In experimenting with a quick and easy way to make dosas (savory, fermented Indian crepes), we were blown away by the flavor and texture of these savory Indian-inspired crepes. And it turned out what we actually ended up with is closer to an Indian crepe called a cheela.
Cheelas are similar in flavor, texture (thin and crepe-like), and presentation to dosas but don’t require fermenting and are most commonly made with chickpea flour (find a more traditional example of a cheela here).
We experimented with fermenting our crepe batter, but found it didn’t noticeably impact flavor or digestibility. However, this is the more traditional approach and we include tips for fermenting if you have time! For those curious, you can do a deeper dive on the origin of dosas here.
So whether you want to call them a moong dal crepe, cheela, or dosa, as long as you have moong dal (or other lentils) and brown rice on hand, you can make these simple, 6 ingredient crepes!
They start with soaking the moong dal and rice in cool water overnight (or for at least 6 hours).
Then the soaked moong dal and rice are added to a blender along with seasonings and a little bit of water. You can flavor them just about any way you like, but we enjoyed a combo of sea salt, fresh ginger, curry powder, and maple syrup.
The mixture is blended until creamy and smooth (see photo below). It should be thin and pourable like crepe batter.
To cook them, it’s best to use a large cast-iron skillet (stainless steel does not work, friends — consider yourself warned!).
Once the skillet is hot, a little oil is added and swirled around so it coats the pan without pooling. A paper towel can be used to wipe up any excess oil.
Then the batter is added to the skillet in roughly 1/4-cup portions and swirled in an outward spiral pattern using a spoon or the bottom of a ladle (we preferred a ladle).
You can make them more crispy or more tender depending on your preference. For crispier crepes, cook them for about 3 minutes per side; for more tender crepes, about 2 minutes per side.
The batter can be made up to 3-4 days in advance, or you can make all the dosas in one round and reheat them on the stovetop or in the microwave.
We hope you LOVE these savory crepes! They’re:
Gingery
Curry-spiced
Salty
Tender with crispy edges
Made with simple methods
& Very versatile!
They go well alongside other Indian-inspired dishes. We especially love them folded over and filled with potato (aloo) sabzi and green chutney.
More Indian-Inspired Recipes
- Creamy Curried Cauliflower Lentil Soup (1 Pot!)
- Fluffy Curried Socca (Chickpea Bread)
- Easy Vegan Naan
- 1-Pot Spicy Mango Chutney
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Savory Moong Dal Rice Crepes (Dosa or Cheela)
Ingredients
DOSA / CHEELA
- 1 cup moong dal or red lentils* (not green mung beans)
- 1 cup dry short grain brown rice*
- 1 ½ – 2 tsp sea salt
- 2 Tbsp peeled ginger
- 1 ½ – 2 Tbsp curry powder (or store-bought)
- 1-2 tsp maple syrup (optional to balance flavors)
- 2 cups warm water (or just enough to cover the mixture)
- 1 ½ Tbsp avocado oil for cooking (if not vegan, sub ghee)
FOR SERVING optional
- Green Chutney Sauce
- Aloo Sabzi (curried pan-fried potatoes)
Instructions
- Soak moong dal and rice separately by adding to separate mixing bowls and covering with cool water. Soak for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Once soaked, drain and rinse well, then transfer both rice and moong dal to a high-speed blender with salt, peeled ginger, curry powder, maple syrup, and only enough water to JUST cover the rice and lentils — you can add more as needed, but you can’t take away.
- Blend on high for 1 minute or until creamy and smooth, scraping down sides as needed. The batter should be thin and pourable like a crepe batter — not watery, but not visibly thick or difficult to pour. Add more water as needed to achieve the right consistency.
- Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt to taste, ginger for punchy ginger flavor, curry powder for more prominent curry taste, or maple syrup for subtle sweetness or to balance the flavors.
- Optional: For a fermented version, allow batter to sit at room temperature overnight (or at least 6 hours). Some bubbles should appear and the batter should become lighter/fluffier in texture, which indicates fermentation.
- Heat one (or several) cast iron or non-stick skillets over medium heat (we used our 10- and 12-inch cast irons). Once hot, add a little oil (or ghee if not vegan) and swirl to coat (it’s best not to have large pools of oil on the pan, so wipe with a paper towel if there’s too much).
