Neer Dosa Recipe (Mangalorean Rice Crepes)
Neer Dosa (Neer Dose) are thin, lacy, and soft Mangalorean crepes prepared using rice. Use my foolproof recipe to make it at home.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 1 and ½ cups raw white rice
- ½ cup grated fresh coconut optional
- 1 teaspoon salt
- oil for brushing
Instructions
- Soak the rice. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then soak it in 4 cups of water for 10 to 12 hours (overnight works well).
- Grind with just a little water first. Drain the rice and add it to a blender with fresh coconut (if using) and only ¼ cup of water.
- Check for smoothness. Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides a few times. Rub a little batter between your fingers; if you feel any grit, keep blending. Any coarseness here shows up as cracks in the finished dosa.
- Add salt. Transfer the batter to a large bowl and mix in the salt.
- Thin the batter. Add 3 cups of water and mix well. The batter should be the consistency of milk, thin enough to pour easily off a spoon in a steady stream, not a dribble.
- Heat the pan. Heat a nonstick pan or cast-iron tawa over medium heat. Flick a few drops of water onto the surface. If they sizzle and evaporate immediately, the pan is ready. If they just sit there, give it another minute. Brush the hot pan with a very thin layer of oil. A halved onion dipped in oil and rubbed over the surface works even better than a brush. It spreads the oil in a thinner, more even layer and helps season the pan as you go.
- Pour the batter. Stir the batter well (the rice settles quickly), then pour a ladleful, starting at the outer edge and moving inward, as you would for rava dosa; do not spread with the back of the ladle as you would for a regular dosa. Fill in any obvious gaps with a little more batter.
- Cook uncovered first. Let the dosa cook uncovered for 30–40 seconds before covering it. Covering it too soon traps steam under the lid, which drips back onto the batter and leaves the center soggy. This is the single most common reason neer dosa comes out wet in the middle instead of set.
- Cover briefly, then check the edges. Cover and cook for another 30 seconds. The dosa is done when the edges start lifting away from the pan on their own. It stays white and soft; you’re not looking for any browning, and you never flip it.
- Cool before folding. Transfer the dosa to a plate or a perforated rack and let it sit for 30 seconds to a minute before folding. Folding it too hot causes the layers to stick together.
- Fold and repeat. Fold in half, then into a triangle. Before pouring the next dosa, sprinkle a little water on the pan and wipe it with a cloth. This lowers the temperature slightly so the pan doesn’t get too hot for the next round. Re-oil lightly and repeat.
Video
Notes
If the dosa isn't lacy, the batter is too thick; add water.
If it breaks when lifted, the batter is too thin; add a little rice flour.
Don't stack dosas while hot; let them cool fully first.
Batter keeps refrigerated for up to 24 hours; stir and loosen with water before using.
Nutrition
Calories: 70kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 585mg | Potassium: 57mg | Fiber: 1g | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.4mg
