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:

1. Pigeon pea lentils (tur dal without husks)
2. Bengal gram (chana dal without husks)
3. Mung lentils (moong dal without or without husks)
4. Black gram or black matpe bean (urad dal without husks)
5. 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:

• Masala dosa
• Set dosa
• Wheat dosa
• Cheese dosa
• Dosa recipe

Dal Dosa recipe from the archives was first published on May 2010.