- Pour roughly 1/4 cup of the batter at a time into the hot pan(s) and use a spoon or the bottom of a ladle (our preferred utensil) to swirl the batter outward until the crepe is roughly 10 inches wide. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the edges start to lift away from the pan and the underside is slightly golden brown. Then flip and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Remove from pan. Repeat until all of the batter is used up — about 12 crepes as the recipe is written.
- Serve immediately alongside other Indian-inspired dishes. We especially loved them folded over and filled with potato (aloo) sabzi and green chutney.
- Store leftover batter covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, or store cooked dosas/cheelas covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, or in the freezer for 1 month (add parchment paper in between so they don't stick together). Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot.
Video
Notes
*If grain-free, omit rice and double quantity of moong dal or red lentils. The flavor will be more pungent / less balanced, but texturally it’s very similar.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with the lesser amounts of curry powder and maple syrup.
*Recipe loosely adapted from Swasthi’s Recipes.
Melissa says
Can I do this with brown rice flour instead of the rice?
Hi Melissa, we haven’t tested that and aren’t sure how it will turn out. If you want to try it, we’d suggest starting with less flour. Hope that helps!
Amy says
Absolute game changer and SO versatile! We use these as egg roll-ups in the morning, as flatbread panini style grilled “cheese,” and a vehicle for fritters and “burgers” of all kinds (like your beet fritters, sweet potato/kale fritters, and vegan sausage patties).
We’ve swapped in red lentils, long grain brown rice, and 1 tsp garam masala (instead of 1 Tbs curry powder) and every variation has made a perfect batch.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Ooo yum! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Amy!
sabrina says
I just made these. The flavour is incredible! I couldn’t get mine as thin as in the photo. I’ll probably need a better pan and pouring skills but I loved the taste.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Sabrina! Thank you for sharing! You can try adding slightly more water to make them thinner.
Miranda says
Can you use green lentils instead of red? I know it says no green mung beans, but I only have green lentils on hand and not red.
Hm, we haven’t tried it that way and aren’t sure whether it would work. Let us know if you try it!
Jane says
This recipe is so good and it’s so simple! Thank you for the recipe.
So glad you enjoyed it, Jane! Thanks for sharing!
Laura says
What’s the problem with using a stainless steel pan? I really want to make this, but I don’t have cast iron or non-stick. Will it still work?
Stainless steel has been notoriously sticky for me in the past. But if you give it a go let us know how it goes!
Tahlia says
I am a huge fan and have been exclusively using your recipes for months now. I used whole yellow lentils and medium grain brown rice (as I couldn’t find short grain) while the dosa were tasty the consistency was all wrong, too thick and not fold able so we ate them more like a pizza topped with yellow daahl and the green chutney.
I want to make it again and so need to dispel what is meant by “moong dahl” as it has multiple meanings, can you confirm if this is split yellow lentils or something else? Thanks!
Hi Tahlia, sorry to hear it didn’t turn out as expected! We wonder if the type of lentils may have caused that. We use split yellow mung beans. Here‘s the brand we like. Hope that helps!
Sarah says
I liked it! I had some trouble with knowing when to flip / how hot to have the pan, etc. I think it will take some practice to figure that out. But I really enjoyed the flavor and the dish. The green chutney is really great, and I liked the potatoes, but I think next time I would add some tomatoes and other veggies with them as well so it’s a little less heavy. Great dish!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sarah! It does take a little practice to get just right =)
Senda says
Used basmati rice. It worked great. Very tasty!
We’re so glad it worked well! Thanks for sharing, Senda!
Nancy says
These are so delicious, versatile and fun to make. I have tried them as written, with only salt as a seasoning, and made them with faro wheat instead of rice. A great way to up your protein intake without adding more beans, and a fun alternative to bread, naan, or tortillas. I love the Minimalist Baker!
Whoop! Thanks for sharing, Nancy!
Ana says
Can it be done with green lentils?
We haven’t tried it, but maybe! The flavor would likely be different.
Jennifer says
Thanks for all you do. I have one teenage vegan in the family so meals that everyone will eat can be challenging to find. These were much easier to make than I expected! Nice flavor and paired perfectly with the potato sabzi and the green chutney. The whole family devoured them including the kids. I would like to get my crepes a little thinner but that’s just practice.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Jennifer. We are so glad everyone enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Lori says
Very easy and tasty. I even wonder if I could replace tortillas with this recipe as a base and sneak a little more protein into my life. What seasoning would you recommend if I was going to give that a go?
