Recipe card
Dosa - A popular breakfast recipe
Dosa is not only a popular breakfast item but also a cultural icon in South Indian homes. I belong to Karnataka’s coastal (Mangalore, Udupi) region, where dosa is loved for all three meals. Like bread or flatbreads, dosa pairs well with chutney or any curry. Some of my favorite Konkani-style dosa recipes that we prepare include mushti polo, surnali, pan polo (the very popular neer dose), and taushe polo (cucumber dosa). I have already shared a recipe for Surnali made with only three ingredients (no yogurt), which is a frequent breakfast item in our kitchen in the United States. Today’s post is about making surnali (surnoli) batter with yogurt (dahi) and then preparing both sweet and savory versions. I like the simple version, too, but adding yogurt (curds, buttermilk, or dahi) not only helps in fermentation but makes the dosa extra soft, giving a different texture. Serve this sweet surnoli recipe with homemade ghee or butter and savory sponge dosa with butter or any spicy chutney, Mangalorean fish curry, or chicken curry. Also, if you have sweetened coconut milk, soak the dosa in it for a couple of minutes and then enjoy.
Ingredients
Rice: For best results, always use dosa rice.Poha: Thich poha. If using thin poha, do not soak it; directly add it to the mixie jar.Coconut: Freshly grated coconut is used traditionally. Dry or frozen can also be used.Yogurt: Also called dahi, curds, or buttermilk. Use this while grinding.Baking soda: Makes it fluffy.Jaggery: Only if you like to try a sweet version of dosa. You can even use brown sugar. Check out the recipe card for the full list of the ingredients.
Step-by-step instructions
Soaking
Add dosa and fenugreek seeds to a bowl. Nicely wash it under water for 2 to 3 times until water runs clear. Soak in fresh water for about 4 hours. Add poha to another bowl, add water, and soak for 4 hours.
Making of the dosa batter
You will have to grind in parts based on the mixie jar or blender size. Add the drained rice, methi, poha, coconut, and yogurt and blend it to a smooth paste with water. Transfer this to a large bowl. This is the base of the batter. Divide it into two equal parts if you want to make sweet and savory dosa. For the sweet dosa batter, add jaggery and mix well. Cover both the batters and let them ferment overnight.
For savory dosa (cheppi surnali)
Next morning, after fermentation, add salt and baking soda to the savory batter and mix well. You can now cook the dosas with this batter.
For sweet dosa (godi surnoli)
Next morning, after fermentation, add turmeric powder, salt, and baking soda to the sweetened batter and mix well. Cook the dosa when ready to serve.
Cook the soft and sponge dosa
Heat a pan or dosa tawa on a medium flame. Pour the batter and let it spread by itself. Drizzle oil or ghee. Cover with a lid and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the bottom becomes golden and there are many holes on top. Serve hot and enjoy.
Tips
Always cook this dosa on a medium flame. Do not rush. If you turn the flame high, the bottom will turn black, and the top will remain uncooked. Traditionally, this dosa is not flipped; thus, you see a soft and sponged texture like mallige dosa. For a sweeter version, you can adjust the jaggery to taste. To make dosa without yogurt, check our simple surnali dosa recipe. I have used a non-stick pan. If using the cast iron pan for cooking dosa, make sure you grease it every single time before pouring the batter. If using thin poha, do not soak it. No urad dal is needed to make this dosa.
More konkani recipes
Did you like this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
