Versatile Dosa Batter for Multiple Dishes

Step 1: Soak Ingredients

Combine the urad dal, chana dal (or chosen lentil), rice, and methi seeds in a large bowl. Wash them thoroughly 4 to 5 times until the water runs clear. Then, soak all the ingredients together overnight in sufficient water.

Step 2: Prepare for Grinding

Before grinding, turn on your oven and preheat it to 350°F (≈175°C) (approximately 175°C) (175°C (≈345°F) (approximately 345°F)) for 5 minutes. This will create a warm environment for fermentation later.

Step 3: Grind the Batter

Transfer the soaked and washed ingredients to a blender. Add water just enough to cover the lentils, slightly above their level. Add salt to taste. Blend the mixture for only 2 minutes until it forms a smooth batter. Over-blending is not necessary.

Step 4: Ferment the Batter

Divide the batter into two steel bowls. Switch off the preheated oven. Place the bowls of batter inside the warm oven. Cover each bowl with a regular lid (not an Instant Pot lid). Allow the batter to ferment for 24 hours. Alternatively, you can ferment the batter in an Instant Pot using the 'Yogurt' mode, typically for 8 hours.

Step 5: Prepare Dosa/Idli

After 24 hours, remove the bowls from the oven. The batter should be well-fermented and risen. You can now use this batter to prepare various dishes like dosa, uttapam, or idli. For dosa, spread a thin layer of batter on a hot griddle. You can sprinkle it with curry leaf powder for added flavor, or stuff it with potato masala for a savory filling. For idli, steam the batter in an idli maker until cooked through.

• The batter can be stored for more than a week in the refrigerator.

• Salt aids in the fermentation process of the batter.

• Grinding for just 2 minutes is sufficient for this batter.

• For fermentation in colder temperatures, preheat the oven to 350°F for 5 minutes, then switch it off and place the batter inside. Alternatively, use an Instant Pot on yogurt mode.

• Cover the batter bowls with a regular lid, not an Instant Pot lid, when fermenting in the oven.

• Uttapam

• Spicy Onion Dosa

• Crispy Dosa

• Idli

• Dosa with Curry Leaf Powder

• Dosa with Potato Masala