Name: Rava Dosas
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 85g (½ cup) rice flour; 85g (½ cup) fine semolina flour; 30g (¼ cup) plain flour; 3 tbsp gram flour; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; ½ teaspoon salt; 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander; 2 green bird’s eye chillies – finely chopped; 2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger; ½ tsp asafoetida (optinal); 5 curry leaves – finely chopped; 1 medium red onion – finely chopped; 1 tbsp plain yogurt; water; Rapeseed oil for frying; ½ onion (optional)

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Rava Dosas are easy to prepare and great any time of day.

Traditional dosas are great but they take a lot more work than this rava dosa recipe. This is a recipe you can easily whip up whenever you want. I make them all the time, usually for breakfast and they are delicious served with a couple of good chutneys.

You can literally make rava dosa in minutes so why not give this recipe a try soon? You are going to love these crispy pancakes!

What is rava dosa?

Rava dosa is a popular and flavourful South Indian crepe that you make from a batter of semolina (rava or sooji), rice flour, all-purpose flour, and a mix of other ingredients. Unlike traditional dosas, which are made from fermented rice and urad dal (black gram), rava dosas can be prepared quickly without the need for fermentation.

Rava dosa is usually prepared for breakfast in south India but you will often see them on dinner menus at south Indian restaurants in the West too.

What are typical ingredients in rava dosa?

Semolina (Rava or Sooji): Semolina is the primary ingredient and gives the dosa its unique texture. It's a coarse flour made from durum wheat.
Rice Flour: Rice flour is used to enhance the crispiness of the dosa. It also contributes to the overall texture and flavor.
All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour (maida) is often added to the batter to improve the binding and help achieve a thin and lacy texture.
Yogurt: Yogurt adds a slight tanginess to the batter and contributes to the dosa's flavor. It also helps in fermenting the batter slightly.
Water: Water is used to make the batter. The consistency of the batter is typically thinner than that of traditional dosa batter.
Cumin Seeds: Cumin seeds provide a mild earthy flavor to the dosa.
Mustard Seeds: Mustard seeds add a slightly pungent taste to the dosa.
Black Pepper: Black pepper adds a hint of spiciness to the dosa.
Ginger: Fresh ginger, grated or minced, adds a warm and zesty flavor.
Green Chilies: Chopped green chilies contribute heat to the dosa. Adjust the quantity based on your spice preference.
Coriander Leaves: Chopped coriander leaves add a fresh and herbal note to the dosa.
Onion (Optional): Finely chopped onions can be added to the batter for extra flavor and texture.
Salt: Salt is an essential seasoning ingredient in the dosa batter.
Oil or Ghee: Oil or ghee is used for cooking the dosa on the griddle or skillet. It adds flavor and helps in achieving the desired crispiness.

How to get rava dosa right...

You could use any non-stick pan but I prefer to make them with a tawa. Tawas have slightly raised edges and the batter tends to run into the middle giving you a fluffy, porous centre and really crispy edges.

Unlike other dosas, there is no fancy spreading required for rava dosas. The batter needs to be pourable like a thin tomato soup and you simply splatter it around your pan and then let the dosa cook.

Can you work ahead?

You can certainly prepare all the aromatic ingredients a couple of days before you cook. I don't recommend preparing the batter ahead of time though.

The reason for not preparing rava dosa batter ahead of time is that the semolina (rava) in the batter tends to absorb water and swell over time. This can result in a thicker batter, making it challenging to spread thin and lacy dosas. The texture of rava dosa relies on the batter being thin and easily pourable to achieve the characteristic crispy and porous dosa.

Step by step photographs of making rava dosa.

If you enjoy Rava Dosa, give these alternative dosas a go!

New Neer Dosas
Salmon Dosas
Chicken & Coconut Dosa
Chorizo Dosa
Breakfast Egg Dosa
Tomato, paneer & onion Dosas
Szechuan Dosas

Yield: 4

Rava Dosas

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

85g (½ cup) rice flour
85g (½ cup) fine semolina flour
30g (¼ cup) plain flour
3 tbsp gram flour
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon salt
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
2 green bird’s eye chillies – finely chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
½ tsp asafoetida (optinal)
5 curry leaves – finely chopped
1 medium red onion – finely chopped
1 tbsp plain yogurt
water
Rapeseed oil for frying
½ onion (optional)

Instructions

Mix all the ingredients well in a large bowl. Add the water slowly until you have a very thin batter. It is just slightly thicker than water.
Heat a tawa or non stick pan over medium high heat. Spread about ½ teaspoon rapeseed oil over the surface. For additional flavour, you can spread the oil using half on onion.
Use a large spoon or ladle to add the batter. You can get creative here and splatter where you see fit to come up with a delicious looking pattern.
Fry until the underside is nicely browned and then flip it over to cook the other side for about 30 seconds. Flip over again and fold in half. Keep warm while you make the remaining dosas.
NOTE: As the batter sits, it will become thicker as the flours absorb the water. So whisk and add more water if necessary before making each dosa. The batter will keep in the fridge for three days but be sure to whisk and add more water when needed before making each dosa.