A dosa is a thin, spicy, crispy crêpe-like food made from fermented rice, very popular 
in restaurants in South India. It may be served plain with sambar and chutneys such as 
coconut chutney (as pictured), or other curry or gravy. When served with alu masala 
folded inside, it is known as masala dosa. To make omelette dosa, simply pour beaten 
egg on the dosa before it is turned over.

The procedure for making dosa starts out almost identical to that for making idli. The 
idli recipe in this cookbook has some very good tips and variations that apply equally 
to dosai.

First Variation

Ingredients

    * 3 cups white rice
    * 1 cup urad dal (black gram)
    * handful of cooked rice (if required)
    * pinch of sugar (if desired)
    * ¼ teaspoon salt

Procedure

Batter

   1. Put the rice and dal in a large pot and wash twice.
   2. Fill with water until submerged by 2 inches.
   3. Soak for 6 hours.
   4. Grind in an blender, water and all, for 30 minutes. If the weather is cold, grind 
in a handful of rice and a pinch of sugar to help in fermentation.
   5. Let ferment overnight in a warm place. Make sure the pot is twice as large as the 
amount of batter, as it will rise a great deal.
   6. Add salt; at this point the batter can be kept in the refrigerator for more than 
a week until you wish to fry the dosas.

Dosas

   1. Heat a tava (large flat pan) or griddle over a high flame.
   2. Sprinkle water on the pan to cool it a little.
   3. Pour ½–¾ cup batter in the middle of the pan, depending on preferred thickness 
and crispiness.
   4. Spread the batter with the back of a spoon, starting from the centre and 
spiralling outwards until the dosa is about 10 inches across and very thin.
   5. Sprinkle a little oil around the edges of the dosa.
   6. Cover until the dosa shows brown through the thinnest parts.
   7. Turn the dosa around on its back and allow it to cook for a few seconds.
   8. Fold in half and remove with a metal spatula.

Makes 10–15.

Second Variation

Preparation

Makes about 20

    * 2 cups (360 g) rice, preferably parboiled
    * 1/2 cup (90 g) split and husked urad dal ('dhuli urad')
    * 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
    * 2 tsp salt
    * Oil for cooking doshas

Method

   1. Soak rice, dal, and fenugreek seeds together overnight.
   2. Grind these ingredients together to a very smooth consistency.
   3. Add the salt and enough water to make into a dropping consistency, and leave to 
rise for 5-6 hours, or overnight.
   4. Check consistency of the batter, and if needed, add enough water to make into a 
smooth pouring consistency.
   5. Heat tava (dosa pan) very hot, splash a little water over it, and with a ladle, 
immediately pour some batter onto it, spreading it thin, with a circular motion, 
without pressing too hard. (You will need some practice to get it right).
   6. Lower the heat and dribble a little oil around the edges. When edges start 
browning a bit, it is almost done.
   7. Turn the dosa around on its back and allow it to cook for a few seconds.
   8. Add desired filling and fold over.

Masala Dosa (Mysore style)

Ingredients for preparation

Batter

    * Ponni or Sona Masuri rice: 1 Cup
    * Boiled Rice: 1 Cup
    * Urad dal (whole skinless black gram): ¾ Cup
    * Non iodized salt: To Taste

Filling

    * Potatoes: 6 Medium Sized, Boiled and coarsely mashed
    * Onions: 2 Medium Sized, Finely chopped
    * Green Chili Pepper: 3 to 6, Finely Chopped
    * Ginger: 1 Tsp, finely grated
    * Garlic: 1 Tsp, finely grated
    * Oil: 2 Tbsp
    * Mustard Seeds: ½ Tsp
    * Cilantro: 1 TBS, finely chopped
    * Chana Dal: 1 Tsp
    * Turmeric: 1 Tsp
    * Curry Leaves: 1 Tsp, coarsely chopped
    * Onion Chutney
    * Coconut Chutney

For Assembly

    * Mixture of Ghee and vegetable shortening: ½ cup

Preparation Method

Batter

On the day before, grind all the ingredients in a blender or specialized dosa grinder 
with water. The final consistency of the batter must be similar to pancake batter. 
Leave it overnight in a warm spot and allow it to ferment. This is a very important 
process and must not be skipped. During fermentation the batter may rise to almost 
twice its volume and therefore the container for the batter must allow for this.

Chutneys

Prepare the two chutneys as described in Onion Chutney and Coconut Chutney

Filling

In a wok or other deep vessel heat the oil. When the oil is hot add the mustard seeds 
and allow it to splutter. When spluttering starts to recede add the chopped green 
chilies, curry leaves and the channa dal. Stir until the channa dal turns brown. (Be 
careful as channa dal can go from browned to burnt within seconds). Add the onions and 
fry until browned and add turmeric and stir for 2 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and 
stir it in for a few seconds. Add the boiled and coarsely mashed potatoes into the mix 
and fold well. Turn off the heat and add lemon juice and the coriander leaves. Fold 
well.

Making a Dosa

Dosai can easily be made on a tava, iron frying pan or non-stick pan. Heat the pan on a 
medium heat until a drop of water evaporates on contact. Spread about 1/2 cup of batter 
on the pan (like pancakes) slowing spreading it outwards forming a thin, flat circular 
dosa. Allow it cook for a minute and using a flat, sharp spatula flip it over. As the 
other side cooks spread a layer of ghee-shortening mixture on the topside. Flip it over 
again. As the bottom crisps add a Tsp of the onion chutney on the top and spread it 
evenly. Add some of the filling onto one half of the dosa and fold the other side over. 
Serve with coconut chutney.