Davangere Benne Dosa | Butter Dosa

Davangere benne dosa recipe with step by step photos – crisp, soft and buttery dosas made with parboiled rice, lentils and puffed rice. Makes for a healthy and tasty breakfast when served with a side of dry potato curry and spicy coconut chutney.

About Davangere Benne Dosa

Davangere is a city in central Karnataka. Karnataka is one of the states in south India. There are some dishes unique to Davangere and benne dosa is one of them.

While living in bangalore, we did manage to have benne dosa from davangere. I still remember the taste of dosa, the potato palya and the coconut chutney.

I had been wanting to make as well as share this recipe from a long time. I did a lot research to get the recipe close to the benne dosa we had.

Sharing a fool proof recipe after a few attempts of making this dosa. Broadly I referred this post to get the recipe which came close to the authentic dosas we had.

‘Dosas’ are crepes made from fermented lentil-rice batter. ‘benne’ is butter in Kannada language. So basically these are butter dosas.

Here the butter used is fresh white butter and this gives a distinct taste, which is different when you use yellow butter. But you can still make these dosas with yellow butter. If you cannot have butter, then make with oil and still enjoy the deliciousness.

These davangere dosas are not like the regular Dosa. The taste as well as the texture is different. They are crisp and yet have a soft, light texture.

Davangere benne dosa is usually served with a potato filling (called as potato palya) and a spicy coconut chutney. The one we had were just mashed potatoes, but I did want to give some tempering. So sauteed some onions & green chili in oil for the potato stuffing.

The chutney that is served is very spicy and is made with minimal ingredients. The spicy coconut chutney balances the bland potato filling very well.

I have shared the detailed recipes for both the potato palya and coconut chutney in the recipe card below.

Ideally benne dosa is best had hot. however, since these dosas remain soft even after cooling, you can also pack them in tiffin box.

How to make Davangere Benne Dosa

1. Pick and then take 1 cup idli dosa rice or parboiled rice (200 grams), ¼ cup husked urad dal (whole or split, 50 grams) and ¼ teaspoon methi seeds in a bowl.

2. Rinse all of them together a couple of times.

3. Strain the water and keep it aside.

4. Take 1.5 cups of puffed rice (50 grams) in a bowl.

5. If you want you can rinse them too once. Or add them directly to soak. Do note that rinsing makes the puffed rice a bit sticky to handle.

6. Strain and add the rinsed puffed rice to the bowl containing the rinsed urad dal, rice and methi seeds.

7. Pour 3 to 3.5 cups water. Stir well, cover and allow all the ingredients to soak for 5 to 6 hours.

8. These are the soaked ingredients after almost 6 hours.

9. Strain very well and add the soaked ingredients in a grinder jar. Strain really well as the puffed rice holds quite some water. Also when adding water for grinding be careful.

10. Also add 1 tablespoon of all purpose flour (maida).

11. Add water in parts and grind to a smooth batter. A fine rava (sooji) like grainy consistency of the rice also works. I ground it in two parts.

In the first part I added ½ cup water and in the second part, I added ¼ cup water. So overall used ¾ cup water for grinding. If the grinder becomes hot, then wait for it to cool down and then continue with the grinding.

12. Here I am adding the first batch of the batter in a pan.

13. In this pic, I have added the second batch of the batter.

14. Add ¼ teaspoon sugar. Skip adding sugar if you live in a hot or warm climate. In this case, add salt before fermenting the batter and add sugar after fermentation of the batter, i.e just before you prepare the dosas.

15. Stir and mix very well.

16. Cover and keep the batter to ferment for 8 to 9 hours or more depending on the temperature conditions in your city. Here is the picture of the dosa batter after fermentation. 

The day I made this batter, the temperature during night was 12 degrees celsius. I kept the batter to ferment for about 16 hours. Depending on the temperature in your city, you can keep the batter to ferment from 8 hours to 20 hours.

17. Before preparing the dosas, add ¼ teaspoon baking soda and salt as per taste.

18. Stir and mix very well.

Cooking benne dosa

19. In a cast iron tava or griddle, spread some oil with a spoon or with halve of an onion. For a non-stick pan, no need to grease with oil.

Make sure to use a well seasoned cast iron tawa or skillet. So that the dosa does not stick on to the skillet.

20. Take a ladle of the batter and pour on the tava. Heat the tava first very well. Before spreading the batter, reduce the heat and then spread the batter gently.

21. Gently spread to a slightly thick dosa. Once you spread the dosa, increase the heat to medium intensity. You can even spread the batter to a thin dosa.

22. When the dosa starts cooking, you will begin to see a lot of tiny holes or air pockets in the dosa.

23. Cook on medium heat till the top looks firm and cooked.

24. Here the top has cooked.

25. Once the top has cooked, add some softened butter on top. I used yellow butter as I had ran out of white butter.

26. Spread the butter gently all around with a spoon or spatula.

27. Flip the dosa with a spatula. For a more deep brown and crisp crust, cook for some more time before flipping.

28. Cook for some seconds or a minute and then fold the benne dosa.

29. Serve davangere benne dosa hot with potato palya and coconut chutney. If you are unable to serve them hot, stack them in a roti basket or casserole and serve warm.

You can also add some butter on top of the dosa while serving. You can serve the benne dosa separately or place the potato stuffing in the dosa and then serve.

