There is Rava Dosa, and then there is Rava Dosa; the way my father makes it. Daddy’s Rava Dosas are stuff legends are made of, and many of my relatives fondly recall how he made these delectable dosas for them.
The day Daddy decides to make Rava Dosas, he will typically get up and makes the batter even before he has his tea! Then he lets it “sit” for at least a couple of hours. While the batter rests, Daddy has his tea and then makes a Senaga Pindi Pachadi, a special chutney made with besan and tamarind juice.
Once all the preparations are ready, he starts with making the dosas. During the time he makes the dosas, all of us—without an exception—are banned from the kitchen. Only when Daddy calls us to take our Rava Dosa, do we venture in to the kitchen.
For my dad, each dosa is a work of art and takes about 7 to 10 minutes to make. Each Rava Dosa is perfect; golden brown and crisp. While the waiting is painful, each morsel that we eat after that is just heaven. 🙂
Daddy cooks by estimation (like all good cooks do) and he was amused that I wanted defined measures. So, I watched as he made the batter and estimated the quantities he uses. I guess I was in his way because as soon as the batter was made, I was firmly but politely told to scuttle. 🙁
Anand, Sreela, Rama, and Arnab; the things I have to do for you guys!
Do try my recipes for Wheat Flour Dosa | Godhuma Dosa, Pesarattu, and Adai | Dal Dosa as well.
Tips to Make the Perfect Rava Dosa
- Let the batter rest for at least 1 hour or more so that the rava absorbs liquid and becomes soft. If you make the dosa immediately after mixing the batter, you will have a grainy dosa.
- Do use the maida because it will help you make thin dosas which are crispy. If you so wish, you can replace maida with whole wheat flour.
- The batter must be thin to give you lacy dosas.
- Keep mixing the batter well before making each dosa, because the rava tends to settle to the bottom. I often have to add a little water to the batter after making a few dosas because the batter thickens.
- Optional Additions to the Rava Dosa
- Add finely chopped coconut, if you like.
- If you like Onion Rava Dosa, add finely chopped onions to the batter.
- The tava you use must be flat as you have to shape the dosa by pouring the batter on to the tava. If you use a regular concave roti tava, you will find that the batter pools in the centre.
- The tava must be hot at the instant that you pour the batter onto it because then the batter will immediately “stick” to the tava. If the tava is cold or just warm when you pour the batter on to it, the dosa will be soft and sometimes sticky.
- While the heat is high to make the tava hot, let the dosa roast on medium heat because that will give you the crispy texture and lovely golden brown colour.
- If you are using an iron tava, it must be well-seasoned, else the dosa will stick to the surface and break apart when you try to loosen it.
This recipe was first posted in April 2012 and is now updated with step-by-step photos and better photos of the finished Rava Dosa.
Recipe for the Perfect Crispy, Lacy Rava Dosa
The Perfect Crispy, Lacy Rava Dosa
Rava Dosa is an instant dosa that needs no grinding and fermenting. The perfect Rava Dosa is lacy, crispy, and just a pleasure to eat. Just what you need to kickstart a weekend or drive away some blues.
Equipment
- Flat Tava
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Rava, Suji
- 1/4 Cup Maida, Refined Flour
- 1/2 Cup Rice Flour
- 1/4 Cup Curd (Preferably slightly sour)
- 2 Cups Water
- 4 to 6 Green Chillies
- 1 tsp Jeera, Cumin Seeds
- 10 to 12 Kadi Patta, Curry Leaves
- Salt to Taste
Other Ingredients
- Oil for making dosas
Instructions
To make the Rava Dosa batter:
- Pound green chilly pieces and Jeera into a coarse paste.
- To a large vessel, add the rava, rice flour, maida, green chilli-jeera, chopped curry leaves, and salt, and mix well.
- Whisk the curd till it is smooth and add ¼ cup water to it. Mix well
- To the flour mix, add the diluted curd a little at a time and mix well. This step will help you avoid lumps in the batter.
- Slowly add 1.5 cups water to the batter and mix well to get a batter of flowing consistency.
- Let the batter rest for at least an hour. This will help the rava absorb water and soften.
- Mix the batter well and add 1/4 cup water.
To make the Rava Dosa:
- Heat a flat tava till it is hot. The tava must be really hot for you to get a lacy and crisp dosa.