Also, do you think these would freeze well?
Yes to both! Maybe fresh herbs such as thyme, oregano, and/or rosemary? Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Madhuri says
Hi. I love your website and frequently make your recipes. Thanks for all you do! I do want to make a comment if you don’t mind, as I am Indian and make dosas regularly- Dosas and cheelas are both different items. Dosa batter is made from rice and urad dal that is soaked, blended, and then fermented. Cheela batter is traditionally made from chickpea flour (besan flour) that is usually mixed with water and spices. The recipe you posted is made with moong dal and is actually called a pesarettu (the recipe is from the south indian state of Andhra). You added some variations to the traditional recipe (more rice, maple syrup) which make it Indian-inspired, and I’m sure that is also delicious!
Thanks for sharing, Madhuri!
Andrea Vasquez says
This recipe was amazing with the small yellow potatoes. I even saved some dosas and made other recipes with them, just saved them in the fridge and they were perfect for a few days.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Andrea! Thanks so much for sharing!
Shea says
Hi Dana and team! I’m making this for the first time today and am not certain I’m soaking the moong dal properly. I initially added enough water for it to cover the dal and then some but it appears the dal has absorbed all the water. Should I add more water to it to continue soaking them? Or is the reduction of water and expansion of the dal part of the process? Thanks for the guidance, I’m really looking forward to making these!
Hi Shea, we recommend adding more water! You want there to be enough water that the moong dal stays submerged during the soaking process. Hope that helps!
Isabelle says
Hi Dana, thank you for this tasty and easy to prepare recipe. Excellent dosas served with plenty of baby spinaches, grated carrots, grated beets, homemade kimchi and avocado, dressing on top. Delicious! Isabelle
Yum- love the addition of all of those veggies! Thanks for sharing, Isabelle!
Julia says
I made these this week using white rice and they were amazing!! I think mine ended up a little on the thicker side from just lack of skill in pouring and flipping them but they cooked all the way through and again.. still amazing. Also I used coconut oil for the cooking as it is easier to digest and it worked just fine. I think these are going to become a regular in my kitchen! Thank you for this!
We’re so glad they turned out well, Julia! Thanks so much for sharing!
Tamara says
I made this tonight and it was easier than I expected.
I was a bit afraid that they would stick because my pan was just a normal non-stick one, or that I couldn’t get the right batter texture because I have a simple and little mixer.
But it worked and they were delicious!
I’ve made some changes:
The spices. Used a bit less quantity of Curry (I feel it too invasive) and I’ve added turmeric and cinnamon. I skipped the ginger as my little daughter doesn’t like it.
Maple syrup. I haven’t so I’ve added rice syrup, which I’ve found it was even better as the batter also has rice.
As my mixer is just 600w I’ve processed for a long time but the batter was still a bit grainy. So I’ve let it rest 6hrs and before using it I’ve taken smaller quantities and added a bit more water and processed it again, and then I’ve got the thinner texture.
Cooking them was pretty easy. I’ve used Ghee (first time I use this ingredient) and it adds the dosas a great taste. Highly recommend using Ghee.
Ah! And the best part, my three-year-old daughter loved them! She tried one and continue asking for more. I had to add more and more batter to get to try them myself!
We’re so glad you both enjoyed them, Tamara! Thanks so much for sharing your modifications!
Tamara says
by the way… I’ve made them again, as I had still batter left.
I’ve tried with a bit more water than the first time, just to see if they would be thinner.
The dosa was more difficult to flip, it has got stuck and crumpled. So I guess the people who commented that couldn’t flip it, maybe it was because they put too much water.
In my case, I’ve just added more thick batter and the 2n dosa worked well again. ;-)
Agreed! We did more testing too and found that too much water caused them to stick. We added a measurement for water to help provide the right texture. Hope that’s helpful for next time!
Mary says
So delicious! I used yellow mung beans and long grain brown rice and it worked perfectly! I also added a bit of fresh turmeric and it was great.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Mary! Thanks so much for sharing!
Devin says
I have read that soaked methi seeds (fenugreek) added to the moong dal will help with the fermentation, and will also add a slight maple-ish flavor.
