Anyone know how to cook dosa?

[Ham]

I made masala dosa a few days back, the aloo sabzi filling was great as were the chutneys, but the dosa themselves were a bucket of fail.

I used a bought gram / rice flour mix from my local Indian shop, and mixed up the batter as directed. Left overnight, wasn't overwhelmed by the fermentation, although there was a little that had started. When I tried to cook, I failed. Using my iron pan they stuck or fell apart, managed to get enough done in a non-stick to be able to serve but I wasn't impressed.

Any experience?

[Cudzoziemiec]

I have quite a bit of experience in eating them.  Never tried making them and left the karahi behind (I think you probably need a tawa anyway, not a karahi - though the problem is more likely in the fermentation or some other aspect of the batter, as you suspect). Sorry, no help. 

[Ham]

FTR, my tawa is French and probably didn't realise it was one, but it is (it makes perfect crepes)

http://www.nisbets.co.uk/De-Buyer-Mineral-B-Iron-Cr%C3%AApe-Pan/DN903/ProductDetail.raction

Can't blame that then

(if I was being technical I could highlight a difference, as the iron is much heavier than a normal tawa, but I can't see that as being anything other than an advantage, taken to the right temperature - effing hot - and smeared with coconut oil)

[Cudzoziemiec]

The thicker the better, I'd have thought.

[lahoski]

Yes. I haven't yet made a perfect one at home though. Close, but not perfect...

I have a proper Indian mixer-grinder, so I soak urad dal and rice and then grind into a paste. It's a worthwhile investment... excellent for grinding dals for making vada, etc., and also for making chutneys, spice pastes, etc.

I've never tried the pre-mixed packet dosa stuff... I was warned off it by a Keralan acquaintance.

The bit I can never get quite right is the fermentation... it's usually not fermented enough. I guess the climate isn't quite South Indian enough. I also find that if it hasn't fermented enough it is far more inclined to stick to the pan. That said, I left the batter in the fridge for a couple of weeks once. It definitely had a sour tang after that...

A masala dosa is the most glorious meal though. I actually get teary whenever get the opportunity to eat one.

[Gattopardo]

Tried making it with sourdough starter mixed in?

I have a flat metal pan that I use to make chappattis and found that making a mix of gram flour and chappatti flour makes similar texture to a dosa.

Can offer starter to people around London

[Ham]

Thanks Lahkoski, I suspect the fermentation wasn't up to it, then. I'm fortunate in that I live in an area where it is easy to get authentic ingredients (eg cocum, which I was finding difficult to get in India!) and within walking distance of some excellent Indian restaurants, including Chennai Dosa that make some of the best authentic Dosa.

I have a small grinder for spices, but I don't think I could do a quantity in there, not sure how a liquidiser might work.

Gatttopardo, that was my first attempt at Dosa... I clearly need to practice   My parota were also strange misshapen things, but at least they tasted good.

[lahoski]

Might take a little while with spice grinder ;-) plus it may be too wet? Liquidiser could work - the mixer-grinder I have is around 5-600W so a touch more powerful than a blender.

On the starter front... I reckon it could be good to hold back a little of the fermented dosa batter and refrigerate. Then use that as a special 'dosa starter'.

With the whole batter sticking thing. Have you tried seasoning the tava beforehand? I've seen the following advice... which seems like a faff but I end up doing something similar with the old f*cked-up frying pan I use for roti, dosa, etc.

"season the tava. heat the tava first. spread oil all over and let the oil get heated gently. remove from flame. once the oil has cooled, wipe it with a cloth. and spread again a fresh thin layer of oil without heating. keep the tava with the oil for a couple of days before using. when about to make dosa, wipe the oil layer. heat the tava and then spread a new layer of oil. let it heat up then again wipe it. then again spread the oil and make the dosa. if non stick, then don’t spread oil. for iron tava, you can spread the oil. use a halved onion to spread the oil. ideally non stick should not give you this issue. only poor quality non stick tavas will have this sticking problem."