Secrets to making a round Dosa

Do your Dosas turn out patchy, stuck to the pan, or shaped like the map of Africa? 

When you make an omelette and it sticks to the pan, you can conveniently just scramble it all up and pretend like that’s what you intended to make. 

The case is not the same for Dosa though!

So to avoid having to eat ‘scrambled Dosa’, do read till the end!

Let’s start with the cooking utensil. A cast iron tawa makes the best and crispiest Dosa, no doubt. But the pan also requires a fair bit of maintenance and seasoning, especially during the first few uses. But for those that don’t have a cast iron tawa, don’t fret. Your non-stick tawa will work just fine. 

Start by heating up the pan to medium heat. It should be hot enough when you bring your hand close, but not quite smoking hot. Next, grease the pan with just a touch of oil. Use a cloth or kitchen tissue to spread the oil around. For a non-stick pan, you don’t have to apply oil. This is considering that it is in good condition with the non-stick coating still intact. 

Now enters the star of the show – the Dosa batter! Make sure that you keep it out of the refrigerator at least 10-15 minutes before starting to cook Dosas. Cold batter on a hot pan could cause patchy dosas. Another reason for patchy dosas could also be an extremely hot pan. In this case, cool the pan down by sprinkling some water. 

Use a large ladle to pour batter onto the pan. Spread it around from the center in a circular motion, applying pressure to make it as thin as you want it. Drizzle a bit of ghee or oil (preferably gingelly oil) around the Dosa, especially around the edges.
If your dosa is thick, you might have to flip it. But if you’re making a thin, crisp Dosa, you don’t have to flip it.

Once you see brown spots, that means your Dosa is cooked. Release it from the sides using a flat spatula.
There you go – your crisp, round Dosa is ready to be enjoyed with Sambar, chutney, or your dish of choice!

How to make a round Dosa