Interesting! Thanks for sharing!
Caitlin says
Would this recipe work with Coconut oil on a cast iron? I can’t wait to try it!
Hi Caitlin, coconut oil has a lower smoke point so we think it would smoke too much. But let us know if you try it!
Julia says
I made these with coconut oil in a cast iron without a problem! I don’t add the oil until after the pan is heated.
Holly says
I was so nervous about this but they turned out great! I used red lentils and didn’t have quite enough brown rice, so I used a little white rice. I had never made crepes or anything like that, so I didn’t get them ten inches wide but I don’t think it made too much of a difference! They were awesome with aloo sabzi and the green chutney! The aloo sabzi recipe only makes enough for about 5 dosas, so next time I’ll make more, or add some more ingredients! Didn’t have any issues with sticking or weird textures!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Holly! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Kathryn Anderton says
So. Freaking. Good!
I made this exactly as written with the potatoes and chutney. I had so many left over that the following day, I stuffed with left over Caesar salad and crispy chickpeas. I cannot get enough of these! Thank you for continuing to be a source of delightful and healthy recipes especially during times of stress.
So great! Thanks for sharing, Kathryn!
Haley says
We made these tonight with white rice and they were incredible! Our two year old gobbled them up.
We are already soaking lentils and rice for tomorrow’s dinner.
Simple, easy, and delicious.
Yay! We’re so glad they turned out well, Haley! Thanks for sharing!
Marina says
I used red lentils and wild rice- soaked for 6+ hours, blended with curry powder, salt, pepper, coconut aminos to balance.
I cannot emphasize how essential avocado oil or another high-smokepoint oil is here… I could see this going very wrong with a different type of oil and the wrong pan.
Mine came out DIVINE. I am so excited to have this recipe, as I love dosas so much. These are so versatile, flavorful.
I would love some more ideas of what to stuff these with…. potato on lentils/rice seems a bit heavy for me.
Very excited to get your cookbook in the mail this week!
Hi Marina, we are so glad they turned out well! We also think roasted or sautéed veggies would be good (such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, cabbage, etc.). Hope that helps!
Samara says
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! It was an absolute success, and my family loved it. Made it for my mum for mother’s day, and it was perfect. The batter came out exactly as described and the consistency was perfect to make the cheelas! Will definitely be making these again. Kept the recipe the same except I used long grain brown rice as its all I had, and it worked perfectly. xx
Yay! We’re so glad to hear it, Samara! xo
Mya says
I just had to pop down here to say WOWZA!! I cannot comment to the authenticity or proper nomenclature of this recipe, but no matter, I just call them yum! I soaked the rice and lentils the night before, mixed the batter in the morning, and let it sit out to ferment all day. I struggled to get nice round dosas like those in the recipe photos that didn’t stick to my cast iron pan (perhaps I can use an electric griddle or just a larger cast iron next time to make getting a spatula under them easier since the edges didn’t lift away from the pan), but it did not matter because they were so scrumptious filled with the aloo sabzi. I also made the green chutney sans avocado but did add some jalapeno, mint, and cumin. The heat from the sauce coupled with the red pepper flakes in the aloo sabzi was soooo good. Will be making this again soon.
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Mya!!
Yuki says
This was super fun to make, and the flavor combination with aloo sabzi and chutney was amazing. I used red lentils and long grain brown rice and it worked out fine. Will definitely make it again!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Yuki! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Wendy says
These are so delicious, everyone in my family loved them stuffed with the potatoes aloo sabzi and green chutney sauce. Yum!
When I tasted the batter to check seasonings, I was worried because it tasted bitter. But once cooked it was fine! It did take a few tries to get the batter spread properly but we had no problem eating the imperfect ones too. :) Thanks for a little taste of India in a small town in Illinois!
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Wendy!
Cairi Swainson says
Have tried making this using brown rice and red lentils tonight. It looks like a pourable batter but as soon as it hits the pan it sticks and becomes completely unspreadable. It tastes nice but doesn’t make anything dosa/cheela like :( Any tips?
Hi there. Did you modify anything? I’d say we had the best success with the moong dal, but red lentils also worked. What type of pan are you using? Stainless steel may not be ideal. Cast iron or non stick is best.
