How to Make Crispy Dosa at Home? Crispy Dosa Recipe

Written by: Shreyal Shingala

Last Updated: November 23, 2022

crispy dosa with chutney
Crispy dosa with chutney, tomato sauce and potato filings served in a plate.

Not only in Southern India, but everywhere, people prefer to eat crispy dosa every time.
Crisp is the main feature that people look for in a dosa. But you might have noticed that homemade dosa batter doesn’t give the required crisp to the dosa.

So, in this article, we will show you how to prepare a homemade dosa batter recipe for crispy dosa. Additionally, you can also find the health benefits of mosambi juice in this article. For that, you will require some ingredients like urad dal / urad dal batter, methi seeds, and much more.

However, the foremost thing that you should have is a best-in-quality Dosa Tawa. So, get the best Tawa for the perfect crispy dosa. Let’s begin with the blog then.

1 How to Make Dosa Batter at Home?

Dosa Batter and its ingredients and consistency decide whether the dosa will come out to be crispy or loose. Many of us already know how to make the batter, but here is the perfect batter recipe for crispy dosa.

First, let’s see how to make a perfect batter with all the required ingredients that add the crisp to the dosa.

Ingredients Required to Make a Perfect Dosa Batter

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Ingredients of Dosa Batter for Crispy Dosa

Firstly gather these ingredients for the perfect idli dosa batter.

  • Rice (you can take parboiled rice (idli rice used to make idli batter) or special dosa rice or Sona Masoori rice)
  • Whole Urad dal or split urad dal. (You can soak and grind urad dal alone while preparing vada.)
  • You can use any lentil batter instead of urad dal.
  • Chana Dal
  • Methi seeds (fenugreek seeds (helps in making dosa crispy))
  • Poha (flattened rice) (optional)
  • Toor dal (optional)

Proportions of Ingredients to Mix for Perfect Dosa Batter

The proper proportion of each ingredient will make the dosa batter perfect. So, here are the proportions of each ingredient used to make a dosa batter.

  • Always use a 3:1 proportion of rice and urad dal. So, if you are taking ½ cup of urad dal, take 1 ½ cup of rice to make the batter.
  • Take 1 tablespoon of fenugreek seeds and chana dal.
  • One cup of poha can also be added. It gives the perfect crisp to your dosa.
  • But methi seeds also help to crisp up the dosa. So, if you feel poha is an unwanted ingredient of the dosa batter, you can skin it. But adding it will be favorable for getting crisp.
  • You can also add 1 tbsp of toor dal, but it is optional.

How to Dal and Rice for Dosa Batter formation?

If you’re going to use this batter only for dosa preparation, then no need to soak everything separately. You just have to mix everything in proper proportion in one vessel.

Rinse it till the water draining out is clear. Then soak till the water covers every grain inside the vessel. The level of water should remain 2-3 fingers higher than the dosa batter ingredients.

Cover the vessel and let the mixture soak for 4-6 hours. You can soak it overnight if you are planning to prepare dosa for the next day’s dinner because you still need to ferment it before preparing dosa.

Grinding Dal & Rice After Soaking to Form Dosa Batter

Grinding the dosa rice batter ingredients is also an art. Not too thin, and not too thick, this should be the consistency of the batter.

Along with that, you have to add ice cubes or cold water with each grind to make sure that the batter does not heat up. If it heats up, the fermentation process will be affected directly.

Remove the water from the mixer and add the soaked rice, chana dal, urad dal, and methi seeds in a blending jar. You can also use a wet grinder instead of a mixer grinder, but many people do not prefer to get a special machine just to make the batter.

So, a mixer can work. Do not forget to add ice water while grinding. You can add a little water first, and if you find that the quantity is not enough, you can add more water.

Pour the slightly coarse batter out of the mixer jar in a large bowl so there is proper space for the fermentation. As the batter ferments, it will become airy and bulky. So, it will require some extra space to set up.

You can add sendha namak (rock salt) to the batter. But if you live in a warmer place, skip the salt. And yes, iodized salt will adversely affect fermentation. So, avoid adding it directly after grinding. You can add salt after the dosa tawa ferments.

An additional tip for our readers!

If you mix the batter with your hands after cleaning your hands well, then it will be a plus point for the fermentation process. The normal heat of your hands will help in better-fermented batter at home.

However, while mixing the batter, if it feels warmer, you can add some ice water to make it cool. Also, remember, the consistency of the batter should be neither too thick nor too trippy. Here is the image of the consistency of dosa batter that one should have.

However, adding too much water will make the batter useless. So, when you feel that the batter is thick, add water spoon by spoon. This will help you to maintain the consistency we need to make crispy dosa.

