How to make Dosa (Crispy Dosa Recipe)

Add urad dal, rice, chana dal, toor dal, and methi seeds to a large bowl.

Rinse till the water runs clear. Soak in about 6 cups of water for 4-5 hours.

Soak poha in water for about 20 minutes before grinding the batter.

Drain water from the soaked dal, rice, and poha. Add to a high-speed blender jar.

Add about 3/4 to 1.5 cups of cold water as needed to grind the batter to a smooth paste. Start with less water and add as needed. Transfer the batter to a large steel bowl or the Instant Pot steel insert. Make sure to use a large bowl so there is space for the batter to rise.

Add salt and mix the batter well using your clean hands for a couple of minutes. You can skip salt here if you live in a warm place. Make sure not to use iodized salt, as that affects the fermentation process.

The batter consistency should neither be thick nor runny, but rather it should be free-flowing.

Cover the steel bowl with a lid and place it in a warm place. If you live in a cold climate, keep it in the oven with the lights on or on the counter in a warm climate.

It can take 6-14 hours for the batter to ferment. The time varies depending on where you live. Once the batter is fermented, it should have increased in volume and must be frothy and airy on the top.

You can check if the batter is fermented well by dropping a teaspoon of batter into a bowl of water. It should float on top and not sink.

Stir the batter. You can transfer the batter needed to make dosa to a bowl. You can store this batter in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Place the steel insert in the Instant Pot and cover with a glass lid (do not use the Instant Pot lid, as sometimes batter can overflow and lock the lid).

Set the Instant Pot to Yogurt mode for 12 hours by pressing the Adjust and + buttons. After the time is complete, the batter will be fermented and ready to use. If the batter has not risen well, ferment it for a couple of more hours.

Stir the batter you have taken in a bowl to make dosa. Ensure it has a pouring consistency. You might need to add some water, as sometimes the batter becomes thicker while fermenting. If you skipped salt during fermentation, add it now and mix well.

Heat a cast-iron griddle (tawa) on medium-high heat. You can also use a non-stick dosa tawa, but cast iron is best for crispy dosa.

Ensure the tawa is heated well before making dosa. You can sprinkle some water on it, and it should sizzle right away.

Put a few drops of oil on the tawa and spread it with a paper towel all over the tawa. You can also use an onion cut in half and use the flat side to spread the oil, then wipe it clean with a paper towel. This helps to cool down the tawa and spread the batter in a thin layer. Lower the heat a little while spreading the batter, and change back to medium-high right after spreading the batter.

Take a ladle full of the batter and pour it at the center of the tawa. Immediately start to spread the batter from the center out in a circular motion in one direction (I prefer clockwise). Try to spread as thin as possible.

Drizzle oil or ghee around the edges of the dosa and also some at the center. Let it cook until the dosa becomes golden brown and starts to leave or come out from the edges.

You typically only need to cook one side of the dosa. If you have spread the dosa thick, then you might want to flip it and cook on the other side.

Use a flat spatula to remove the dosa from the edges. You can roll the dosa or fold it at the center with the spatula. Remove from the pan and serve immediately.

Before making the next dosa, wipe the tawa with a paper towel. Spread the oil again, then spread the dosa. Then increase the heat to high.

Serve dosa with sambar, chutney, and potato masala.

Cut the dosa from the center out to any edge using a sharp knife. Then pick one side of the dosa and start rolling, holding one cut edge in your fingers to the other edge, and shape it like a cone. Kids love cone-shaped dosa!