Cairistiona says
Apart from using red lentils instead of moong Dal I made it completely as instructed with my non-stick pan and experimented with higher and lower heats and more and less oil.
Have been a fan of your website for a long time and regular make amazing recipes from here so I guess it was only a matter of time before I found something that didn’t quite work for me.
Sorry to hear that! Perhaps if you can, try moong dal next time. It’s definitely more sturdy and easy to work with! Although we did get red lentils to work just fine.
Tatjana says
I made it without the spices so it could be used with fruit also. It is awesome with blueberries and whole milk (and “milk”) yoghurt/labneh. I didn’t have moong dal, but used whole red lentils and brown basmati. It had a rich texture and really good flavor. I’m going to try it with different rices per my Indian colleagues’ suggestions! They were impressed with the look.
I made bhaaji and used it as the “pav” since I am gf!
I proclaim this recipe a new staple in my portfolio!
Thank you!!!
Love the creativity, Tatjana! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Anna says
So flavorful, easy, and amazing! I loved this recipe! Thanks for always being the best <3
Aw, thanks Anna! xo
Miki says
HI, I used cooked quinoa instead of the rice but I used everything else as you wrote. The first try, I used a stainless pan but they stuck. Then, I used a cast iron one but they are still sticking. I guess I need to soak rice next time? I thought maybe I could substitute…Maybe not?
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Kadhambari says
I made this and loved it, thanks for the post :)
I am happy to see more South Asian recipes brought to MB, but I do take issue with the title. Specifically, using “crepe” to describe a dosa.
Records vary on when each were invented, with the dosa being between 1-6th century AD, and the crepe between 12th-19th century. It’s clear that the dosa is much older than the crepe, but more importantly, these foods were created in two different parts of the world with no influence on each other.
I don’t want to assume why you chose to name this item a crepe, perhaps to slowly introduce your readers to Indian food terminology? That being said, I’ve seen your other international recipes titled without qualification – enchiladas, arepas, pad thai, gado gado, bibimbap. The dish is then described in more detail in your copy.
I hope you take this constructive suggestion into consideration. I understand that it’s hard to describe food items with neutral words, but I do not believe ‘crepe’ to be a neutral word – it is distinctly French. Maybe pancake is better.
I’m saying this as a loyal reader who has a lot of respect for what you do. Simultaneously, I feel strongly about questioning these things because putting words to describe food significantly affects how people view cuisines from around the world.
Thanks for the thoughtful feedback! Yes, I think we used the word “crepe” because some readers in the past have expressed disappointment when we name something traditionally and it’s not a 100% traditional approach to the recipe. On the other hand, we did disclose that this is closer to a cheela, or a dosa (if fermented), which we felt informed readers of the subtle variations of this dish. I am so glad you make it and enjoyed it! And we sincerely appreciate such constructive feedback!
Karina says
I made this recently but the batter didn’t come out quite right – the liquid sort of split from the batter if that makes sense. Could it be because I used an immersion blender? the texture wasn’t right, very doughy and in general a nightmare when frying haha. Otherwise, it was delicious! Especially with the Aloo Sabzi!
Hi Karina, we haven’t tried blending the batter with an immersion blender, but that could be the issue? Since it was doughy, it sounds like it may have needed more water to thin.
tanja says
Yum. They are delicious and easy to make. Will make them again soon. Thank you.
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Tanja! xo
Meg says
Okay I have NO freaking clue how you keep coming up with fresh new recipes, bc you must have a thousand on here… Every week I start my recipe planning by visiting your site and every week I’m shocked that you have thought of yet another delicious new flavor combination, lol! I have never made dosa before but I’m so ready to learn! Can I sub a cheaper oil for the avocado oil?
Aw, thanks Meg! We’re so glad you enjoy our recipes! Another neutral oil with a high smoke point would be fine.
Dee says
Hi Minimalist Baker Team and Meg,
I like MB recipes as well and have been a longtime reader.
However, let’s be clear that this recipe has been made for centuries in North India and is certainly not something that Dana or her team came up with. Just as no one would think that the MB team came up with recipes for enchiladas or chalupas.
Also to clarify dosa is not necessarily always fermented. There are dosa recipes using millet (various kinds) flour and rava/sooji/wheatlets that are not fermented.
