Dal Dosa (No Ferment Lentil Dosa)
Mixed Dal Dosa is an easy and no ferment dosa made with mix of various lentils or dals. All you need is to soak and blend the lentils to make a smooth batter. Then cook them like crepes or pancakes on a hot skillet. These protein rich mix dal dosa make for a super healthy breakfast or snack when paired with Coconut Chutney or Tomato Chutney or Onion Chutney.
About Mixed Dal Dosa
From the time I made this recipe for the first time, I have made it regularly and very often. This mixed dal dosa recipe is very easy and does not require you to ferment the batter. But you do need to soak the lentils overnight.
Overnight soaked lentils ground well and give a better taste. However, if you are short of time, you can soak the lentils in water for an hour or two. The 5 lentils that feature in this high protein dosa are:
- Pigeon pea lentils (tur dal without husks)
- Bengal gram (chana dal without husks)
- Mung lentils (moong dal without or without husks)
- Black gram or black matpe bean (urad dal without husks)
- Orange lentils (masoor dal without husks)
But the recipe is easily customizable to whatever lentils you have. You can also change the proportions. Just ensure them to soak them in water for some hours or overnight.
I do not add rice but I add rice flour. Feel free to include some rice if you prefer while soaking the lentils. They give a lot of body to the batter and also help in making the dosa crispy.
The batter is spiced with some green chillies, ginger and asafoetida (hing). For a gluten-free version, omit adding the asafoetida.
If not including asafoetida (hing), I do recommend to add about half a teaspoon of cumin seeds while grinding the lentils, so as to help in digestion.
Adding a few herbs or spices bring a lot of flavor to these lentils dosa. The earthiness of the lentils gets balanced by these spices and herbs.
Also, some of these herbs and spices help in digestion. While I add green chilies for a bit of heat and flavor, you can chose to skip it when making for small kids.
Herbs like ginger, coriander leaves (cilantro), curry leaves, and spices like crushed black pepper, asafoetida, cumin give a really good taste and flavor to the dosa and are also good for digestion. So you can choose to add these herbs and spices when making these lentil crepes.
Apart from this easy dosa, I also make this healthy Moong Dal Dosa – Pesarattu and protein rich Adai Dosa.
These dosa taste crisp when they are hot. But after cooling, they become soft. You can pair the dosa with the potato masala or even Idli Podi or coconut chutney.
With this batter, I also make Mumbai mysore masala dosa. In this Mumbai style Mysore Masala Dosa recipe, the mixed dal dosa is stuffed with potato masala and grated or chopped veggies.
Mixed dal dosa is a protein-packed dosa, with good amount of various proteins coming from the lentils.
How to make Dal Dosa
Soak Lentils and Make Batter
1. Rinse the lentils for a couple of times in water. Drain the water. Then soak all the lentils overnight in 2 cups water or for 7 to 8 hours. You can also soak for a couple of hours.
I used ½ cup each of tuvar dal, chana dal, split moong dal with husks, urad dal and masoor dal. So you can use about 1.5 tablespoons each of the various lentils.
2. Discard this water, the next day. Rinse the lentils in clean water. Drain the water well.
Then add the soaked lentils together with 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies ( 1 green chilli), 1 inch ginger and 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) in a blender or grinder jar.
3. Add ½ cup of water or as required while grinding or blending the lentils. Grind till smooth. There should not be a granular consistency in the batter.
4. Take the batter in a bowl. Then add 2 tablespoons rice flour, 1 tablespoon semolina and salt as required.
Adding rice flour and rava (sooji or semolina) gives body to the batter and it is easier to spread the batter on the tawa or skillet. Bonus, they also help in making the dosa crispy.
5. Stir and mix very well.
6. Cover and allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes.
Make Mix Dal Dosa
7. Heat a tawa or thick bottomed skillet. Take a ladle of the batter about ¼ cup. Pour the batter on the tawa and spread the batter in a round circular portion with the ladle.
