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A plate with dosa and two small bowls containing chutney and sambar, accompanied by a small bowl of rice, placed on a white cloth napkin on the table; an inviting South Indian meal.

Traditional South Indian Dosa with Sambar and Chutney

An asian woman smiling in front of a potted plant.Hannah Lee
A traditional South Indian fermented crepe made from rice and urad dal batter, often enjoyed with sambar or chutney.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Fermentation 8 hours
Total Time 30 minutes
Meal Type Breakfast, Dinner
Cuisine Indian, South Indian
Servings 5
Calories 208 kcal
Difficulty Medium
Ingredient Cost $1.50
Shopping Cost$13

Equipment

  • Blender
  • Large bowl
  • Ladle
  • Non-stick skillet or dosa tawa
  • Spatula

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 cup rice
  • ½ cup urad dal split black gram
  • ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • Salt to taste
  • Water as needed
  • Oil or ghee for cooking

Instructions
 

Soak ingredients:

  • Rinse the rice and urad dal separately in water. Soak the rice with fenugreek seeds and urad dal separately in enough water for at least 4 hours.
    1 cup rice, 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds, 1/2 cup urad dal

Grind the batter:

  • Drain the soaked rice and urad dal. Using a blender, grind the urad dal with some water until smooth and fluffy. Transfer to a large bowl. Grind the rice and fenugreek seeds with water until smooth. Combine with the urad dal batter and mix well.
    Water

Ferment the batter:

  • Cover the bowl with a cloth and let the batter ferment in a warm place for 8 hours or overnight until it doubles in size.

Prepare the dosa:

  • Add salt to the fermented batter and mix well. Heat a non-stick skillet or dosa tawa over medium heat. Grease lightly with oil or ghee.
    Salt to taste

Cook the dosa:

  • Pour a ladleful of batter onto the skillet and spread it in a circular motion to form a thin crepe. Drizzle some oil or ghee around the edges. Cook until the edges start to lift and the bottom is golden brown. Flip if desired and cook for another minute.
    Oil

Serve:

  • Serve hot with sambar, coconut chutney, or your favorite accompaniments.

Notes

Ensure the batter is at the right consistency; it should be pourable but not too runny.
Fermentation time may vary depending on the room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 208kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 8gFat: 0.5gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 3mgPotassium: 48mgFiber: 5gSugar: 0.05gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Comfort Food, Dosa, South Indian Crepe, Traditional Recipe

Ingredient Costs: Cost of Recipe by Ingredient Measurements

Shopping Costs: Cost of Recipe with Brand New Ingredient Purchases

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