- Add some oil and with a spatula spread it evenly to oil the entire surface of the tava.
- Using a small cup, mix the batter thoroughly. As the batter rests, the flour will sink to the bottom. You need to keep mixing the batter well before making a dosa. You may also need to add a little water to the batter as you make dosas because sometimes it thickens.
- Ensure the tava is hot, and lower the heat to medium.
- From a little height, about 3” or 4” above the tava, and starting from the outer edges and moving towards the centre, slowly pour the Rava Dosa batter on to the tava.
- Drizzle a few drops of oil around the edges and onto the dosa.
- Let the dosa roast over medium heat till the edges start to brown. I normally move the tava a little over the flame to ensure the dosa is evenly roasted.
- Using a sharp and flat spatula, loosen the edges of the dosa. Systematically and slowly work your way to the centre.
- Flip the dosa over.
- Increase the heat to high.
- Let the flip side cook for a minute or two.
- Flip the dosa over and gently fold into ½ without breaking it.
- Serve immediately with Senaga Pindi Pachadi, Coconut Chutney and/or Molaga Podi | Chutney Powder.
Notes
- Ensure there are no lumps in the Dosa batter. If there are any, break them with hand.
- You should not use the regular concave roti tava for this dosa. The batter will simply pool to the centre. 🙁
- Use an iron tava/griddle, if possible. Non-stick does not give you the same result.
- Add 2 tbsp very finely chopped coconut to the batter, if you like.
- If you like Onion Rava Dosa, add finely chopped onions to the batter.
Nutrition
Calories: 130 kcalCarbohydrates: 21 gProtein: 3 gFat: 4 gSaturated Fat: 1 gCholesterol: 1 mgSodium: 157 mgPotassium: 55 mgFiber: 2 gSugar: 1 gVitamin A: 51 IUVitamin C: 28 mgCalcium: 28 mgIron: 1 mg
How to Make a Hotel Style Rava Dosa
- Making the Rava Dosa batter:
- Cut the green chillies into small pieces.
- Pound green chilly pieces and Jeera into a coarse powder. I just pulse the chilli and jeera together in the chutney grinder to get a coarse mix. The jeera will just break apart but the chilli will become a paste.
- To a large vessel, add the rava, rice flour, maida, green chilli-jeera, chopped curry leaves, and salt, and mix well.
- Whisk the curd till it is smooth and add ¼ cup water to it. Mix well
- To the flour mix, add the diluted curd a little at a time and mix well. This step will help you avoid lumps in the batter.
- Slowly add 1.5 cups water to the batter and mix well to get a batter of flowing consistency. The thin batter is the key to the crispiness of the Rava Dosa.
- Let the batter rest for at least an hour. This will help the rava absorb water and soften. If the batter is the not rested, you will have a grainy dosa.
- After the batter has rested, mix it well and add ¼ cup water because it rava would have absorbed some of the water.
- To make the Rava Dosa:
- Heat a flat tava till it is hot. The tava must be really hot for you to get a lacy and crisp dosa.
- Add some oil and with a spatula spread it evenly to oil the entire surface of the tava.
- Using a small cup, mix the batter thoroughly. As the batter rests, the flour will sink to the bottom. You need to keep mixing the batter well before making a dosa.
- Ensure the tava is hot and now lower the heat to medium.
- From a little height, about 3” or 4” above the tava, and starting from the outer edges and moving towards the centre, slowly pour the Rava Dosa batter on to the tava. Be careful because the batter may splash a bit because of the hot tava.
- Drizzle a few drops of oil around the edges and onto the dosa.
- Let the dosa roast over medium heat till the edges start to brown. I normally move the tava a little over the burner to ensure the dosa is evenly roasted.
- Using a sharp and flat spatula, loosen the edges of the dosa. Systematically and slowly work your way to the centre.
- Flip the dosa over.
- Increase the heat to high.
- Let the flip side cook for a minute or two.
- Flip the dosa over and gently fold into ½ without breaking it.
- Serve immediately with Senaga Pindi Pachadi, Coconut Chutney and/or Molaga Podi | Chutney Powder.
Akka, I want to eat Rava Dosa, photo lo dosa superrrrr!
Before Abhi gets married, I will make for you. That is a promise. 😀