Crispy Dosa made with rice flour and urad dal.
This is an easy dosa recipe where you soak and grind the urad dal and mix it with readymade rice flour.
A great beginner recipe which makes golden crispy dosa.
What is Dosa?
Dosa is a thin and crispy savory pancake made by Rice and urad dal. Both the ingredients are soaked for few hours and ground to a fine paste. The ground batter is fermented over night and the batter is ready the next day to make dosa.
Dosa is not only loved in South India, but is equally popular all around the world. The best combo to serve with dosa is coconut chutney and sambar.
Why make dosa with rice flour
- don’t have to worry about what kind of rice to use and how much to use
- you don’t need a wet grinder or a powerful blender
- a great beginner recipe
- we just need ten minutes to put the batter together
Ingredients –
Three steps to making delicious crispy dosa-
1 – Soaking & Grinding the ingredients – this step is easy in this recipe because we are using rice flour. Soak the urad dal and methi in enough water for four hours and grind it to a fine paste.
2 – Fermenting the batter – fermentation is extremely important when making dosa batter. If you live in cold place you can ferment the batter in the oven with or in the instant pot. I have been fermenting my batter in the instant pot and this method gives me consistent results every single time.
3 – Using a cast iron skillet to make the dosa – cast iron skillet heats the pan uniformly and will give you crispy golden crust dosa.
How to make Rice Flour Dosa with Urad Dal?
Wash the urad dal, methi and chana dal and soak in plenty of water for 4 to 5 hours.
Discard the soaked water and grind urad dal, methi, chana dal with enough water to a smooth paste.
Transfer the batter to a large bowl or to steel pot of the instant pot. Add rice flour, salt and water.
Initially use a whisk to remove any lumps and later with clean hands mix the batter for 1 to 2 minutes.
The consistency of the batter should be free flowing, neither too thick nor too runny. If its too runny or too thick, the batter will not ferment.
Fermented Dosa Batter –
If you live in warm place, leave the batter covered in the counter top. The batter will ferment with in 8 hours.
If you live in cold place, in winter you need at least 12 to 14 hours for the batter to ferment. In summer it may take 8 to 10 hours to ferment.
You can place the batter in the oven with the light on or ferment it in the instant pot in yogurt mode.
If fermenting in the instant pot, place the batter in the steel pot of the instant pot. Press yogurt mode and adjust the time to 12 to 14 hours.
Cover the pot with a steel or glass lid ( do not use the instant pot lid, if the batter over flows it will lock the IP lid).
The next day the batter will be fermented, it will be frothy and will have bubbles on the top. Rice Flour dosa batter will ferment well, but will not double as it would when you use regular rice.
Making the Dosa –
Heat a cast iron skillet, apply oil and smother it evenly. Splash some water and wipe it off with a paper towel.
Stir the fermented batter and pour a ladle of the batter in the center of the skillet. Spread the batter into a thin circle. Drizzle a teaspoon of oil all around the dosa.
Close the lid for 45 seconds. When you remove the lid you will see that the edges turning golden brow. If you have potato masala, add it now and fold the dosa.
Remove the dosa and serve immediately with chutney and sambar. Repeat the process with the rest of the batter.
Serving Suggestions – I served the plain dosa with onion chutney, peanut chutney and potato fry.
How to make Chili Cheese Dosa –
Pour a ladle of the batter in the center of the skillet. Spread the batter into a thin circle. Drizzle a teaspoon of oil all around the dosa. Add any chili sauce of your choice and sprinkle with grated cheese.
Close the dosa with a lid and cook for 45 seconds. When you remove the lid you will seee that the dosa has golden crust and cheese melted.
Fold the dosa and serve immediately. Kids will love this dosa.
FAQ’s –
Batter stays fresh for 4-5 days in the refrigerator. Take out the batter 20 minutes before using it.
I prefer whole urad dal gota.
Methi helps with fermentation. But don’t add more than recommended, if not the batter will be little bitter.
You may…. but chana dal gives that golden brown color to the dosa.
I add it before fermentation. If you live in warm place, salt can be added after the batter is fermented.
