Dosa Recipe that contains No Rice! Made with Foxtail Millet or Thinai Arisi, this South Indian Breakfast Recipe is a must try!
Today's recipe is Thinai Dosa or Millet Dosa recipe. An easy South Indian Breakfast recipe using Thinai Arisi or Foxtail Millet and Lentils (Urad Dal). Unlike traditional dosa recipes, this recipe contains No Rice.
This dosa is made similar to any other dosa batter - ingredients soaked, ground and fermented overnight. The dosas are soft and delicious. One never misses the rice element, which is the best part about consuming millets, according to me.
You can also make dosas right away after grinding the batter, in case you are in a hurry but we prefer fermenting the batter at home as much as possible. As you are aware, fermentation is good for gut health.
I stock few varieties of millets at home and Foxtail Millet is one of them besides Proso and Kodo. One of the reasons why Thinai Arisi is always at home is Narayan loves it amongst all the millet varieties.
I have a Foxtail Millet Upma recipe on the blog too if you like to check out. The upma is loaded with vegetables, makes a hearty brunch or evening tiffin too with sambar and chutney.
Any South Indian Breakfast tastes best with Sambar and Chutney and this Thinai Dosai is no exception. I have listed below few side dish recipes, which you may try at home.
Side dish for Thinai Dosa
If you love the South Indian Podi recipes, you can try few options. Dry Chutney can be easily stocked for busy mornings.
If you prefer curries with dosa, especially if you plan to eat this as your tiffin at night, you can opt for the following options -
Step by Step Thinai Dosa or Foxtail Millet Dosa Recipe
Measure all the ingredients and add them to a bowl.
- Wash them for a couple of times under running tap water, until the water is clear.
- Now add enough water required for soaking. Let the millets and lentils soak for atleast 3-4 hours.
After 3-4 hours, drain all the water, give it a quick rinse and transfer it to a mixer grinder jar for grinding.
Grind it into a smooth paste (add water while grinding), mix the batter with your hand for a couple of minutes. It aids in fermentation.
- Cover and keep the batter aside in a warm place for 8-10 hours (depending on weather) for fermentation.
- After the batter has fermented, add salt, mix lightly and make dosas.
- Heat a flat dosa tawa or griddle, add few drops of oil and season the pan well using a kitchen towel, potato piece or onion piece.
- Once the pan is hot, pour a ladle of the batter and spread it clockwise until its thin and uniformly spread.
- Pour oil on all sides, let it cook on medium heat until the sides are crispy.
Notes -
- It took 8 hours to ferment the batter.
- Once the ingredients are ground, always mix them with your hands for couple of minutes before keeping them aside for fermentation. Mix lightly and not rigorously. No whisk is required.
- I have drained the water that is used for soaking. I do not prefer adding it while grinding.
- All the ingredients have been soaked together. Soak them for atleast 3-4 hours before grinding. Also, if you use a mixer grinder like me to grind batters, ensure you grind them in batches and not at one go.
- Shelf life of the batter is 4-5 days in the refrigerator. You can freeze this too, would last longer.
- The recipe is Gluten Free and Vegan.
I have tried my best to answer few of the doubts or questions you would have in mind, regarding the recipe. Please feel free to comment and reach out in case of any other queries or doubts you have in mind.
Can this dosa be made only with Foxtail Millet? No, you can use the same measurements to make dosa with available millets at home like Kodo, Proso etc.
Does the dosa stick to the pan due to no rice? No it doesn't. Always season your pan with few drops of oil, rub it with an onion piece or potato or a kitchen towel and then pour the batter. Any dosa would be non-sticky.
Shelf Life - Like any dosa batter, this has a shelf life of 4-5 days. Store the batter in the refrigerator once it has fermented. In the freezer, it might last longer.
Can I use this batter to make other recipes? You you can make paniyarams (appe), uttapams with vegetables or onions etc.
Thinai Dosai / Foxtail Millet Dosa / Navane Dosa
Equipment
- Dosa Tawa or Flat Griddle
Ingredients
- 3 cups Foxtail Millet or Thinai Arisi 1 cup is 125 ml measurement
- 1 1/2 cups Urad Dal 1 cup is 125 ml measurement
- 1/4 tsp Methi Seeds or Fenugreek Seeds
- Salt to taste
- Oil as required to cook dosas
- Water as required to soak and grind the batter
Instructions
- Measure all the ingredients and add them to a bowl.
- Wash them for a couple of times under running tap water, until the water is clear.
- Now add enough water required for soaking. Let the millets and lentils soak for atleast 3-4 hours.
- After 3-4 hours, drain all the water, give it a quick rinse and transfer it to a mixer grinder jar for grinding.
- Grind it into a smooth paste (add water while grinding), mix the batter with your hand for a couple of minutes. It aids in fermentation.
- Cover and keep the batter aside in a warm place for 8-10 hours (depending on weather) for fermentation.
- After the batter has fermented, add salt, mix lightly and make dosas.
- If you plan to stock and use this later, refrigerate the batter immediately after salt is added.
- For making dosas - Heat a flat dosa tawa or griddle, add few drops of oil and season the pan well using a kitchen towel, potato piece or onion piece.
- Once the pan is hot, pour a ladle of the batter and spread it clockwise until its thin and uniformly spread.
- Pour oil on all sides, let it cook on medium heat until the sides are crispy.
- Flip the dosas, add some oil and allow it to cook. Dosas should be served piping hot with an accompaniment of your choice.
Notes
- It took 8 hours to ferment the batter.
- Once the ingredients are ground, always mix them with your hands for couple of minutes before keeping them aside for fermentation. Mix lightly and not rigorously. No whisk is required.
- I have drained the water that is used for soaking. I do not prefer adding it while grinding.
- All the ingredients have been soaked together. Soak them for atleast 3-4 hours before grinding. Also, if you use a mixer grinder like me to grind batters, ensure you grind them in batches and not at one go.
- Shelf life of the batter is 4-5 days in the refrigerator. You can freeze this too, would last longer.
- The recipe is Gluten Free and Vegan.
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Thank you for visiting
Vidya Narayan
Healthy and good for diabetics
Good one.. will give it a try...
If you are worried about fermentation, add 1 spoon of thick curd to the batter... not much, it will give sour taste if in excess
Hi Reshmi, thanks and hope you enjoy making it. Do let us know how you liked it.