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Authentic Sona Masoori Dosa Batter Recipe

This traditional authentic Sona Masoori dosa batter recipe creates perfectly fermented batter for crispy, golden dosas every time. Made with premium Sona Masoori rice, urad dal, chana dal, poha, and fenugreek seeds, this time-tested recipe delivers restaurant-quality results at home. The addition of poha ensures soft texture while fenugreek aids fermentation for that perfect tangy flavor.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Fermentation Time 12 hours
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 35 Scoops/Dosas (60g batter each)
Calories 77 kcal
Protein3 g
Fiber2 g
Fat0.1 g
Carbohydrates16 g

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowls for soaking ingredients
  • Wet grinder or high-speed blender for grinding batter
  • Fine mesh strainer for washing rice and dals
  • Large fermentation bowl with lid, capacity 3-4 liters

Ingredients
 

  • 2 cups (440 g) Sona Masoori rice
  • 1 cup (220 g) urad dal
  • ¼ cup (50 g) chana dal - split Bengal gram
  • 1 teaspoon (5 g) fenugreek seeds - methi seeds
  • 1 cup (80 g) poha - flattened rice
  • 6 cups (1440 ml) water - for soaking and grinding

Instructions
 

Prepare and Soak Ingredients:

  • In a large bowl, combine 2 cups Sona Masoori rice, 1 cup urad dal, ¼ cup chana dal, and 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds.
    Dry ingredients for dosa batter: Sona Masoori rice, urad dal, chana dal and fenugreek seeds in steel bowl
  • Rinse this mixture together under cold water 3-4 times until water runs clear.
    Hand washing rice and dal mixture under running water to clean ingredients for dosa batter
  • After washing, add 1 cup poha to the washed ingredients (do not rinse poha separately). Add 6 cups of 6 cups water to cover all ingredients and soak for 4-6 hours.
    Adding poha (flattened rice) to soaked dosa batter ingredients without rinsing separately

Grind the Batter:

  • Using a wet grinder or high-speed blender, grind all ingredients together (rice, urad dal, chana dal, poha, fenugreek seeds) to a smooth batter using the reserved soaking water gradually.
    Transferring soaked rice and dal mixture from bowl to Indian mixi grinder for making dosa batter
  • If your high-speed blender gets hot, take a break and split up grinding time. The batter should not get hot.
    Clean Indian mixi grinder jar ready for grinding soaked ingredients into smooth dosa batter
  • Test consistency: Test consistency by checking that batter should be thick but pourable. You might still feel some grains, and that is ok. You just can't have big chunks.
    Perfect smooth dosa batter consistency on spoon showing proper grinding texture
  • Add water as needed to achieve a thick but pourable consistency. The batter should be smooth with a slight grainy texture. Transfer to a large fermentation bowl.
    Grinding soaked ingredients into smooth dosa batter using Indian mixi blender

Ferment the Batter:

  • Cover the bowl with a lid or clean cloth and place in a warm spot (75-85°F/24-29°C). In summer, fermentation takes 8-10 hours. In winter, it may take 12-15 hours.
    Freshly ground Sona Masoori dosa batter in fermentation bowl with visible air bubbles and smooth texture
  • Well-fermented batter will be bubbly, increased in volume, and have tiny air pockets throughout. It should smell pleasantly sour and tangy. Gently stir once before using.
    Perfectly fermented authentic Sona Masoori dosa batter in steel bowl showing bubbles and smooth texture

Final Preparation:

  • Before making dosas, check the batter consistency. If too thick, add water gradually until it reaches a pourable consistency that coats the back of a spoon. The authentic Sona Masoori dosa batter is now ready to make perfect crispy dosas.
    Gently stirring fermented dosa batter with ladle before making dosas, showing proper consistency and bubbles

Notes

Batter Quality: This authentic recipe yields approximately 2126g of fermented batter, making about 35 medium dosas (60g batter per dosa).
Weight Calculations: Total dry ingredients: 795g (Sona Masoori rice 440g + urad dal 220g + chana dal 50g + poha 80g + fenugreek 5g), Water absorbed: approximately 1331g. The fermentation process naturally increases volume and weight through bacterial activity and moisture retention.
Salt Addition: Salt is not added during batter preparation as it can inhibit fermentation. Add 2 teaspoon salt (12g) to the fermented batter just before making dosas, or add salt to taste to individual portions as needed.
Water Usage: Use 6 cups (1440ml) total water for soaking all ingredients together. Reserve soaking water for grinding as it contains beneficial nutrients and aids fermentation. Use minimal additional water while grinding to achieve proper consistency.
Washing Method: All dry ingredients except poha are washed together in one bowl. Poha is added only after washing, as it doesn't require rinsing and would break down if washed with the harder grains.
Storage: Refrigerate the batter for up to 1 week. For longer storage, freeze portions in zip-lock bags for up to 1 month.
Fermentation Tips: In cold climates, place the bowl in a slightly warm oven (with just the light on) or near a warm appliance to aid fermentation.
Rice Quality: Authentic Sona Masoori rice is key to this recipe's success. It provides the perfect starch content for crispy dosas with soft interiors.
Traditional Note: The addition of poha (flattened rice) is a traditional technique that ensures softer dosas, while fenugreek seeds aid in fermentation and add subtle flavor.
Usage: Use this batter for plain dosas, masala dosas, uttapam, or paniyaram. Adjust consistency with water as needed for different preparations.

NUTRITION

Nutrition Facts
Authentic Sona Masoori Dosa Batter Recipe
Serving Size
 
1 Scoop for dosa (60g batter)
Amount per Serving
Calories
77
% Daily Value*
Protein
 
3
g
6
%
Carbohydrates
 
16
g
5
%
Fiber
 
2
g
8
%
Sugar
 
0.03
g
0
%
Fat
 
0.1
g
0
%
Sodium
 
3
mg
0
%
Potassium
 
15
mg
0
%
Vitamin D
 
0
µg
0
%
Calcium
 
10
mg
1
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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