Neer Dosa

Ingredients

• Raw rice - 1 1/2 cups (you can use Sona Masuri)
• Fresh coconut - 2 tbsps, grated (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Oil to grease pan

Method

• Wash and soak rice for at least 3-4 hours.
• Drain the water and grind the rice along with the grated coconut to a fine paste adding water as required. The batter has be like a flowing liquid (the consistency of water) and must be ground smooth. The batter when rubbed between your fingers should feel smooth and not coarse.
• Add salt to taste and mix well. To test the consistency of batter, the batter should not form a coating on the back of the spoon. If it does, add more water to the batter. It should appear like buttermilk consistency. There is no need to ferment the batter. You can use the batter immediately to prepare neer dosa.
• Grease an iron tawa and heat it on high flame. Do the sprinkle test. When you sprinkle a few drops of water on the hot pan, it should sizzle. Reduce flame and pour a ladle full of batter (a little more than 1/4 cup) from the sides of pan in a circular motion. Fill the center and holes if any with more batter.
• Place a lid over the pan and cook on medium high flame for approx a minute. The dosa will remain white and not brown. So do not overcook it. The sides will leave the pan and the upper lay will appear dry. At this point slowly lift the sides with a spatula, fold in half and again fold it in half to form a triangle.
• Remove from pan, place on a serving plate and serve the neer dosa with chutney of your choice, egg curry or chicken curry.

Tips

• Use aged rice. Sona masuri works well.
• Ensure that you season the pan well with oil before pouring the batter. If you do not season well, the dosa will stick to the pan.
• If the batter is thick, the dosa will stick to the pan.
• Each time you make neer dosa, enusure that you mix the batter well before pouring on the pan.
• Once you pour the batter, there is no need to add oil along the sides or in the holes like we do for rava dosa.
• There is no need to flip the dosa and cook the other side.
• Cast iron pan works best but you can use a non-stick pan too. If using a non stick pan, use a pan that has a lip (sides). Once the pan is hot, pour the batter in the center of the pan and swirl it all around so that it forms a uniform thin layer. Since the batter is of a watery consistency, you should be able to swirl it all around the pan.
• This dosa batter is not spread like a masala dosa batter. The batter is splashed on the pan like one would for rava dosa.
• Left over batter can be refrigerated and used the next day.