D
Absolutely! We’re definitely not claiming to have invented it- just offering our own inspired take. Thanks for the info on dosas/fermentation!
Carole says
I was intimidated at first by this recipe but it turned out amazing- even my 1-yr old and 5-yr old liked it! The batter was a little thin so I added a few tablespoons of almond flour to thicken. Once I got the hang of cooking them, they turned out very well! Will keep this recipe on hand. Enjoyed it with Aloo Sabzi and cilantro sauce; also tried with leftover mashed potatoes and mushrooms. A light crumble of goat cheese adds a nice creaminess if you’re not vegan:) Thank you for creating this accessible recipe!
We’re so glad everyone enjoyed them! Thanks so much for sharing, Carole!
Aliza says
I made this and it was great!
The first 2 didn’t work but I learned to just hold back before flipping and just let it cook the full 3 minutes or more and the rest came out perfect. I used red lentils and whole round rice that was already cooked. I made the potato filling as written and a second filling with chopped cauliflower instead of potato for those who dont eat carbs. Thank you!
Thanks so much for sharing, Aliza! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
Tanja says
Mmmmmm, what delicious crepes. Super easy to make. I only had basmati long grain rice, which I soaked overnight. Worked like a treat.
Thank you for such a delicious recipe.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Tanja. We are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Caro says
Hello! How much water should we add? I don’t think we’ve managed to get the consistency right yet! We’re using french green lentils, if that makes a difference.
Also what size pan should we use if it’s a nonstick pan? I don’t have a cast iron. Thanks!
Hi Caro, we haven’t experimented with french green lentils, so we aren’t sure how that would impact the amount of water. We recommend just barely covering the mixture with water. A 10-inch or larger pan works best. Hope that helps!
Janet says
I made it with the French lentils and it worked. I don’t know what the flavor difference is but it made the crepe like pancakes.
We’re glad it worked! Thanks for sharing, Janet!
Melissa says
Making these for a second time this week! Once with cauliflower curry and tonight with chicken tikka. They are awesome! Thank you!
Sounds delicious! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Melissa!
Susana MG says
I couldnt manage to get my dosa cooked ! :(
Ive tried to add more water… less water (i divided the inital mix) and nothing… it gets crusty in the outside but is not cooked in the inside….it remains moisty uncooked batter…..
So frustrating… any ideas?
So strange. Did you modify anything about the recipe?
Susana Montoya Gama says
Only change is that I used orange lentils instead of red. But not sure that would have an impact, right? It was kind of when you make a pancake but is not cooked inside. :(
OK strange. And it got quite thin when you spread it onto the pan?
Susana MG says
It does. And even if they seemed cooked in the outside they stay wet and uncooked din the inside. I tried to leave them way more time in the pan. They definitely get cooked but of course they’re more burnt in the outside, so it ends up being a cracker instead of a crepe. Taste is still good ! but wish i could get the good consistency
OK sorry to hear that! We’ll keep this in mind. In the meantime, did you change anything about the recipe? Ingredients or quantities? Did you let the batter ferment or no?
Karen says
Since discovering your site last year several of the recipes are part of my weekly diet: the crispy tofu, turmeric tonic, golden milk mix and especially your sweet potato brownies! It’s very rare when one of your carefully explained recipes doesn’t work. ( The cashew cheese was a debacle for me!)
This was a mess, although I eventually managed to end up with 6 edible ones. I followed your directions exactly. After blending the ingredients in the morning after soaking, I poured the blender contents into a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup and let it sit on the counter till late afternoon. It developed some fermenting bubbles.
I have a Lodge cast iron skillet and also heavier Lodge frying pan. The first batter performed as another reviewer described- not only wouldn’t it cook in the middle it couldn’t be turned over. Stuck to the pan horribly, huge mess-tried more oil, same. Thought it might be the thinner skillet, so tried the frying pan. At this point I mixed in a little GF 1:1 Bob’s flour hoping it might help bind the batter. Slightly better, I could sort of flip it. And so it went. I did finally thin it more and used new oil each time and produced some that looked nothing like yours, but they are delicious.
A cup dried of each the red lentils and rice when dry is different than the overnight expansion? As written you indicate a cup, then soaking- correct? Not a cup of post- soaked?
Thank you for your recipes, I enjoy the reviews, too!