If using a non-stick pan, then no need to spread oil on it. If using an cast iron skillet or tawa, then spread oil evenly on it with a kitchen cotton towel or paper kitchen towels.
Drizzle about ¼ to ½ teaspoon oil on the tawa. Then spread it carefully with a folded kitchen paper towel or a halved onion with the cut side facing the tawa.
Cook on a medium heat. When the top of the dosa looks firm and cooked, drizzle ½ to 1 teaspoon of oil/butter/ghee on the edges and top of the dosa. Spread the oil or ghee or butter on the dosa.
8. When the base is cooked and crisp (you can check this by lifting the dosa slightly with the spatula), turn over the dosa. Cook the other side till crisp and done.
9. Remove the dosa on a plate. Prepare dosas from the remaining batter in the same way. You can make these dosa thin, crispy or slightly thick and soft as you prefer.
For a slightly thicker and soft dosa cook spread the batter like that of pancakes. For a crisp dosa spread the batter thinly.
For a soft dosa the batter needs to have a bit more of water. So you can add 1 to 2 tablespoons more water while blending.
10. Serve mixed dal dosa hot with potato masala, Sambar or coconut chutney. Enjoy these dosa while hot or warm for the best taste and crispy texture.
If you are looking for more Dosa varieties then do check:
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
For soaking lentils
- ½ cup mixed lentils – mix of tuvar, chana, masoor, urad and moong dal Or about 1.5 tablespoon of each lentil
- 2 cups water – for soaking lentils
Other Ingredients
- 1 green chili or 1 teaspoon chopped
- 1 inch ginger – chopped
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) – optional
- ½ cup water or add as required – for grinding lentils
- 2 tablespoons Rice Flour
- 1 tablespoon rava – finer variety, (sooji or semolina or cream of wheat)
- oil or ghee or butter as required
- salt as required
Instructions
Soaking Lentils and Preparing Batter
- Rinse the lentils for a couple of times in water.
- Then soak all the lentils overnight in water or for 7 to 8 hours. You can also soak the lentils for a couple of hours.
- Discard this water, the next day.
- Wash the lentils in clean water. Drain the water well.
- Then add the lentils along with chopped green chilies, ginger and asafoetida in a grinder jar.
- Add water while grinding or blending the lentils. Grind till smooth. There should not be a granular consistency in the batter.
- Then add rice flour and semolina. Season the batter with salt. Mix very well.
- Cover and allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes.
Making Mix Dal Dosa
- Heat a tava or thick bottomed skillet. For a non-stick pan there is no need to add any oil. For a cast iron pan spread ½ teaspoon of oil on the pan carefully with a kitchen cotton towel or a kitchen paper towel.
- Take a ladle of the batter. Pour the dosa batter on the tava and spread the batter in a round circular portion with the ladle starting from the center and moving towards the edges.
- Cook dosa on a medium heat. When the batter on top firms up and looks cooked, drizzle ½ to 1 teaspoon of oil or butter or ghee on the edges and top of the dosa. Spread the oil or ghee or butter on top of the dosa with a spoon or spatula.
- When the base is cooked and crisp (check this by lifting the dosa slightly with the spatula), turn over the dosa.
- Cook the other side till crisp and done. Remove and serve. This way make all dosa with the remaining batter.
- Serve mixed dal dosa with potato masala, sambar or coconut chutney. Enjoy them while still hot or warm to get that crispy texture and taste.
Nutrition
Dal Dosa recipe from the archives was first published on May 2010.
This has been one of the best ways that I’m able to include lentils in my family’s diet. Really tasty recipe.
That’s lovely to hear. I am glad the dal dosa is helping you include lentils in a delicious way. Thank you for your kind words.
Tried this today and it was just WOW!!!..With coconut chutney it was simply divine…Great recipe…Will add this to my regular menu.
thanks winnie. with coconut chutney this dal dosa tastes too good. it is a good recipe to add in the menu as rich in proteins and thus nutritious.
