Dosa is a popular Indian breakfast dish originating from the south of India. It is served with hot lentil stew known as sambar, coconut chutney, and at times tomato chutney.
It is a rice and lentil crepe made with fermented batter. Dosa can be made easily on a cast iron skillet, known as tawa. They turn out crispy and delicious.
Ingredients
Dosa is made with only 2 main ingredients. Urad dal, also known as Bengal gram dal and idli rice. It is soaked in water for few hours and then blended into a smooth paste along with some salt.
You will also need some oil, butter, or ghee to spread on the dosa while cooking it.
Instructions
To make dosa, you need to first make the dosa batter. You can check out this detailed post on how to make dosa batter in Vitamix. Soak the dal and rice in enough warm water for 10-12 hours and then blend it using a blender or in wet grinder. Ferment the batter in warm place for 12-14 hours.
Once the batter has risen well and you see bubbles in it, that means it is well fermented. For dosa, even if the batter is not well fermented, it will still work.
Heat a well seasoned cast iron skillet on medium high flame on the stove top. If the skillet it not well seasoned, apply a thin layer of oil and heat it for about 5 minutes.
Pour about ⅓ cup of batter or more on the skillet once it is hot. Starting at the center and moving outwards, spread the batter with a stainless steel ladle to make a thin crepe.
In this process, if the batter breaks in between and forms gaps then the skillet is too hot. Reduce the flame for the next dosa and wipe the skillet with a wet kitchen towel.
Cook the dosa on the skillet and once you see there is no more uncooked batter, add some oil or butter and spread it on the dosa using a spatula. Now try to lift the dosa from one side with the help of a spatula. If it is nice golden brown in color, run the spatula under the dosa and remove it completely and fold it halfway.
If you are unable to remove the dosa and it gets stuck it is mostly because the skillet is not well seasoned. If your skillet is new and you seasoned it, it can still stick. A new skillet is not suited for making dosa. Make some other items like paratha for a few times and then make dosas.
In between making two dosas, always wipe the pan with a wet kitchen towel. This helps in maintaining the temperature of the pan and get rid of any residue. It will help spread the batter well and not break in between.
Finally, once you are done making all the dosas it is time to clean the skillet. Turn off the flame and gently pour some water on the tawa. The water will sizzle and help remove any stuck particles and residue. Use a spatula to scrape the tawa to clean it well and finally wipe off any water and residue with a paper towel. Apply a light coating of oil on the skillet and it is ready to use for the next time.
Substitutions
Dosa is vegan and gluten-free. It can also be made with a few substitutions.
- Rice - sona masoori rice works well too to make dosa. Instead of 1:3 ratio, use 1:4 ratio of urad dal to rice.
- Dal - either split or whole urad dal works fine.
Variations
Dosa is a very versatile dish. You can serve it plain with chutney and sambar or make different fillings.
- Masala dosa - potato and onions are sauteed with spices and then spread onto the dosa to make masala dosa.
- Chocolate dosa - add some grated chocolate while cooking the dosa. Kids will love it
- Cheese dosa - add some grated cheese while cooking the dosa.
- Pav bhaji dosa - if you have any leftover pav bhaji, you can spread some bhaji on the dosa while cooking it.
Equipment
Dosa can be made on a non-stick skillet or on the cast iron pan. Personally, I like to make them on the Lodge cast iron skillet. The key to making good crispy dosa that do not stick is to ensure the cast iron skillet is well seasoned.
The best thing about cast iron skillet is that if well seasoned, it is very durable and will last for a lifetime and does not need a lot of maintenance either.
Storage
Dosa is best eaten hot after taking it off from the skillet. After sometime the will become soft so it is best not to make them ahead of time but only when you are ready to eat. Dosa batter can be stored for upto 5 day in the refrigerator.
Top tip
- If you have a new cast iron skillet then season it as per directions provided by the manufacturer. I strongly recommend against making dosas on a new cast iron pan as it is likely it will stick.
- Use the tawa a few times to make parathas which will season it more as you cook with oil or ghee. After a few uses, it will be perfect for making dosas.
If you enjoyed this recipe, you may also like
- Sambar
- Coconut chutney
- Dal vada (lentil fritters)
- Idli dosa batter
- Indian chutneys
- Indian breakfast recipes
Don't forget to rate the recipe by clicking the stars. Also, pin the recipe by clicking the "Pin" button, for your future reference.
📖 Recipe
Dosa On Cast Iron Pan
Watch Video
Equipment
- Convection Oven
Ingredients
Instructions
Make batter
- Wash the rice and urad dal and soak for 10-12 hours.
- Discard the water and put the soaked dal and rice in Vitamix. Add salt and 1 ½ cup of cold water.
- Select the "Smoothie" setting in vitamix and let it complete the cycle.
Fermenting batter in oven
- Transfer the batter into a clean bowl, cover it and place it in the oven for fermenting.
- Start the oven on "Warm" setting for 10 minutes and then turn it off.
- Leave the batter in the oven for fermentation for about 14 hours.
- Batter is ready for making dosa.
Make dosa on cast iron skillet
- Mix the batter well before using. Add water if needed.
- Heat the seasoned cast iron skillet on medium high flame.
- Once hot, add about ⅓rd cup of dosa batter at the center of the skillet.
- Using a stainless steel ladle, spread the batter in a circular motion into a thin crepe, starting from center and moving outwards.
- Once it looks cooked from the top, apply a little oil and spread it with a spatula.
- Carefully lift the dosa off the skillet with a spatula.
- Make it into a loose roll and take it off the skillet.
- With a wet kitchen towel, wipe the skillet and then the skillet is ready to make another dosa.
Notes
- Soaking dal and rice for long (10-12 hours) in warm water helps in fermentation, especially in cold weather.
Comments
No Comments