Rava Dosa Recipe

Rava Dosa is South India's showstopper crepe: a thin, lacy, shatteringly crisp pancake made from semolina and rice flour, with no fermentation required. It crackles as it cooks and disappears fast once it reaches the table.

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

50 mins

Servings

4 servings

Calories

380

Ingredients

• 1 cup fine rava (semolina)
• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 1/4 cup plain flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, crushed
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped coriander
• 1 small onion, finely diced (optional)
• 3 cups water
• Oil or ghee, for cooking
• Coconut chutney and sambar, to serve

Instructions

1. Whisk the rava, rice flour, plain flour, salt, pepper and cumin with the water into a very thin, watery batter.
2. Stir in the chilli, coriander and onion if using, then rest the batter for 20 minutes.
3. Heat a cast-iron tawa or non-stick pan on medium-high until very hot, then lightly grease it.
4. Stir the batter well, then pour it from a height in a thin spiral, starting from the edges toward the centre; the batter will form a lacy net.
5. Drizzle a little oil around the edges and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until deep golden and crisp, without flipping.
6. Fold and slide onto a plate, then repeat, stirring the batter before every dosa.
7. Serve immediately with coconut chutney and sambar.

Pro tips

• The batter must be thin like water; thick batter makes soft, thick dosas instead of crisp lace.
• Stir before every dosa, as the flours settle quickly to the bottom.
• A very hot pan is essential for the lacy holes to form.
• Rava dosas soften fast, so cook them one at a time and serve straight away.

Frequently asked questions