Mixed-Dal Dosa batter/ Adai Dosa batter (no fermentation)

I feel one of the best food legacies our ancestors have left behind for us is our humble “DOSA”. Its easy, its healthy, its yummy, there are so many varieties and its a complete meal by itself.

I keep changing my Dosa ingredients every time so that we include the goodness of all our super grains and pulses. This particular recipe is an enhanced version of Adai Dosa from down south. I use a mix of 4 dals, millets, rice and this batter does not need any fermentation. All you have to do is soak the ingredients for 6-8 hours, wash, grind and use the batter for making our yummy dosas.

Unlike the regular urad dal and rice dosa batter which is high in carbs, , this mixed-dal dosa batter is a good option if you want to cut carbs and include more protein and fibre in your meal. It not only tastes as good as the regular dosa, but also keeps you fuller for a longer time.

Ingredients for the batter:

Basic Ratio of Dal : Rice+Millets = 2: 1

Urad Dal – 1 cup

Chana Dal – 1/2 cup

Tool Dal – 3/4 cup

Green Moong – 3/4 cup (optionally use yellow moong dal)

Millets – 1 cup (any kind, I have used kodo millet)

Rice – 1/2 cup

Methi seeds – 3 tbsp

Note: Based on your requirement vary the size of cup. I have used a 200 ml size cup, and this yields about 1.5 kg of batter which serves for 5 people for 2 times. If you do not have the mentioned dals, use whichever dals you have in 2:1 ratio of Dal and Rice/ Millets.

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients together and wash 2-3 times .
2. Soak in double the quantity of water for 6-8 hours.
3. Rinse the soaked grains with fresh water and grind into a smooth paste by adding water as required.
4. Add 1 tbsp of salt and 1 tsp of jeera powder, and pinch of hing for a nice flavor.
5. Add water to form a pouring consistency similar to regular dosa batter.
6. The batter can be stored in the fridge in an airtight contained upto a week.

Making the Dosa:

1. Heat a dosa pan on the stove and smear a layer of oil once it is hot. Optionally, you can cut an onion and rub it on the pan, so that the batter does not stick to the pan.
2. Pour the batter on the hot pan, and spread into a thin layer with the help of a laddle.
3. Add oil as required and roast it well. Once it is well cooked, flip it onto the other side and roast for a minute.
4. Serve hot with your favorite chutney.

Cooking Tips:

1. Add water as per your preference of dosa thickness. If you prefer a thicker dosa, add lesser water.
2. You can also make chilla or uttapam with this batter by adding a lot of vegetables.
3. If you do not have the mentioned dals, use whichever dals you have in 2:1 ratio of Dal and Rice/Millets.
4. Since the batter is not fermented, it may slightly change color after a couple of days which is normal and good to use as long as there is no sour smell.
5. Do not store for more than 1 week as the batter will get sour.