Dosa

Crispy rice crepes! Served with a ground mixture of spices (podi), various chutneys (coconut, tomato), chicken curry and of course, sambhar.

3 cups of idli rice (or long grain rice)
1 cup of urad dal (buy the kind that has the the black outer layer removed)
Water
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

In separate bowls soak rice and dal with water and 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds each. Soak for at least 6-8 hours. (I often soak it overnight.)

Drain water off of urad dal, then put in a blender. Add enough water just to cover the dal. Grind on a high setting for about 5 minutes, adding water only to keep the blender moving smoothly! When done the texture should be smooth and silky. When it is done, pour into a large bowl that has a tightly fitting lid.

Next drain water off of rice and dump into the same blender. (I usually have to blend the rice in two batches because my blender has a tough time.) Blend for about 7-10 minutes. When done the texture should be smooth with just a little bit of coarseness. Blending time will vary depending on how effective your blender is. Pour into the same bowl as urad dal. Then, stir the dal and rice with your hand to combine. (They say that the batter will ferment nicely if you mix with your hand.)

Next, put the lid on the bowl, and put it in the oven and turn on the "proofing" setting, if you have it. (Alternately, before you start grinding the rice/dal, turn your oven to 180, let it warm up, switch it off. By the time you put the dosa batter in the oven it should be the right temp. It's similar to the process of making bread, which needs the right temperature for the dough to yeast to activate and allow the dough to rise.) Leave it in for 8-12 hours.

When you check it it should have slightly fermeneted, yielding a fluffier batter, a slight sour smell. At this point if the batter is thick (i.e. you have to "scoop" it like ice cream!) add some water to thin it out a bit. (Not too much!)

When ready to use, take out as much batter as you desire, add salt to taste and water (should be slightly thinner than pancake batter). Put on a preheated frying pan/tava (ungreased), and swirl it around with the bottom of your ladle. If you desire, sprinkle with a few drops of oil. When it is golden brown, flip it over and cook on the other side.

Hot, crispy dosa is ready!