By Suprita Mitter
February 7, 2025
Creating restaurant-style dosas at home requires the perfect batter consistency, proper fermentation, and the right cooking technique. A well-heated pan, even spreading, and the right balance of crispiness and softness make all the difference. Using quality ingredients and patience ensures a golden, flavourful, and authentic dosa experience.
Fermentation is key to making crisp dosas. The batter should be slightly airy and bubbly after fermenting overnight. Make sure to ferment in a warm place for about 8-10 hours for the right texture.
Use a 3:1 ratio of rice to urad dal (black gram), and optionally add some fenugreek seeds for better fermentation.
The batter should be thin but not watery. The dosa will be soft rather than crisp if it's too thick. After fermentation, if the batter seems too thick, add a little water to adjust the consistency.
A well-seasoned cast iron tawa or a non-stick pan is essential. A properly seasoned pan helps in evenly cooking the dosa without it sticking, leading to a crisp texture.
Pour the batter into the center of the tawa and quickly spread it out in a circular motion using the back of a ladle. The thinner the layer, the crisper the dosa will be.
Start with a hot tawa, but once the batter is spread, reduce the flame to medium to allow even cooking. If the heat is too high, the dosa will brown too quickly without becoming crisp.
After spreading the batter, drizzle a little oil or ghee around the edges and on top. Ghee, in particular, gives a richer flavour and a crisper texture. Use just enough to lightly coat the dosa.