Raised in a South Indian household, I have grown up eating various types of yummy savory pancakes or dosas! The original recipe needs overnight fermenting but this is my quick version for all us parents who have kids with allergies and have to spend a lot of time cooking. My version of the dish uses more of the bean flour than would be used in the traditional recipe to make it a good source of protein. This alteration also yields softer pancakes.
Ingredients:
Matpe Bean Flour (also called Urad flour): 1 cup
Rice Flour: 1 cup
Water: 3 cups
Salt to taste (1/4 tsp)
Oil – 1/4 cup
Method:
1) Mix all the dry ingredients with a spatula in a big bowl.
2) Add the water slowly and mix to form a smooth batter. You may have to use your finger to break up some of the lumps. Adding water a little at a time prevents too many lumps being formed.
3) Heat a frying pan on medium flame.
4) Sprinkle a few drops of water on the hot pan. If it splatters the pan is at the optimum temperature. Ensure that the pan does not over heat and start smoking.
6) With the help of a ladle pour ½ a cup full of batter in the center of the pan. Spread it out by placing the lower portion of the ladle on the batter and moving the ladle in a circular motion till you have spread the batter out into a medium thick pancake. You can make it thinner if you want. This has to be done quickly else the pancake will start cooking and you will not be able to spread the batter properly. Small bubbles will appear on the top of the pancake if the pan is at the right temperature. Smear 1/2 a tsp of oil on the edges of the pancake.
7) When the top of the pancake is dry, flip it over with a flat spatual to brown it. Cook for a minute and move it to a plate.
8) Serve immediately.
Yield – 16 8 inch pancakes
Tips:
1) Matpe Bean flour is easily available in all Indian and South Asian grocery stores. You can also buy it online from Indian grocery websites like www.patelbrothersusa.com and www.indianblend.com,
1) To increase the nutritive value of the dish, you can substitute half the water with rice milk, oat milk, hemp milk or coconut milk.
2) Add 1 shredded carrot or a bunch of finely cut spinach leaves.
Allergy Foodie 
Why dont you put the dosa picture here?
Why dont you put the dosa picture here? It would look great!
You are right! I will do that.
Thanks
Dosa is very good for health thanks a lot for the wonderful and easy recipe.
Hi! We love dosa but my 4 yr old is allergic to rice(she tolerates a little). Can I make it without rice? We actually don’t eat grains but I’m willing to try it every now and then. If I eat too much I start to flare up. I actually bought a masala dosa mix from an Indian grocery and tried to make it. It didn’t come out right. Also do you know if the mix from the store is already fermented?
Thanks!
There are quite a few varieties of dosas that can be made without rice. Infact lentil and beans based dosas are high in protein and fiber hence more nutritious too. Some of the varieties that I can instantly think of are:
1) Black eyed beans dosa
2) Mung Bean Dosa
3) Garbanzo flour dosa
5) Red Millet dosa
If any or all of these varieties is something your daughter might like, I will post the recipes.
As far as I can recollect – the dosa powder uses yeast. Not sure if it is fermented but the use of yeast or other artificial raising agents completely messes up the taste.