Crisp Fermented Rice and Lentil Dosa
Lacy golden crepes from a fermented rice and urad dal batter, crisp at the edges.
By Vegan Cook. Published 1 August 2026
Ingredients
Serves 4.
- 200 grice (idli or dosa rice is ideal, but any short or medium-grain white rice works)
- 70 gurad dal (split black gram, a pale skinless lentil sold at Indian and Asian shops); it gives the batter its lift
- 1/2 tspfenugreek seeds (small amber seeds sold at Indian and Asian shops), optional
- 1 tspsalt
- 2 tbspoil, for cooking
Cookware
- Cast iron tawa or griddle
- Blender
- Ladle
Method
Read each step end-to-end before starting.
- 01
Soak
Rinse the rice, and separately rinse the urad dal with the fenugreek seeds. Soak them in two separate bowls of water for about 5 hours. Keeping them separate matters, because they grind to different textures.
- 02
Grind
Drain, then grind each to a smooth batter, adding a little fresh water as needed. Combine the two batters with the salt and mix well with your hand.
- 03
Ferment overnight
Cover and leave in a warm place for 8 to 12 hours, until the batter has risen and smells pleasantly sour. This natural fermentation is what makes a good dosa, so give it time. In a cold kitchen it may take longer.
- 04
Heat the pan
Stir the risen batter and thin it with a little water to a pourable consistency, like thin cream. Heat a flat griddle or large non-stick frying pan (in India a flat pan called a tawa) over medium-high heat and wipe it with a little oil.
- 05
Spread thin
Pour a ladle of batter into the centre and, using the base of the ladle, spread it outwards in a spiral into a thin circle.
- 06
Crisp and serve
Drizzle a little oil around the edge and cook, without flipping, until the base is deep golden and crisp and the edges lift away, about 2-3 minutes. Fold in half and serve hot.
Allergen profile
Every recipe here is fully plant-based. Cross-contamination risk depends on your kitchen, so check all packaging.