Instant Masala Dosa – Crispy & Delicious

Making a crispy, restaurant like dosa was a fantasy earlier. But with this recipe, trust me, you can make a gorgeous, crispy dosa at home too. It is a foolproof recipe for someone like me – who tried making dosa so many times and always failed and eventually gave up. But now I can make dosa even with my eyes closed. Okay, that’s an exaggeration but you got my point. Right?

We also have the recipe of Instant Ragi Dosa. Ragi is Finger Millet in English. Ragi Dosa is not just healthy but quite delicious too. And like I always say, make millets a part of your kitchen, your diet. They are very nutritious, rich in fibers, and gluten-free too.

STORY TIME

I never met anyone who doesn’t love dosa. Except for my South Indian friend who used to have it almost every day and got bored of it. I was a dosa lover since childhood and used to go to my South Indian friend’s home to have all kinds of South Indian delicacies. I even learned to make dosa from his mom. But man, it was an impossible task for me.

Then I married a huge dosa fan. Since we both found making dosa so difficult, we always used to go out to eat dosa. You can easily get a good dosa in Indian restaurants but sometimes you have to compromise on the taste of sambar or chutney. I was okay with that but my huge dosa fan husband wanted to make it just perfect at home. I gave up after many attempts but then the lockdown came. We stopped eating out and we had no option left but to make it at home.

& Finally, we did it. We found a foolproof recipe.

Now we can make dosa anytime we want. These days we are having it once or twice every week. Yay. I was so excited that I decided to share this recipe with everyone who had been through the same situation as I did. So get ready to enjoy a restaurant-style dosa at home.

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TIPS TO MAKE IT RIGHT

1. Grind Sooji: Earlier I tried to make dosa using sooji rava because that’s how I used to make uttapam and Gordon Ramsay’s Potato Pancake. Sooji does get soft when you make the batter and let it rest for a while. But it doesn’t give the right texture and crispiness needed for a dosa. Grinding sooji into a fine powder is important.
2. Poha or Rice Flour: I also grind some poha/rice flakes along with the sooji. You can also use rice flour instead. This ingredient gives nice crispiness to the dosa.
3. Whole Wheat Flour: The dosa batter needs a good binding agent that can make it spread well on the pan. Whole wheat flour helps in making a thin dosa.
4. Sugar: Don’t worry. Sugar won’t make the dosa sweet. It helps in giving a nice restaurant-style browning to the dosa. It also enhances the flavor of the dosa.
5. Batter Consistency: More than the right kind of pan, you need to have the right consistency of the batter. It is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing. It should neither be thick nor thin otherwise it will be difficult to spread it on the pan. You need a medium consistency batter.
6. Heat: Heat on the pan also plays a major role in making a perfect dosa. If the pan is too hot, you won’t be able to spread the batter. It will start sticking to the pan and will form lumps. That’s why keep the flame on medium, sprinkle water at the start, and before making each dosa. This reduces the temperature of the pan. Wipe off the water and then pour the batter and spread it. You will get good results.
7. Oil: I always used to think that oiling the pan is important because that will prevent sticking the batter to the pan. NEVER EVER DO IT. Learn from my mistakes. The oil prevents the easy spreading of the batter.

WHAT CAN RUIN THE DOSA?

Two things that can really ruin your dosa-making experience are Curd and Baking Soda.

If your curd is sitting in the fridge for a long time, chances are that your dosa will become soggy. It happens. It is tough to explain the texture but it just ruins the mood.

Also, if the baking soda has expired, you won’t get a light, airy batter. The texture of the dosa also changes because of that. But you can check the quality of baking soda. Just add a little bit of lemon juice to it. If it forms bubbles, it means your baking soda is just perfect. If not, it is time to buy a new pack.

WHAT GOES WELL WITH DOSA?

Honestly, sometimes I don’t need anything with dosa. Just some paper-thin dosa and a cup of coffee (vegan). I am sorted. But if you want to enjoy it fully, serve it with the following:

1. Sambar (in the video)
2. Onion-Tomato Chutney (in the video)
3. Coconut Chutney (in the video)
4. Coconut Coriander Chutney (in the video)

To have the best experience, serve it hot. It doesn’t remain crispy if you let it rest. Also, the masala makes it softer quickly. Although, I like soft dosa too. Loved it when someone used to bring it in school 😀

I think I shared all my learnings here and I am sure now you will be able to make a perfect instant dosa at home. Don’t get disheartened if it is slightly thick in your first attempt. It will get better with each dosa you make. The best thing about instant dosa is that you can make it anytime. It is perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. You don’t need to soak anything or wait for the batter to ferment. Just whip up the ingredients and it’s ready.

Now grab all the ingredients because you are ready to make restaurant-style dosa at home. If you like the recipe, please share the photo on Instagram and tag us too @marriedfriends. We just love to see your recreation of our recipes.

MORE MAIN COURSE RECIPES:

1. Punjabi Rajma Masala
2. Leftover Rajma Wraps
3. Veg Lasagna

Happy Cooking 🙂

Love from us

Richa & Jatin