Fermenting the dosa batter is where some of us might make a mistake. So, here are the perfect steps to get a perfect fermented batter:

Fermenting Dosa Batter

Fermenting the dosa batter is where some of us might make a mistake. So, here are the perfect steps to get a perfect fermented smooth batter.

Fermenting dosa batter or any other fermentation process requires a warm place. When we talk about dosa batter, after you pour the batter from the mixer jar into a large steel bowl, cover the bowl completely with a dish and put it in a warm corner of your house.

If you live in a warm place where the climate remains warm or normal, then the fermentation process can even take place on the countertop. It will require around 8 hours or overnight, depending on the temperature of the surrounding area.

If you reside in a cold region, this process might take about 12 hours to ferment the batter easily and to the point. While the outside temperature is too cold, you should place the batter for fermentation in an oven with lights on. The lights of the oven give enough warmth for fermenting the batter.

How to Ferment the Batter in an Instant pot?

Instant pot is an electric machine where you can easily ferment the dosa batter. Here’s how you can do the fermentation.

  • Place the batter inside the instant pot, and then choose the ‘Yogurt‘ mode.
  • Start the pot with normal settings and press ‘adjust’ until you see 8 hours on the display and then change the time to 12 hours by pressing the ‘+’ symbol.
  • Cover the instant pot with the lid and let it rest for the time you have set.
  • Use a glass lid if possible to check after 10 hours whether the batter has risen well or not.

Some tips for the perfect Dosa batter recipe

  1. Using the right kind of rice, urad dal, chana dal, and other ingredients are important to prepare crispy plain dosa.
  2. Add ice cubes or utmost cold water while grinding the batter.
  3. After adding salt, use your clean hands to mix the mixture for perfect fermentation.
  4. Avoid Over Fermenting! If the dosa batter is spilling out of the bowl, then it is over fermented dosa batter. It will not be easy to spread the over fermented batter.
  5. Place the smooth and fluffy batter in the refrigerator for some time before preparing Dosa.

2 How to make Crispy Dosa? [South Indian Style] [Masala Dosa]

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making a crispy masala dosa

For plain dosa, we do not need potato masala, you can serve it with coconut chutney. But while preparing a Masala Dosa, we need to make a potato masala first. Let’s peek at the potato masala recipe first.

Delicious Recipe of Potato Stuffing for Masala Dosa

In masala dosa, if the stuffing of potato does not taste well, the mood to eat the dosa vanishes.

So, why risk your food when you are already hungry?

Easily prepare the aloo masala in 45-60 minutes max. Let’s see the steps.

  • Boil the potatoes using a pressure cooker or any other method. Make sure they are not overboiled if you like to eat potato cubes in potato masala.
  • While potatoes are boiling, gather other ingredients.
  • Chop and slice one medium onion while making a potato masala of 400-500 grams of potatoes.
  • Grate and chop ½ tablespoon of ginger for the above-mentioned quantity of aloo masala.
  • 1 tsp of urad dal
  • 1 tsp of chana dal
  • ½ tsp cumin seeds
  • 7-8 curry leaves (depending on the preferred taste)
  • Take a thick bottom pan and put 2-3 tablespoons of oil in it and switch on the stove.
  • 1-2 green sliced chilies
  • Add cumin seeds, urad dal, chana dal, green chilies, and curry leaves one by one. Saute until both dal turn light brown.
  • You can add 1-2 tsp of water for avoiding the burning of dal and cooking it for perfect crisp.
  • Let the water evaporate and then add onion slices. Saute it until it turns golden brown. Add salt that will be enough for onion slices.
  • Now add boiled potato pieces to the mixture.
  • Turn the gas off and add the required turmeric that gives the yellow color to the potato masala. Along with that, taste the masala, and add additional salt as per the requirement.
  • You can mash the potato with a spatula or keep the potato chunks, the choice is yours.
  • After mixing well, garnish it with coriander leaves for additional taste.

How to Make Masala Dosa [Recipe]?

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Ingredients of Dosa Batter for Crispy Dosa

Whether a plain dosa, Mysore masala dosa, or masala dosa, every dosa requires the same batter. So, if the batter is perfect, making dosa also becomes easy. In this recipe, you will also find the sada dosa recipe included.