Hi Karen, so sorry to hear it didn’t turn out as expected! The measurements are before soaking, yes. We wonder if your stovetop isn’t level? Did the oil pool on one side of the pan? If using a cast iron and it is oiled, it shouldn’t be sticking!
Karen says
Thank you for the personal reply! The stove top is not the issue, it is level, no pooling of oil and I am a really experienced cook. I heated the oil sparingly as you instructed, even measured it out and wiped a bit with paper towel. As often with “pancake” type frying you can count on the first couple being (edible) duds. The issue here was the degree to which they adhered to the pan and the resulting mess trying to first flip it over and then just scrape it off to start the next- and the middle, as several others said, stayed nearly raw while they were nearly burned on the outside. It seems to be hit and miss from the reviews. I froze the 5 or 6 that worked passably and if they are tasty with whatever I use them for I may try again when I have forgotten the mess! More thanks!
If you haven’t already watched the video, that would be our next tip to see if there is anything you might be doing differently!
Hi Karen, we did some more experimenting and it seems adding too much water can cause them to stick and not cook in the middle. We added a precise water amount so hopefully that’s helpful for next time!
Ema says
Looks great, would love to try tonight. I have a question, does it matter if you use split red lentils (rather than whole)? I imagine it doesn’t as it’ll all get blended…?
Hmm, I didn’t even know you could get split red lentils! I’m wondering if they’d require less time soaking? Not sure. Let us know how it goes!
Tierny Tassler says
I made these substituting yellow split peas, they were incredible! I used the lesser amount of salt and curry powder, and the greater amount of maple syrup. My family and I loved them!!
Great! Thanks for sharing, Tierny!
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Tierny!
Laurie says
I made these last night with another potato recipe, and it was a huge hit. Both my kids really liked them. That never happens. I made the green chutney too, which was delicious! Wow, and easy, and GF, which is a must for me. I think mine were thicker than yours because I only got 7 pancakes. Next time, I’ll try to thin them a little more. Thank you!
Whoop! Thanks for sharing, Laurie!
Janet says
Can you use French lentils? The tiny green ones.
We haven’t tried that but it should work! Let us know if you give it a try!
jennifer says
Has anyone tried freezing these crepes?
They sound wonderful!
Yes! See freezing instructions in the recipe.
Celia says
I tried to make these dosas with *canned* brown lentils and hoo boy….. it did NOT work…. the crepes didn’t stick together at all, weren’t able to be flipped, and we just ended up having to eat this weird hybrid dish of fried mashed lentils for dinner instead (with the aloo sabzi). :/
Tasted great though, but didn’t work at all! Next time I’ll try the actual recipe with dried red lentils…. (which we couldn’t find at the supermarket due to the pandemic.)
Thanks for sharing, Celia! Better luck next time. Yeah, cooked lentils will be too soft for this.
Polly Owens says
These were super awesome! Didn’t change recipe at all except added more water to batter while cooking – it was tricky to get a larger crepe similar to the photos but thinning it out helped a lot! So so good and so creative. Thank you!
Great! Thanks for sharing, Polly!
Lien says
Wish I had read your comment before trying the same thing, at least now I know what not to do next time lol
Caitlin says
Do you think Toor Dal (“split pigeon peas”) would work?
We haven’t tried that but I’m guessing so! Let us know how it goes. Make a half batch at first to test.
Annie says
Toor Dal will not work. Only moong daal or split green will work best. Adding garlic , jalapeño, and cilantro in the mixture adds taste also. Yogurt is also another option to be added while blending to make it super soft.
Thanks for chiming in, Annie!
Nala says
Yes, toor dhal will work too. You can use any combination of dhals really. You can soak them together or separately. You can ferment them overnight or you can soak them for just a couple of hours in hot water. It all works out if you have a good cast iron pan and get the knack for making cheelas or adai as South Indians call it. Use a pinch of asafetida when using toor dhal for flavor and digestibility.
Jenae says
Delicious! Mine needed a bit more ginger and salt but finally got the right balance. Delicious with the Aloo Sabzi and Green Chutney! Thanks for such amazing recipes!
Great! Thanks for sharing, Jenae!
