CUISINE: Indian Breakfast RecipeEASE: ModerateAPPEARANCE: Fluffy fermented BatterServe with : Indian chutneysPros : Vegan, Gluten Free I make idlies and dosa almost daily at home.From Regular Dosas to this Ragi Enriched batter to pessarattu and Quinoa dosas, We love eating south indian breakfast! You can make Ragi dosa and idli in several ways.Here is my instant Ragi Dosa Recipe where you dont have to ferment or blend anything. This is the recipe though, is a Fermented Ragi Batter that uses whole ragi seeds. This is the best way to make Ragi dosas and idli.With one batter you can make fluffy idlies and crispy dosas. Plus it’s fermented so it’s great for your gut. Here is what we will do
Soak the Dal, Ragi, Rice and Fenugreek SeedsBlend into a smooth BatterFerment OvernightHeat the tawa and make pesarattu dosa
Why we love making Ragi Idli & Dosa Batter
Here is why we have been making this healthy dosa and idli batter with ragi
The taste is close to regular idli and Dosa. So there are less reluctance to eatThe whole Ragi in the batter makes dosas crispier and the idlies softAs Ragi has a lot of fiber, it releases the sugars slowly. Especially as compared to a regular white batter.
You can definately make Ragi dosas and idlies without so much rice but I feel like my family accepts this version better. It doesn’t feel like a “diet” for them. Speaking of diet, I am starting to move away from elimination diets to more inclusion diets. I don’t know if that’s something that interests you but if it does, leave me a comment!
Ingredients
Here is what you need to make this healthier idli & dosa batter.
RagiRiceUrad DalFenugreek SeedsPoha
Ragi
I have used whole ragi seeds. They are reddish brown in color. I am obsessed with Ragi. My son always eats something made out of Ragi atleast once a day. You can make dosas with Ragi flour too. Here is a recipe for no fermentation Instant Ragi Dosa. You can also just mix Ragi flour to your regular white idli dosa batter.
Rice
I almost always use idli or dosa rice while making the batter.It’s a slightly thicker, shorter and starchier rice. You should be able to get it on amazon or in an indian store. If you cannot, then you can try making this with any short grain rice like Sona Masoori or Jeera Samba
Urad Dal
Use Split or whole, skinless urad dal. It’s the same dal used to make Kali dal but without the black cover on it.
Fenugreek Seeds
If you ever wondered why your dosa batter doesn’t ferment well, it can be because you didn’t put any starter seeds. Fenugreek Seeds have lacto bacilli on the skin which along with heat ferments the batter, making it more nutritious and gut friendly
Poha
You can use white or brown poha. This is the secret ingredient that makes the dosa crispy and the idlies soft. This is one ingredient that doesnt need to be soaked for 4-8 hours.
How to make Ragi Dosa & Idli Batter
Step 1: Soaking
2 things to note
Except for the poha, everything needs to be soaked for ATLEAST 4 hours. Ideal time, is 7-8 hours or overnight.Soak the rice separately. You can soak the ragi and urad dal together.
First, wash the dal and ragi. Ragi tends to have husks and a little bit of dust. So you will need to wash it multiple times. Once you have washed it a couple of times, add the fenugreek. Do not wash the fenugreek because you want all those bacteria on it to help ferment the batter. Do the same process for the rice. Wash it a couple of times and then soak it in filtered water.
Step 2: Grinding
After you have soaked the rice, dal and Ragi for a couple of hours, now comes the grinding bit. I have a blender that’s meant for grinding batter. I also have the stone grinder which in my opinion is the best thing for people who eat idli- dosa everyday.The batter just ferments so much better in that! The process is similar though.
Start with draining the soaking water out.Soak the poha with water.Add the Ragi and Urad dal to the blender. Add a tablespoon of water and start blending. Add more water in tablespoon increments to get a smooth batteOnce the dal and Ragi have been blended into a smooth batter, add the Rice and soaked poha. Blend. Add more water if needed.The batter should be thick but flowy.
Step 3: Fermentation
Once the batter has been blended, now you have to ferment the batter. To do this, empty the batter into a large bowl. Large enough that more than half of the bowl is empty. Cover it and leave it alone for 8-10 hours.If the weather isnt too cold, the batter should have risen to twice it’s size now. When you mix it, there should be air pockets in the batter. Like in the picture.When you get that, the batter is in the perfect place to make idlies!
Step 4: Making Idli & Dosa
Serving Ragi Dosa or Idli
I like to keep breakfast simple.I almost always serve this simply with chutney or podi. My go to chutneys are coconut chutney, peanut chutney and green coriander chutney.
Fermenting Idli & Dosa Batter
Your dosa batter should become one and a half or Two times it’s size. The technique is the same as fermenting a bread but here we are using fenugreek seeds instead of yeast. But there are many reasons your dosa batter didn’t rise but most of the times, the problem is the ambient temperature. In tropical places like chennai, the batter will ferment within 3-4 hours but in colder climates, sometimes 8-10 hours is also not sufficient. Fortunately, because i have been doing this for a while, i have a few tricks up my sleeves.
Instant Pot Dosa Batter Fermentation
Add the batter to the instant pot. Using the Yogurt setting, let the batter ferment, covered with a plate. Do not close the lid, as there have been instances when the batter overflowed and jammed the lid. If you are starting fermentation in the instant pot, chose “Low” as the setting & set the timer to about 8 hours. If you are trouble shooting batter that’s refused to ferment, choose Yogurt setting and set it to ferment for 1-2 hours, check in the middle.
Warm Bath
Another great method is surrounding the dough with heat. You can place the batter in a warm water bath or place it in a heated, off oven.
Slow Fermentation in the Fridge
Sometimes when i end up with too much batter, i use this technique. Pop the batter without fermentation to the back of your fridge. After about 3-4 days, the batter would be fermented. Only flipside with this method is that idlies dont rise well but dosas are near perfect!
Storing, Freezing & Refrigerating
Cooked Dosas are best served hot or warm when they are still crisp. They can be taken as a packed lunch or dinner too. They become soft when cool but they are still great healthy option. Instead of making the dosas and storing in the refrigerator, I prefer storing the batter. Batter will last for 4-5 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it, thaw it the night before in the refrigerator. Make dosas as usual. The batter will become a tad bit more liquid but it’s still workable.
More Breakfast Recipes
Here are some more Indian Breakfast options and accompaniments. Appam /Hoppers -Kerala Rice PancakesPesarattu - Green Moong Dal DosaInstant Ragi Dosa RecipePeanut Chutney for Idli & DosaIndian Raw Mango Chutney
Also here are more Ragi Recipes for you
Ragi Chocolate Chip CookiesRagi Cookies- Eggless Finger Millet Chocolate CookiesRagi Laddu | Nachni Ladoo RecipeHealthy Ragi Banana Chocolate Cake- Millet DessertFudgy Ragi Chocolate Pancake|Finger Millet RecipeBaked Ragi Namak Pare | Healthy Baked Savory Snack If you make this Ragi Dosa Or Idli with this recipe, do drop me a note. I would love to hear what you thought about it!
