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Rava dosa is a lacy crepe, usually made with a very thin batter of rice flour, semolina(cream of wheat) and all purpose flour if needed. This This Gluten free Rava dosa has brown rice flour and cream of rice(Idli Rava). The batter doesnt need to rest or ferment and can be instantly used. This 4 ingredient Dosa gets ready in 15 minutes!
The easy option in Indian food to avoid gluten is South Indian cuisine, filled with Dosas(crepes), Uttapams(Easy thick crepes/pancakes), Idlis(steamed cakes) and other breads/crepe options made with various fermented lentil and rice batter combinations. I decided to de-glutenize one of the quick dosa recipes today. The Rava dosa.
Traditional Rava Dosa is not gluten-free. This version uses rice flour and cream or rice( Idli rava)
1. The plain Rava in the Indian store is usually made of wheat/semolina/cream of wheat. Look for “Idli Rava” which is Cream of rice. Cream of rice is also easily available in regular grocery stores.
2. Hing/Asafoetida powder usually is diluted with some starch or fine flour, which can be wheat or rice based. Look at the contents to be sure. Pure asafoetida is available in crystal form which you can grind in a high powered grinder. You can skip the asafoetida in most recipes or substitute with onion powder for a similar taste.
3. The cream of rice will start to absorb the water if the batter is kept standing for long. Add a few Tablespoons of water if needed to get a thin consistency before making the next crepe.
Serve the dosa hot, with simple spicy potatoes, a delicious coconut chutney, sambhar(pigeon pea soup) or other sides.
Rava dosa Step by Step Pictures:
Rava dosa Step by Step Pictures:
Get the flours and veggies ready
Add to a bowl, flours, cumin, salt, asafoetida, water and mix well.
Add ginger, chili, cilantro.
Sprinkle batter onto a well heated non stick pan without making double layers.
Cook until the edges are golden and leave the pan.
Serve hot. This dosa tastes best when hot.
Rava Dosa (Rice flour crepes): 4 medium crepes
Gluten, dairy, egg, soy, nut, yeast, corn free
Ingredients:
1/4 cup cream of rice (Idli rava (coarsely ground rice) or use Semolina if you can eat gluten)
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/3 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 cup water
2 Tablespoons finely chopped/grated ginger
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3-4 Tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
a generous pinch of asafoetida (hing)
Oil as needed (I use organic canola or virgin coconut)
Method:
In a bowl, add the rice flour, cream of rice, salt, cumin, asafoetida and water and whisk into a thin batter.
Add the ginger, chili, cilantro and mix.
Prepare a large non stick pan and heat on medium.
When hot, add a few drops of oil and spread on the pan.
Fill a ladle with the batter and drop/drizzle it on the hot pan to make a lacy crepe.
To create the sprinkle effect, use a smaller ladle or 1/4 cup batter at a time and drop it on the hot pan without creating thick or double layers.
Drizzle a few drops on oil on the edges.
Cook on medium heat until the edges start to leave the pan and look golden. 5-7 minutes. See step pictures above.
Potato Masala Steps:
Add oil, heat on medium, add mustard seeds, curry leaves
Add onions, chili peppers, split peas. Cook until golden
Add turmeric, coriander powder, salt.
Add potatoes, a few Tablespoons of water. Cover and cook on low until potatoes are done.
Potato Masala
Gluten, dairy, egg, nut, soy, corn, yeast free.
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves (7-8 leaves)
2 Tablespoons split peas
1/2 medium onion chopped
1 green chili chopped or chili flakes to taste
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
2 medium potatoes, chopped
Method:
In a medium pan, add oil and heat on medium.
After half a minute, add mustard seeds and let them start to crackle.
Add curry leaves carefully and mix.
Add the split peas, chili and onions and cook on medium-low heat for 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden.
Add the turmeric and salt and mix,
Add the potatoes, 2-3 Tablespoons of water, mix well, cover and cook on low heat for 12-14 minutes, stirring every 4 minutes until potatoes are done.
You can also use boiled potatoes to reduce the cook time. Add boiled potatoes in the onion mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes and serve.
For regular traditional Rava dosa that is not gluten-free and for coconut chutney recipe,see here.
Note for those struggling to find wheat-free hing: There is a company called Pure Indian Foods which sells pure hing (green label), and pure hing batch-tested to certify gluten free (blue label). Both are made the same way, and I have not had any reaction to the green label when the blue label wasn’t available (my GI tract objected for three days when my friend forgot about the wheat thing and tossed a few pinches of regular hing into some shak when I visited).
thank you for your suggestion!
will the split peas cook fully, when put together with the potatoes? Or do they need to be precooked or at least soaked? Thank you.
They will cook from dried, no need to soak.
What is cream of rice called in the Uk? What gf ingredient can I use instead please? Xx
Might be rice hot cereal in UK. It’s called rice Rava or idli Rava in an Indian store
Can anything replace the split peas? Thank you.
Thanks so much for coming up with this gluten-free dosa recipe.
My daughter assured me once she has the ingredients she will
invite me over.
I love it when you experiment with Indian preps that generally use wheat
and come up with gluten and dairy free recipes.