More Dosa Recipes –
Pesarattu ( green moong dal dosa)
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Easy Dosa Recipe with Rice Flour and Urad Dal
Ingredients
- 3 cups rice flour
- 1 cup whole urad dal
- 1 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
- 2 teaspoon chana dal gives beautiful color to the dosa
- salt to taste (use non iodine salt)
- 5 ½ cups water ( 1 ½ cup to grind urad dal + 4 cups to add with rice flour)
- oil as required to make dosa
Instructions
Soaking & Grinding-
- Wash and soak the urad dal, methi and chana dal (if using) in enough water for atleast 4 to 5 hours.
- Discard the soaked water and grind urad dal, methi, chana dal with 1 ¼ cup of cold water to a smooth paste.
- Transfer it to a bowl. Add ¼ cup of water to the jar to get rest of the batter out. Add rice flour, salt and enough water ( start with 3 cups and add one more cup as needed) to make a batter with a consistency similar to pan cake batter.
- Initially use a whisk to remove any lumps and later with clean hands mix the batter for 1 to 2 minutes.
Fermenting the dosa batter-
- If you live in warm place, leave the batter covered in the counter top. The batter will ferment with in 8 hours.
- If you live in cold place, in winter you need at least 12 to 14 hours for the batter to ferment. In summer it may take 8 to 10 hours to ferment.
- But in winter and if you live in a cold place, place the batter in the oven with the light on.
- You can also ferment the dosa batter in the instant pot. Transfer the batter to the instant pot. close the pot with a large plate or a glass lid. Do not use the regular instant pot lid.
- Turn the instant pot on and press the yogurt button and adjust the time to 12 to 14 hours. If you live in a much colder place, you can ferment the batter for couple more hours.
- The next day the batter will be ready. The volume will not double with rice flour dosa, but will ferment very well. It will be frothy and will have bubbles on the top.
Making the dosa-
- Heat a cast iron skillet, apply oil and smother it evenly. Splash some water and wipe it off with a paper towel.
- Stir the fermented batter and pour a ladle of the batter in the center of the skillet.Spread the batter into a thin circle.Drizzle a teaspoon of oil all around the dosa.
- Close the lid for 45 seconds.When you remove the lid you will see that the edges turning golden brow.
- If you have potato masala, add it now and fold the dosa.
- Remove the dosa and serve immediately with chutney and sambar. Repeat the process with the rest of the batter.
Notes
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If the batter does not ferment properly, you may still make the dosa but you will not achieve the ideal texture and taste.
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Do not leave the batter to ferment more than 15 hours. If that happens the batter would develop a rotten smell.
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The fermented batter will not double as it would with regular dosa batter.
Ree
Hi, I am trying today, just a doubt don’t we have to add Poha or cooked rice to this batter to ferment.
Madhavi
I do not add Poha or cooked rice in this recipe. We add methi which helps with fermentation and Chana dal for color. We need to still ferment the batter overnight just like we do with regular dosa. Hope you enjoy it!
SJ
Will this recipe work with skinless SPLIT urad dal? I have lots of rice flour to use up but the only kinds of urad dal I have in my pantry currently are the split skinless one and the whole black kind (with skin).
Madhavi
Yes you can use split urad dal, it will work.
Aparna
Can you tell me what sauce and cheese you are using – my son was asking for this exact chili cheese Dosa.
Madhavi
I used the Huy Fong Chili Garlic Sauce, it is easily available in my most grocery stores in the Asian isle in US. For cheese, I used Mexican blend. Hope this helps and your son enjoys the dosa.
Anil Philip
How to make the red chutney used to coat the masala dosa at the end of cooking? Without this, something is missing.
Madhavi
This post is on how to make dosa with Rice Flour. I don’t have the recipe for the red chutney in the blog yet. Will try to share it soon.
Meanwhile if you are interested, do check this ginger chutney recipe in the recipe card – https://www.madhuseverydayindian.com/pesarattu-green-moong-dal-dosa/
Jatin
Thanks
Madhavi
You are welcome Jatin.
Devi
I just tried this recipe. Batter turned out well. My kids loved the crispy thosai. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Madhavi
I am so glad your kids enjoyed the crispy dosas. Thank you for sharing your feedback.
Rasa nandini
I love Dosa always
Sireesha Puppala
wow such a thin crust for ur dosas..love them to have as my dinner madhu:( tempting clocks too
Sangeetha M
wow..super crispy and tempting dosa…never tried with rice flour, sounds interesting..thanks for sharing!!
nandoos Kitchen
very crisp dosa and with rice flour. That is some thing new.