Rava dosa is a common South Indian breakfast food that is a combination of a batter consisting of rava (semolina), rice flour, and a little bit of refined wheat flour mixed together well with yogurt, cumin seeds, chopped onions, green chilies, ginger, and fresh curry leaves. The batter is allowed to ferment for a short period of time, and then it is diluted to a flowable consistency that can flow like water so that when it is poured on a hot tawa at the sides and center it can be spread on the surface evenly by tilting it on all sides. It gets cooked within a few minutes using a minimal amount of oil and/or ghee. Follow my simplified recipe to make rava dosa at home.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Rava dosa is a widely popular South Indian breakfast dish enjoyed across India for its quick preparation and crisp texture.
- Serve it hot with sambar, coconut chutney, tomato chutney, or a simple vegetable curry.
- Rava dosa has a crispy, slightly tangy and spicy taste from green chilies and cumin.
- Other similar recipes are plain dosa, masala dosa, and onion rava dosa.
The Ingredients:
To make the batter:
- ½ cup rava (sooji or semolina)
- ½ cup rice flour
- ¼ cup refined wheat flour (maida)
- 1 tbsp curry leaves (finely chopped)
- 1 tsp green chilies (finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp ginger (finely chopped)
- 1 piece onion (large size, finely chopped)
- 3 tsp yogurt (Dahi)
- ½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup water (more after resting)
To fry the rava dosa:
- Cooking oil or ghee (clarified butter) – as required
I came to know about this recipe of “rava dosa” from my aunt, who has a passion for cooking and making home-style meals, especially South Indian dishes. During our family visit to her place, she tried making “rava dosa” for breakfast. While doing the cooking, she described the procedure very simply, giving several tips about controlling the heat, which I observed very carefully and later transcribed all of these details in my “kitchen notebook,” including all the quantities of the ingredients she used in her recipe. In fact, I liked the very first look of her “rava dosa” recipe, which requires no fermentation.
I prepared it the weekend after last for breakfast while my husband and two sons were at home. The golden color of the dosas and the crispiness and thinness were all just as I wanted. The smell attracted my kids who couldn’t wait to taste them. My husband liked the crispiness and taste and my sons asked for more. I really felt happy and lucky to have learned this simple yet delicious recipe from my aunt.
How to Make Rava Dosa? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: In a bowl, take ½ cup of rava (sooji or semolina), ½ cup of rice flour, and ¼ cup of refined wheat flour (maida). Then, add 1 tbsp of finely chopped fresh curry leaves, 1 tsp of green chilies, 1 tbsp of ginger, and 1 large piece of onion.
Step 2: Follow it up with 3 tsp of yogurt (Dahi), ½ tsp of cumin seeds (jeera), and ½ tsp of salt. Mix everything nicely first.
Step 3: Then add 1 cup of water. Mix everything to get a relatively thick batter.
Step 4: Cover the bowl and keep it aside for 10 minutes or so to rest. After 10 minutes, add more water to the batter and mix well to achieve a free-flowing consistency.
Step 5: Now, heat a tawa over a medium flame. Sprinkle a little bit of cooking oil or ghee (clarified butter) when hot and rub it with a piece of half-onion all over the surface.
Step 6: Now, pour a ladle of batter on the edge of the tawa first and then in the center. Then, tilt the tawa on all sides so that the batter spreads evenly on the surface. Do not spread the batter as it is done while making a traditional dosa using the bottom of a ladle or bowl.
Step 7: Pour some cooking oil or ghee at the edges and on the surface of the dosa. Let it cook for about half a minute or so over a low to medium flame. Move the tawa to ensure even distribution of heat and cooking.
Step 8: Check for doneness of the bottom of the dosa. Flip it to cook the other side. Fold and remove the dosa from the tawa when done. Repeat the process to fry all the dosas.
Step 9: Your tasty and crispy homemade rava dosa is ready to enjoy. Serve it along with sambar and coconut chutney.
Recipe Card
Rava Dosa
Ingredients
To make the batter:
- ½ cup rava sooji or semolina
- ½ cup rice flour
- ¼ cup refined wheat flour maida
- 1 tbsp curry leaves finely chopped
- 1 tsp green chilies finely chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger finely chopped
- 1 piece onion large size, finely chopped
- 3 tsp yogurt Dahi
- ½ tsp cumin seeds jeera
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup water more after resting
To fry the rava dosa:
- Cooking oil or ghee clarified butter – as required
Instructions
- In a bowl, take ½ cup of rava (sooji or semolina), ½ cup of rice flour, and ¼ cup of refined wheat flour (maida). Then, add 1 tbsp of finely chopped fresh curry leaves, 1 tsp of green chilies, 1 tbsp of ginger, and 1 large piece of onion.
- Follow it up with 3 tsp of yogurt (Dahi), ½ tsp of cumin seeds (jeera), and ½ tsp of salt. Mix everything nicely first.
- Then add 1 cup of water. Mix everything to get a relatively thick batter.
- Cover the bowl and keep it aside for 10 minutes or so to rest. After 10 minutes, add more water to the batter and mix well to achieve a free-flowing consistency.
- Now, heat a tawa over a medium flame. Sprinkle a little bit of cooking oil or ghee (clarified butter) when hot and rub it with a piece of half-onion all over the surface.
- Now, pour a ladle of batter on the edge of the tawa first and then in the center. Then, tilt the tawa on all sides so that the batter spreads evenly on the surface. Do not spread the batter as it is done while making a traditional dosa using the bottom of a ladle or bowl.
- Pour some cooking oil or ghee at the edges and on the surface of the dosa. Let it cook for about half a minute or so over a low to medium flame. Move the tawa to ensure even distribution of heat and cooking.
- Check for doneness of the bottom of the dosa. Flip it to cook the other side. Fold and remove the dosa from the tawa when done. Repeat the process to fry all the dosas.
- Your tasty and crispy homemade rava dosa is ready to enjoy. Serve it along with sambar and coconut chutney.