Instead of rice flour and rava what can be added.or can we prepare only with the dals
you can also make just with the dals. skip rice flour and rava. you can also add some ground oats if you want.
What does ‘Serves: 2 – 3’ mean? Is that dosa count or in general serves 2 to 3 people? I have not tried anything like this before and hence have no idea how much batter this would be.
it means serves 2 to 3 people and not dosa count. in case if there is any batter remaining, then you can refrigerate it and use later.
Thank you for the prompt response and this awesome recipe. I couldn’t wait and tried it last night and it was yummylicious 🙂 However it hardly made 6 dosas for the above mentioned quantity, would double it tonight!
surely reena double the quantity for more dosas 🙂 and you are welcome. thanks for positive feedback.
Hello. I have a soaked and fermented batter of 1cup chana dal, moong dal and urad dal. Can I add only rava to it and use it for dosas?
you can add rava. but add 1 to 2 tablespoons.
Can we make batter at night . Keep it in the fridge and use it next day morning ??
yes chandana. you can do this way. but before making dosa, bring the batter to room temperature.
Which moong dal yellow or chilka green
you can use either. but in the above recipe, yellow moong dal is used.
Arhar means urad dal ???
Write
no. arhar is not urad dal. arhar is tuval or toor dal.
Hi
Love the idea of a protein rich dosa
I added only 1 tbsp of rice flour, but end result – dosa has an uncooked ” kacha pan” flavor of the riceflour.
Kindly guide
Thanx
welcome mehnaz. if you cook the dosa well then you will not have uncooked taste of rice flour. i have made it many times.
Hi Dassana,
Thank you for this healthy dosa recipe, I want to try it soon.
Can I skip Arhar dal and make it with the rest of the dals and rice flour and sooji?
And how important is adding Asafoetida?
Thank you
yes, you can do this variation. thanks keerthi. also you can add some yogurt.
Great! Il definitely try it.
Could you please advise as to how much yogurt to use and when in the process should I add it? Keeping in mind the above measurements.
Sorry to bother you with my questions, my first time at making dosa batter. Though I tried your instant rava dosa, it was super. Thanks
hi keerthi, you can add just about 1 or 2 tbsp of the yogurt once the batter is ready. just mix it. in case the batter becomes thick, then just add some rice flour.
this is very healthy method thank you very much for the good infermation
welcome shaker
Great recipe. I made that many times. I added semolina and rice flour at once. But, I prefer just dals itself. Thank you!!!.
welcome muralidhara
I have made several times of this mixed dosa. Always, it has come out well. Added rice flour and sooji. Did not find much difference. I just use those 4 dals. Thank you for this healthy recipe.
welcome muralidhara and thanks for sharing your variation of making the dosa
hi dassana….here is another version of multi dal dosa which we call adai…3 cups of iddly rice,1/2 cup channa dal,1/2 cup urad dal 1/2 cup tur dal,1/2 cup moong dal .soak for 4 hours .grind it along with 2 tsp of fennel seeds and 15nos of red chillies.take a tava ,add little oil fry chopped onions,add aseofodida ,salt and chopped coriander leaves .curry leaves fry for 3 mins.add it to the batter and make dosa…enjoy it
thanks anu for sharing the adai recipe. i have noted your recipe down and plan to make it. i know about adai. when i went to coimbatore, i got myself a packet of organic readymade adai mix from isha yoga center. but i think the freshly ground batter must be tasting better than the readymade mix. thanks once again.
What’s the shelf life of the batter?? and can we use simple basmati rice rather than rice flour?
this batter will stay only for 1-2 days in the refrigerator. you can add basmati rice. soak the rice with the rest of the lentils. if you want you can even skip adding rice and just made the dosa with lentils.
this is good… i have tried this recipe with broken wheat along with daals and i like it…it turns out well…good post as usual 🙂
thanks beena.