.
Soak lentils, Poha and Methi seeds.
Keep them to soak for 5 to 6 hours.

Note: You must cover them with water more than half of their quantity. Soak the ingredients for minimum 6 hours. If you are using the flattened rice, then wash it couple of water and soak with rice.

Grinding Rice and Lentils:

Strain Rice and Lentils:

Take two colanders or strainers.
Drain the water from rice and Poha mixture.
Discard the excess water and keep Rice-Poha aside.
Strain the Mixture of Lentils-Fenugreek.
Keep the water stock for grinding the lentils.

Grinding Rice:

In a food processor or the grinder, add soaked rice.
Also, pour in ¾ cup of fresh water in the grinder.
Also, add the soaked Poha in the wet grinder.
Process the rice for approximately 10 minutes.
Grind the rice till you get the smooth paste.
The consistency of the rice can be grainy as well.
Grind the rice in different batches depending on size of grinder.
Once done with rice, transfer from grinder to bowl.
Clean the grinder for another mixture.

Grinding Lentils:

Take the cleaned mixer-grinder jar and the soaked lentils in it.
Also add the ¾ cup strained water from lentils the mixer.
Grind the mixture of the lentils. Add water as required.
Also add the fenugreek seeds and grind them along with lentils.
Grind till you get smooth, light and fluffy batter.
You must properly grind the black lentils for better fermentation.
Once grinded, remove the batter in the different bowl.

Note: You must add water in between the grinding process for the smoothness. The water required for grinding rice will depend on the quality of the rice.

Preparing the Dosa Batter:

Now, take one large-mixing bowl.
Add the rice and Poha batter.
Then mix the fenugreek seeds and lentils batter.
Properly fold these two batter formed in a bowl.
Whisk these batters well with each other.
The batter prepared should be thick.
You may add a pinch of salt to balance the taste of batter.
Mix in the salt evenly with the batter.
Cover the bowl of the batter and keep it aside.
Let it ferment till the surface shows bubbles.
It would take around 8 to 9 hours for the batter to ferment.

Note: Keep adding water to make batter thinner. To achieve the correct texture, ferment the batter for more than 8 hours – preferably overnight. It will give the vital sourness required for the flavor. The time for the fermentation will vary depending on the place you live in.

Additional Information:

Calories: 138 calories
Total Time: PT30M
Serves: 6
Date Published: 2017-02-15

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You can make many varieties of dosa from this dosa batter. Even you can be flexible with the texture of your dosa. You can prepare the batter to form crisp or soft dosa. Even the batter can be adjusted to fluffy, spongy and light dosa. The texture of the dosa varies with the proportion of rice and lentils. The addition of other ingredients too help in the softness of dosa. You can make the dosa thin or thick as per your choice. With the properly fermented dosa batter, you can give crispy and soft textured dosa.

For the preparation of Homemade Dosa Batter, you would need some time. The process is simple and divided into three stages. The main parts are soaking, grinding and fermenting the dosa batter. The first step is to soak the rice and lentils. Then you have to grind them individually into a smooth batter. Finally, mix these batters and make dosa batter. Allow this batter to ferment properly. Keep a check on the dosa batter if you are living in a hot and humid place. Also, follow some tips if you are in cold climatic conditions.

This Idli rice and lentils made Dosa are the crepe dosa is an all-time favorite south Indian food. It is one snack dish which is savored all over the world. Everyone from Children to adults love this lentil crepe. It is also very filling and healthy meal. The dosa batter is best to make in small quantities. Though it can be stored and refrigerated for many days.

Remarks:

This batter once prepared, can be used to make any type of Dosa.
While grinding, if the mixer is heated, then stop the process. After waiting for few minutes, begin to grind again.
If you are mixer is small, then you would need to grind in 2 or 3 batches. If it is large, then you can grind everyone at once.
The fermentation time for the batter would depend on the climatic conditions.
If your dosa batter is properly fermented, then it would rise in volume.
The best dosa batter would have the tiny air bubbles on its surface.
The taste of the dosa batter is slightly sour.
You must always stir the batter before you begin to prepare the Dosa.
The over soaking of ingredients can make the Dosa batter bitter in taste.
The dosa batter has a thin consistency. If your batter is thick, you can add a little water.
The leftover Dosa batter can be stored and frozen.
Always make the batter in less proportion or only as required. The batter gets sour quickly.
This batter can be used to make the steamed Idli and the uttapam.

Quick Tip:

The temperature is the key for the fermentation of the dosa batter.
If you have dosa batter in very large quantity, then use stone grinding.
If you are making dosa batter in small proportion, then use the mixer.
The quality and type of the lentil is also very important.
The Urad Dal used must be fresh and not expired.
Take precaution in the salt you are adding.
Always use non iodized salt or rock salt.
The Dosa Batter Recipe uses parboiled rice and regular rice. You can use either one as well.

What is parboiled rice?

The Parboiled rice nothing but one type of rice grains. It is partially cooked in their husks. Once cooked, then it is dried. After that it is milled. This rice is used for preparing the steamed rice or savory rice dishes. You can make snacks like fried rice pakora from this rice.

What is Idli Rice?

Idli Rice is again one type of parboiled rice. This rice is specifically used for making dosa, uttapa and idli. The batter of these south Indian snacks is prepared from Idli Rice. But to prepare the dosa batter, you can also use raw or regular rice.

Which Pan to use for cooking Dosa from this Dosa Batter?

You can spread this Dosa batter over the non-stick pan or the seasoned tawa. The pan or the cast iron pan, must be well seasoned before you spread the dosa batter. This means that the pan must be used many times before for making the dosa or the Uttapa. The batter must spread smoothly on the pan.

If you are using the tawa which is unseasoned, then there are chances of batter sticking to it. So, it is advised to drizzle some oil over the pan before you pour dosa batter.

How to ferment dosa batter in winter?

Follow these few tips to ferment batter if you are living in the cold place or when you are making dosa batter in winter.

Place in the batter in some warm area.
Preheat your oven at a low temperature and keep the batter bowl inside.
Turn on the lights of the oven and place the batter inside.
Try to add a pinch of sugar. It would help in fermentation.
Skip adding salt in the batter. It prevents the fermentation process.
Let the batter stay for a very long time.
Dissolve ¼ tsp. of instant yeast in water and add to dosa batter.
Add ¼ tsp. baking soda for the instant fermentation of dosa batter.

How to know if the dosa batter is properly fermented?

The properly fermented dosa batter would have the tiny bubbles on its surface. It would be airy with the thin consistency. Also, you would get the sour aroma from the fermented batter.