Dosa supports all constitutions, strengthens the body and is easily digested. To aid digestion and avoid thirst, consume with ample drinking water, particularly in the summer.
Dosa can be soaked in the morning, ground in the evening, fermented through the night and ready for the first meal (depending on the season).
Dosa
Pre-preparation – 20 hours
Preparation – 5 minutes
Makes – 25 dosa
Ingredients
1 cup/200g urad dāl
3 cups/600g white basmati rice
1 Tbsp fenugreek seeds
8-10 cups/2-2 ½ litres of water (for soaking)
1 tsp fine rock salt
Pre-soak
1. Wash dāl, rice and fenugreek seeds until the water runs clear, drain. Cover 2-inches above ingredients with water and soak for minimum 12 hours.
Batter
2. Drain a little water out and put this water aside.
3. In a high-speed blender, add salt and grind mixture until fine and smooth – adding, if needed, water that was put aside. Aim for a thick pancake batter consistency.
Ferment
4. Pour into a large bowl, cover and leave to stand in a warm location for at least 8 hours, which can take up to 24 hours in wintertime. The batter will become thick, fizzy and rise. Perfect fermentation!
Cook
5. Pour a ladleful of batter onto a preheated skillet or non-stick pan (make sure the pan is hot).
6. Using the back of the ladle, gently swirl the batter from the center out to create a thin crepe-like dosa. Optional, drizzle ghee lightly over dosa.
7. When edges of the dosa start to lift, about 2 – 3 minutes. Flip and cook until golden.
Serve
Once a week, with chutney, palya/gojju or sambar. Suitable for the midday meal, in all seasons.
Variations
1. PRE_SOAK: Wash dal, rice and fenugreek seeds until water runs clear
2. Cover 2-inches above ingredients with water
3. Soak minimum 12 hours
4. BATTER: Drain a little water out and set it aside
5. Add mixture to a high-speed blender (May need to grind in two batches)
6. Add salt
7. Grind until smooth – adding, if needed, the water that was set aside.
8. FERMENT: Pour into a large bowl.
9. Cover
10. Set aside in a warm location for at least 8- 24 hours.
11. The batter will be thick, fizzy and rise. Perfect fermentation!
12. COOK: Pour a ladleful of batter onto a preheated skillet (make sure the pan is HOT!)
13. Use the back of the ladle
14. Gently swirl the batter from the center
15. Moving outwards
16. To create a thin crepe-like dosa
17. Optional, drizzle ghee lightly over dosa
18. When the edges of the dosa start to lift, about 2-3 mins – flip
19. Cook until golden
20. Set aside on a warm plate while remaining dosa are cooked
21. To speed up the cooking process have two skillets on the go!