Ida says
I love how this batter comes together so easily. I added a bit more curry as I wasn’t able to detect enough to satisfy my palate with what was stated in recipe. (I actually used your curry recipe which I love). I completely agree in that these crepes are perfect with your recommended Potato Aloo and Green Chutney. I am never disappointed with your recipes; thank you!
So lovely! Thanks for sharing, Ida!!
Lynne says
Excellent taste and so easy; I will be making these a lot.
xoxo!
Tessa says
My dosa adventure turned out to be a mess…. They didn’t want to “bake”. No swirling just a mess.. The batter was not right, cannot really explain .. to much moist in it, although it was not too thin. I found out that the brown pandanrice I used was precooked, it was really swollen already after soaking. (strange, almost ready to eat😳). Anyway. I did some tweaking and ended up with great mungdal waffles 😂😂and my husband loved the strange misfit dosas so 👍🏻. Loved it!!!!! Tomorrow again with different rice and I’m asking a bigger cast iron. skillet for my birthday
haha ok yay! Thanks for sharing, Tessa!
Evalata says
Now you’ve seriously made my day. Savory dosas is one of my most favorite dishes but I’ve never tried making it at home. Will be reporting later this week how they turned out. 🔥🥰🌞
Yay! Thanks for sharing!
Noelle says
Made the fermented version and loved the taste! I soaked the mung and rice together (oops!) before reading the part where they get soaked separately. The only issue was my cast iron feeling a little clingy but overall everything was great.
Thanks for sharing, Noelle! Ironically I thought the non-fermented version didn’t stick at all to my pan, and the fermented version stuck a little (not much). Thanks for sharing your experience!
Paul Hanrahan says
I take it that the rice is uncooked? I wish that was noted for dummies like me!
Yes, uncooked.
Skay says
Hello, I don’t know where to contact you other than commenting on a recipe, but I have a question about the cookbook. I would like to order it for a friend as a gift, but it doesn’t deliver in my country so I would like to order the digital version. However I was wondering if I order it myself online, how can I share it with her.
Thank you very much !
Hi there – we don’t currently offer support for sharing digital products. I believe you could likely research adding her to your amazon account to share the kindle version that way.
Ann says
Hi,
When soaking the moon dal and rice are the bowls covered/uncovered left at room temperature or in refrigerator?
Thank you
room temp!
Eliza says
Hello
This recipe is RIGHT up my street! Thank you ♥️
Just wondering why you soak the rice and mung in different bowls?
What would happen if soaked together?
Thanks xx
I think that would be fine!
Sophie K. says
You say that skipping the fermentation did not impact digestibility. Why not? Was this just your body’s experience or based on some research?
Ah, yes. It was our experience. Fermentation is a good practice to keep for those wanting to focus on the optimal nutrition of a dish like this. But for those in a hurry, no fermentation is an option.
Jenae says
Can you do a quick soak of the beans and rice in hot water or does it need to be soaked for 6 hours?
Hmm, we haven’t tried a quick soak! But perhaps in hot water for a shorter time may work. Let us know if you give it a try!
estelle says
This looks delicious and wanna make them soon. I have no brown rice left and thinking of substituting with brown rice flour. Any idea of proportion? should i soak the flour? Thanks!
Hmm, I wouldn’t soak the flour. We haven’t tried it that way. let us know if you do!
Jessi says
Can brown rice flour be substituted for the brown rice? I have all the ingredients to make except the brown rice but have the flour. This recipe looks so so good! I want to try it!
Hmm, we’re not sure! We haven’t tried it. If you do, let us know how it goes1
Beth says
Perfect timing! I’ve been waiting for this ever since I bookmarked your aloo sabzi recipe. I’m looking forward to making both soon!
xo!
Maria Koss says
Love the simplicity of it! Thank you for the recipe :)
xo!
Ingrid says
I have a hard time finding moong dal at typical grocery stores…do you have a recommended place to easily find it?
Hi Ingrid, we typically purchase it from Amazon. Hope that helps!
Priya says
It feels so good to see Indian inspired recipes on your blog dana. Great job with cheelas. abslutely love it. We love this recipe in our breakfast. It yessss, It work 100% well with brown and white rice. Do try, you will love it I am sure.
Thank you so much, Priya! xo
Lisa says
Looks great! Can you make this with cooked moong dal and cooked rice (or quinoa) instead of raw soaked?
Thank you!
We haven’t tried that! If you do let us know how it goes!