Menthe Dosa

Prepare Poha and Grind the Batter

• About 15 minutes before grinding, rinse the thick poha in a strainer and let it soak in just enough water to cover it. It will soften and absorb the water.
• Drain all the water from the soaked rice and dal mixture.
• Transfer the drained mixture and the soaked poha to a high-speed blender or a wet grinder.
• Add 1 cup of water and start grinding. Gradually add more water (up to another 1/2 cup) as needed to achieve a smooth, thick, and slightly grainy batter. The consistency should be pourable but not runny, similar to pancake batter.
• The grinding process should take about 10-15 minutes in a blender.

Ferment the Batter

• Pour the ground batter into a large, non-reactive container (like glass or stainless steel). Ensure the container is only filled halfway to allow room for the batter to rise.
• Cover the container with a lid (do not seal it tightly) and place it in a warm, draft-free place to ferment for 8 to 12 hours, or overnight.
• The batter is perfectly fermented when it has risen to nearly double its volume, appears frothy, and has a pleasant, slightly sour aroma.

Cook the Menthe Dosas

• Once fermented, add salt to the batter and mix gently with a ladle, being careful not to deflate the air bubbles too much.
• Heat a cast-iron or non-stick tawa (griddle) over medium heat. To check if it's ready, sprinkle a few drops of water; they should sizzle and evaporate immediately.
• Lightly grease the tawa with a few drops of oil and wipe with a paper towel or half an onion.
• Pour one ladleful of batter onto the center of the tawa. Do not spread it. Allow it to spread naturally into a thick, round dosa, about 5-6 inches in diameter.
• Drizzle about 1/2 teaspoon of oil around the edges and on top of the dosa.
• Cover with a lid and cook for 2-3 minutes on medium-low heat. The top surface will become porous and set, and the bottom will be golden brown.
• There is no need to flip this dosa, as the steam trapped by the lid cooks the top surface. However, you can flip and cook for 30 seconds if you prefer.
• Carefully remove the dosa from the tawa and repeat the process with the remaining batter.

Serve

• Serve the soft and spongy Menthe Dosas immediately with your favorite accompaniments like coconut chutney, red chili chutney, or vegetable sambar.