  • Firstly, take a tawa for cooking dosa. It should be clean and prefer a cast iron tawa non-stick pan.
  • Now, separate some batter in another bowl and add some water and required salt to it. If you have already added enough salt from first, avoid adding more salt.
  • Start with stirring the batter that you separated in another bowl. Keep an eye on the consistency of the batter. It should have a pourable consistency.
  • Make sure that the iron pan is seasoned with the oil well, or the dosa batter will stick and burn. Then heat the tawa on medium heat and to check whether the required temperature is reached or not, you can sprinkle a few drops of water on the tawa.
  • Do not overheat or underheat the tawa, or the batter will stick on it easily. Spread some oil on the tawa before pouring the dosa batter. Spread the oil evenly with a tissue or paper napkin on the tawa.
  • You can also spread the oil using a half-cut onion. Cut the onion in half and use the flat part to spread the oil. It will cool the tawa and make it easy to spread the batter without getting stuck.
  • If you have lowered the flame while pouring the batter, make the flame medium-high after pouring the batter. Spread a ladle full batter at the center of the tawa and spread it by clockwise motion or anti-clockwise, the way you prefer.
  • If making dosa is new for you, initially, you will not be able to spread it evenly. But practicing the same will make you perfect.
  • After spreading the dosa, drop oil / ghee / butter whatever you prefer on the top of the dosa. Wait for the bottom of the dosa to turn golden brownish and the edges will start coming off automatically.
  • I do not prefer to cook the other side of the dosa, as it is already cooked because of the thin and even spread batter. If you feel that your dosa is thick and will remain raw from the top, then please cook it from both sides.
  • Put the potato masala in the center of the dosa and roll the dosa. If you want to serve sada dosa, avoid adding aloo masala, and when crisped, roll the dosa over the cast iron pan and serve it with Sambar and coconut chutney.
  • Make sure you are not burning the bottom side to get a perfect crisp dosa. Let it cook till you see some light brown shades on the bottom side.

Now let’s see the soft idli recipe along with the perfect rava dosa recipe.

3 How to make Tasty and Soft Idli? [Perfect Recipe!]

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Idli with sambar tomato chutney and green chutney

The difference between idli batter and dosa batter is just the consistency of the batter. Idli batter is thicker compared to the dosa batter that you pour over the cast iron griddle.

Here is the perfect measurement of the ingredients that you will require to make soft and fluffy rice cake (idlis).

  • 2:1 proportion of rice and urad dal.
  • Rice should be parboiled rice (strands of rice that are shorter in length) because they are rich in nutrients and give perfect fluff to the idli and dosa.
  • Basmati rice is not preferable while making dosa or idlis.
  • Take 1 cup of urad dal (whole skinned or split) for 2 cups of rice.
  • ½ cup of fenugreek seeds (methi seeds) for perfect texture and taste of the idlis.
  • Non-iodized salt as per the taste.

After soaking them for the same time like we did for dosa batter, you can grind the batter and keep it for fermenting.

You have to follow the same process as the dosa batter formation. After the fermentation is done, you can add the required water to the batter and give it the following consistency.

idli batter consistency
Place the idli plates in its steamer and wait till the steam emits from it.

It takes around 5-10 minutes to cook one plate of idli. If you want to test whether idlis are cooked properly or not, you can take a toothpick test.

Prick the toothpick in idli and check whether the batter is sticking to it. If no batter sticks to it, that means idlis are ready to serve!

You can serve the idlis with coconut chutney, tomato chutney, green chili chutney, and Sambar.

4 Rava Dosa Recipe

Firstly for our audience who do not know what rava is, it’s known as sooji. You can call it semolina in English. Here are the ingredients that you will require while preparing sooji dosa at home.

  • ½ cup sooji
  • ½ cup rice flour
  • ¼ cup of maida, all-purpose flour.
  • 1 green finely chopped chili
  • 1 finely chopped medium-sized onion.
  • 1 tsp chopped ginger
  • Chopped coriander leaves
  • 0.5 tsp of cumin seeds with ¼ tsp of black pepper and ¾ salt (as per your taste)
  • 2.25 to 2.5 cups of water.

Take a huge bowl and mix everything step-wise. While adding water, whisk the mixture with the mixture and make the consistency thin like buttermilk. Let the mixture rest for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, put the non-stick tawa on the stove, and wait until it heats up.

Start spreading the batter from the sides and slowly move towards the center for getting a net design.

After covering the whole pan base, drop a few drops of oil on the dosa batter and wait for it to turn golden brown from the bottom layer.

In the end, serve the rava instant dosa with Sambar, chutney, or other additives that add flavor to your food likings.

You can also try out some different indian breakfast for weight loss.

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How to make a rava dosa batter

5 Final Verdict

I can guess that after reading this dosa recipe post, it will become 50% easier for you to prepare dosa and idlis at your home. Also, fermented rice has many advantages. Eating these rice flour eatables will ultimately help you with your good health. For more related articles, stay tuned with BestCheck.in.

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About This Article

Shreyal Shingala
Written by: Shreyal Shingala author

Shreyal Shingala is a Content Writer and also a Product tester at BestCheck. Overseeing the content and products, she edits our preceding articles too. Along with that, she loves to spend time with her family when she got her leisure time. Previously, she worked as a content writer and researcher for a digital marketing agency and has written in different niches like blogs, comparison guides, entertainment, and many more.

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Updated: November 23, 2022
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