If you are looking for more Dosa varieties then do check:

• Masala dosa
• Rava dosa
• Neer dosa
• Set dosa
• Ragi dosa
• Oats dosa

Step by Step Photo Guide Above

davangere benne dosa

Author: Dassana Amit

4.93 from 14 votes

Benne dosa recipe – crisp, soft davangere style benne or butter dosa. A special dosa from the city of davangere in Karnataka.

Print SaveSaved! Rate

Prep Time: 9 hours hours

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 9 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings3 to 4

CourseBreakfast, Brunch, Snacks

CuisineKarnataka, South Indian

Ingredients

for benne dosa

• ▢ 1 cup idli dosa rice or parboiled rice or 200 grams
• ▢ ¼ cup urad dal, 50 grams
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon methi seeds
• ▢ 1.5 cups puffed rice (murmura or pori) or 50 grams
• ▢ 1 tablespoon maida (all purpose flour)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon sugar
• ▢ 3 to 3.5 cups water for soaking
• ▢ ¾ cup water for grinding or add as required
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ salt as per taste
• ▢ oil and butter as required white or yellow

for making potato palya

• ▢ 300 grams potatoes or 3 to 4 medium potatoes
• ▢ 50 to 60 grams onion or 1 medium onion chopped or ⅓ cup chopped onion
• ▢ 1 small green chili, finely chopped
• ▢ 1 tablespoon oil
• ▢ salt as required

for making spicy coconut chutney

• ▢ ½ cup tightly packed grated coconut, fresh or frozen
• ▢ 5 to 6 green chilies. roughly chopped
• ▢ 1 to 2 seeds of a green cardamom
• ▢ 3 to 4 tablespoon water for grinding
• ▢ salt as required

Instructions

preparing dosa batter and fermenting

• Pick and then take idli dosa rice or parboiled rice, urad dal, methi seeds in a bowl.
• Rinse all of them together for a couple of times. Drain and keep aside.
• Take 1.5 cups puffed rice (50 grams) in a bowl. If you want you can rinse them too once. Or add them directly to soak. Do note that rinsing makes the puffed rice a bit sticky to handle.
• Strain and add the rinsed puffed rice to the bowl containing the rinsed urad dal, rice and methi seeds.
• Pour 3 to 3.5 cups water. Stir well, cover and allow all the ingredients to soak for 5 to 6 hours.
• Strain very well and add the soaked ingredients in a grinder jar. Strain really well as the puffed rice holds quite some water. Also when adding water for grinding be careful.
• Add 1 tbsp all purpose flour (maida).
• Add water in parts and grind to a smooth batter. A rava like grainy consistency of the rice is also fine. I ground in two parts. In the first part I added 1/2 cup water and in the second part, I added 1/4 cup water. So overall used 3/4 cup water for grinding.
• Take the ground batter in a bowl.
• Add 1/4 tsp sugar. mix very well.
• Cover and keep the batter to ferment for 8 to 9 hours or more depending on the temperature conditions in your city.
• Before making the dosas, add 1/4 tsp baking soda and salt as per taste. Mix very well.

preparing benne dosa

• In a cast iron tava or griddle, spread some oil with a spoon or with halve of a onion.
• Take a ladle of the batter and pour on the tava. Heat the tava first very well. Before spreading the batter, reduce the flame and then spread the batter.
• Gently spread to a slightly thick dosa. Once you spread the dosa, increase the flame to medium intensity.
• You will begin to see a lot of tiny holes in the dosa.
• Cook on medium flame till the top has cooked.
• Once the top has cooked, add some butter on top.
• Spread the butter gently all around with a spoon or spatula.
• Flip the dosa. Cook for some seconds or a minute and then fold.
• Serve davangere benne dosa hot with potato palya and coconut chutney. If you are unable to serve them hot, stack them in a roti basket or casserole and serve warm. You can also add some butter on top of the dosa while serving. You can serve the dosa separately or place the potato stuffing in the dosa and then serve.

preparing potato palya for benne dosa

• Take 300 grams or 3 medium sized potatoes. Rinse them well and then steam or boil them till they are completely cooked. If cooking in a pressure cooker, then cook the potatoes for 4 to 5 whistles.
• When they are still warm or slightly hot, peel and mash them roughly. Keep aside.
• In a pan, heat 1 tbsp oil. Add ⅓ cup chopped onions.
• Saute the onions till translucent.
• Add 1 small green chilies (finely chopped). If you want you can also add 2 to 3 green chilies. Stir well.
• Then add the roughly mashed potatoes.
• Season with salt.
• Mix very well and saute for a minute.
• Serve potato palya with davangere butter dosa or regular dosa.

preparing coconut chutney for benne dosa

• Take ½ cup freshly grated tightly packed coconut in a small grinder. Add 5 to 6 green chilies (roughly chopped) and 1 or 2 seeds from a green cardamom pod. For a pronounced cardamom flavor, you can add all the seeds from 1 small green cardamom.
• Season with salt as per taste.
• Add 3 to 4 tbsp water and grind to a smooth consistency.
• Remove coconut chutney in a serving bowl and serve the chutney with davangere benne dosa and potato palya.

This Benne Dosa Post from the blog archives, first published in Jan 2016 has been republished and updated on December 2022.