Brown Rice Dosa (Batter)

magpie diner's Note:

I am a complete novice when it comes to making Dosa. I searched around Zaar for a recipe that didn't use white rice or par-boiled rice. I ended up finding a version here - http://dalitoy.blogspot.com, which gave me an idea for the ingredients, but not much in the way of instruction. So I searched around some more and found some more straigh-forward instructions. I have yet to try this, but I like the sounds of it and plan to try it soon. Note there is soaking and fermenting time to consider, so you'll have to plan in advance. Dosas new to you too? It's basically a crepe made from rice and split/hulled black lentils (aka white lentils...I take it these lentils have black skins and are white inside). Dosas can be stuffed with vegetables or served with sauces/sambar for a light meal or snack. I believe these would be gluten-free, but I'm no expert so please look it up if that's important to you. I'm hoping to pair these with a variety of vegan fillings for an easy, portable, lunch. As for quantity, I believe this will make a dozen, possibly more.

• Total Time: 16 hrs 40 mins
• Prep Time: 16 hrs
• Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 12 dosas

• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 cup barley (or sub another cup of brown rice and skip the barley)
• 1 cup Urad Dal (skinned, aka white lentils)
• 1/4 teaspoon methi seeds (fenugreek)
• sea salt
• water

Directions:

1. First wash the rice, barley and urad dal, then place them in a large bowl, along with the fenugreek seeds. Fill the bowl with enough water to cover them by about 2 inches. Soak overnight (6-8 hours).
2. When you're ready to put the batter together, rinse and drain the rice/barley/dal/seed mixture. Using a small blender or food processor, grind into a smooth, yet grainy paste -- adding a little water if necessary. You may have to do this in a couple of batches.
3. Put the paste into a large mixing bowl and add just enough water to make a batter. The consistency of the batter should be such that it thickly coats a spoon dipped in it. Add salt, to taste (1/2 tsp perhaps?). Leave the batter to ferment in a warm, dark spot, covered - about 6-8 hours is what you want.
4. Ready to cook -- stir the fermented batter well. Heat your griddle over medium-high heat. Have some paper-towel and oil on hand. Lightly oil the pan by dipping the paper towel in a little oil and spreading it over the pan - the amount of oil should be barely visable.
5. Fill your ladle up to the 3/4 level with Dosa batter. Gently pour this batter onto the center of the pan - just as you would for a crepe - till the ladle is empty. Begin to spread the batter in sweeping circular motions to form a crepe of roughly 8" diameter (use the back of your ladle to do this). Do not be alarmed if the Dosa develops tiny holes as you spread the batter. This is normal.
6. As soon as you have finished spreading the batter out on the pan, dip the basting brush in cooking oil and drizzle the oil all over the surface of the dosa and also around its edges. Now hold the pan by its handle, lift up and swirl it so as to make the drizzled oil spread all over the Dosa.
7. When the upper surface begins to look cooked (it will no longer look soft or runny), flip the Dosa. By this time, ideally, the surface that was underneath should be light golden in color. Allow to cook for 1 minute after flipping.
8. Place finished dosas on a plate as you go -- covering up with another inverted plate to stay warm. Watch they aren't sticking together.
9. Fill as you wish!