#130 Lazy Top Hat Dosa -the South Indian Crepe

This recipe is being posted on the request of one of my readers -Barton, who wanted to know how to make dosas. I served Dosa with my Tomato Apple Chutney, so Barton I hope you will try it out in your kitchen.
Note: When using a pancake griddle make sure it is well oiled or if it is a non stick pan, rub a slice of onion over the surface before pouring the batter. This ensures that the crepe will easily lift off of the griddle without sticking. That is the most tricky part of making dosas!!

So here's how to make dosas.......................

Ingredients:
Long Grain Rice-1 1/2 cup
Parboiled Rice- 1/2 cup
Urad Dal/Uzhunnu Parippu-1/2 cup
Methi Seeds/Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tspn
Water as required to grind the batter.
Salt to taste
Oil or Ghee to make dosas

Method:
1. Soak the rice and dal in the proportion 4:1 for about 8 hrs in separate bowls.
2. Along with the Urad dal soak the Methi seeds until soft.
3. When the Parboiled rice is soft enough to break,  grind the urad dal for about 30 mins adding
a little water at a time until soft and fluffy. Scoop the fluffy mixture into a very tall container.keep aside.
4. Now, grind the soaked rice in the same way until the batter is smooth and not grainy at all adding just enough water for a batter that is like pancake batter.
For best results use the ULTRA or any other brand Dosa Grinder that is available only in Indian Stores in the US. If you do not have a Grinder, you can use a high-powered blender.

5. Mix the rice batter with the urad dal fluffy batter adding enough salt eg 1 Tblslpn and mix well.
6. Keep this batter for fermentation in a warm place for about 8 hrs until it rises twice in size.  I suggest you use a "tall" container or one that is twice the size of the batter.  This is a very important step in the making of authentic dosas and idlis.
7. After the batter has doubled in size, take a ladle and mix the batter once again to mix together the urad batter that usually rises all the way to the top and make sure to mix the rice batter very well into the batter until smooth and add 1/2 cup water to smoothen if necessary. Now the batter should look like this.....
8. Place a non-stick skillet on a medium flame on the stove and make sure that it is warmed up in the center.
lower the flame and rub with some oil or a sliced onion . Now pour a full ladle of batter in the center of the skillet. Spread the batter in circles starting in the center and going towards the edge spreading evenly and to make thin crepes.
9. Sprinkle 1/2 tspn of ghee or sesame oil around the surface of the dosa allowing the first side to cook as shown.

10. When the edges are changing color, use a spatula to flip over once to cook the other side for 2 mins.
11. Flip over when golden in color, fold the dosa twice and twist gently into a cone-shaped hat. Serve with  chutney or sambhar(you can refer to my old posts for both recipes).