Three tips to make the perfect dosa batter at home

Dosas or dosais, are ubiquitous in South India and relished food enthusiasts across the globe. A savoury, thin pancake made from a fermented batter, dosas are usually made with a mixture of lentils and rice and served with a side of sambhar and coconut chutney.
Making dosas at home can be a tricky affair, especially if you don’t get the nuances right. As such, when food expert Uma Raghuraman took to Instagram to share the secrets behind the perfect dosa batter, we couldn’t help but share it with you.

“You can use the same batter to make uttapam, paniyaram or even idlis,” Raghuraman shared.

Following are Raghuraman’s tips, in detail. Take a look:
Step 1–Washing Right
Ensure you wash both rice and lentils multiple times as mentioned below:
Take a vessel and wash together:-2.5 cup idli rice/ parboiled rice– 1/2 cup raw rice
In another vessel, wash together:– 1/2 cup urad dal/ husked black gram– 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
Step 2– (A) Soaking Right
– Soak the washed rice mixture in 3 cups of water– Soak the washed lentils with fenugreek seeds in 1.5 cup of water– Important tip: When you soak the rice and lentils, you should be able to see them clearly through the water.– Soak them overnight or for a minimum of 4-5 hours.
(B) –Grinding Right
– Grind the rice and lentils separately. Grind them using the water used for soaking.– NOTE: Raghuraman used 2.5 cups of water to grind the batter (this includes the soaked up water). This will vary a little depending upon the quality of rice
Step 4 – Mixing Right
– Transfer the ground urad lentil batter and rice batter into a large vessel.– Add sea salt ( or regular salt) – 1.5 tsp ( you can adjust later if required) and 2 tsp sesame oil. (Adding sesame oil is optional as Raghuraman said it enhances the taste of the dosas)– Mix the batter using your hand for at least 3-4 minutes.– Once you have mixed well , cover and allow it to rest for 6-8 hours. It will take longer in colder climates.– Chef tip: Raghuraman covers the vessel completely with a stole or a shawl during winter.

“You can dilute the batter a little to make crispy paper roast dosai,” advised the food expert.
Will you try these tips at home?
For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don’t miss out on the latest updates!