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Mumbai Mix

The practical recipe

Authentic Dosa Batter Recipe

Learn how to make authentic South Indian dosa batter using just rice, urad dal and fenugreek. This simple recipe creates a naturally fermented batter perfect for crispy dosas, masala dosas and uttapam.

Prep
20 min
Soak
4–6 hrs (summer) / overnight, 6–8 hrs (winter)
Ferment
6–12 hrs (summer) / up to 48 hrs (winter)
Cook
~3 min per dosa
Serves
6
Difficulty
Advanced
Diet
Vegetarian, Vegan
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🎓 New to making dosa?

If this is your first time making dosa batter, I recommend reading our Mumbai Mix Master Guide to Perfect Dosa Batter before starting.

The guide explains:

Read the Master Guide →

Ingredients

Tap an ingredient as you go

For the batter

Equipment

What you'll need

  • Large bowl
  • High-speed blender or wet grinder
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Flat tawa or non-stick frying pan
  • Ladle
  • Flat spatula

Method

Seven simple steps

  1. Soak the rice and dal

    Soak the rice and urad dal separately. During warmer months soak for 4–6 hours; during colder months, soak overnight. Add the fenugreek seeds to the rice while soaking.

  2. Blend to a smooth batter

    Drain the grains, keeping the soaking water. Blend the rice and urad dal separately until smooth, adding enough soaking water to create a batter with the consistency of whipped cream.

  3. Combine and ferment

    Combine both batters in a large bowl and mix thoroughly by hand. Cover loosely and leave to ferment until light, airy and slightly tangy — in summer this usually takes 6–12 hours; in winter it may take up to 48 hours.

  4. Heat the tawa

    Once fermented, gently stir the batter. Heat a lightly oiled tawa or flat griddle over a medium heat.

  5. Pour and spread

    Pour one ladle of batter into the centre of the pan. Using the back of the ladle, spread the batter in circular motions until thin and even.

  6. Cook until golden

    Increase the heat slightly and drizzle a little oil around the edges. Cook until the edges naturally lift and the underside becomes golden brown.

  7. Fold and serve

    Fold, roll or fill as desired, and serve immediately. Wipe the tawa with a damp cloth before cooking the next dosa.

Recipe tips

  • The first dosa is often your test dosa. It helps you judge the pan temperature and batter consistency.
  • If your batter hasn't risen much but has bubbles and smells pleasantly tangy, it has usually fermented successfully.
  • Every pan behaves differently. Don't be afraid to adjust the heat slightly between dosas.

From Our Kitchen ❤️

One of the questions I'm asked most often during classes is why the first dosa never looks as good as the second.

The answer is simple. The first dosa tells you everything. It lets you judge whether the pan is hot enough and whether the batter needs adjusting.

Don't chase perfection. Use that first dosa to understand your batter, and the rest become much easier.

— Deshna

Ready for the next step?

Now that your batter is ready, learn how to turn it into an authentic South Indian meal.

  • Authentic Masala Dosa
  • Potato Masala
  • Tomato Chutney
  • Coconut Chutney