Dosa I

Ingredients

• 3 cups uncooked white rice
• 1 cup urad dal (black gram)
• 1 handful cooked rice (if required)
• 1 pinch sugar (if desired)
• ¼ tsp salt

Method

1. Put the rice and dal in a large pot and wash twice.
2. Fill with water until the rice and dal are submerged by 2 inches.
3. Soak for 6 hours.
4. Grind in a blender, water and all, for 30 minutes. If the weather is cold, grind in a handful of cooked rice and a pinch of sugar to help with the fermentation process.
5. Let ferment overnight in a warm place. Make sure the pot is twice as large as the amount of batter, as it will rise a great deal.
6. Add salt; at this point the batter can be kept in the refrigerator for more than a week until you wish to fry the dosas.
7. Heat a tava (large flat pan) or griddle over a high flame.
8. Sprinkle water on the pan to cool it a little.
9. Pour ½–¾ cup batter in the middle of the pan, depending on preferred thickness and crispiness.
10. Spread the batter with the back of a spoon, starting from the centre and spiralling outwards until the dosa is about 10 inches across and very thin.
11. Sprinkle a little oil around the edges of the dosa.
12. Cover until the dosa shows brown through the thinnest parts.
13. Flip the dosa to the other side, and allow it to cook for a few seconds.
14. Fold in half and remove with a metal spatula.