Vendhaya dosa, also known as fenugreek dosa, is a delicious and adaptable South Indian dish made with idli rice, raw rice, and urad dal, enriched with the goodness of fenugreek seeds.
There are many varieties of dosa, and I have shared quite a few on my blog. This particular vendhaya dosai, also called methi dosa—or, in English, Indian lentils and rice crepes infused with fenugreek—is one of my personal favorites. Growing up, I always preferred dosa over idli, and my mom would often make this for us.
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The versatility of vendhaya dosai
This dosa uses both raw rice and idli rice in equal parts, along with urad dal and an extra dose of fenugreek seeds. For every 2 cups of rice, I add about one tablespoon of fenugreek. One unique aspect of this dosa is that it isn’t flipped while cooking. Instead, it is covered and steamed, resulting in a soft texture, while the raw rice contributes to a crispier bite.
The batter is incredibly versatile—you can use it to prepare butter masala dosa or even authentic Mysore masala dosa. To enhance the flavor and texture, you can add two tablespoons each of toor dal and chana dal while grinding. For a beautiful golden hue, a little sugar can also be added. I will be sharing the detailed recipe soon, but this base batter works well for both crispy dosa and soft, spongy dosa.
Storing fermented batter
Once fermented, I transfer the batter to a lidded container and store it in the refrigerator. Before making dosa, I let the batter sit for 10 to 15 minutes. If time permits, I allow it to come to room temperature, but I’ve never had any issues making dosa straight from cold batter.
While the batter stays fresh for days, I recommend enjoying dosa hot paired with chutney or idli podi. You can also explore various other side dishes that beautifully complement idli and dosa.
Dietary specifications & yield
This methi dosa is naturally vegan (unless you use ghee for making dosa), gluten-free, and nut-free, making it suitable for all.
The below measure yields approx 12 to 15 dosa.
How to make vendhaya dosai
Rinse and soak: In a bowl, combine urad dal and fenugreek seeds. In a separate bowl, add raw rice and idli rice. Rinse both mixtures thoroughly 4 to 5 times until the water runs clear. Add enough water to each bowl and let them soak for at least 6 to 8 hours.
Grind the batter: Once soaked, drain the water from the urad dal and fenugreek seeds. Add ¼ cup of water to a wet grinder, then add the urad dal mixture and grind to a fine batter, gradually adding ⅓ to ½ cup of water as needed. This process takes about 15 minutes.
Next, drain the soaked rice and add it to the wet grinder. Grind until smooth. While grinding, I used ½ cup of ice-cold water. Transfer the ground batter to a large vessel or the inner pot of an Instant Pot for fermentation. Rinse the grinder with ¼ cup of water and add it to the batter. Finally, mix in salt and combine well.
Ferment the batter: For fermentation, I use an Instant Pot. Instead of the IP lid, I cover it with another lid and set the Instant Pot to Yogurt Mode for 10 to 12 hours. Fermentation time varies between 8 to 14 hours, depending on the climate.
Once fermented, gently mix the batter, add ¼ to ½ cup of water, and stir until it reaches a pourable consistency.
Cooking the vendhaya dosai: Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron pan. Once hot, reduce the heat to medium-low. Take a ladleful of batter and pour it onto the pan, spreading it gently to your desired thickness. Drizzle about ½ teaspoon of oil around the edges. Cover with a lid and let the dosa cook in steam—flipping isn’t necessary as it cooks completely in its own steam, though you can flip if desired.
Once the top is fully cooked, loosen the edges and remove the dosa from the pan.
Repeat with the remaining batter and serve hot with chutney, sambar, or vada curry.
Recipe Notes
- You can soak and grind the dal and rice together if preferred. Check my kal dosa recipe for details.
- Since I worked with a small quantity, I first ground the urad dal, then added the rice without removing the dal and ground them together.
- Instead of idli rice, you can use parboiled rice or brown idli rice.
Explore other dosa recipes
PS: If you try this vendiya dosa, please don’t forget to comment and rate this recipe. If you have any questions, please leave a comment, and I will get to it ASAP. Make sure to follow me on my Pinterest for more healthy and delicious ideas! Follow me on Instagram or join my Facebook Group for more recipe updates! You can also sign-up for my newsletter for weekly updates.
📖 Recipe
Flavorful and Versatile Vendhaya Dosa (Fenugreek Dosa)
Ingredients
Instructions
- Rinse and soak: In a bowl, combine urad dal and fenugreek seeds. In a separate bowl, add raw rice and idli rice. Rinse both mixtures thoroughly 4 to 5 times until the water runs clear. Add enough water to each bowl and let them soak for at least 6 to 8 hours.
- Grind the batter: Once soaked, drain the water from the urad dal and fenugreek seeds. Add ¼ cup of water to a wet grinder, then add the urad dal mixture and grind to a fine batter, gradually adding ⅓ to ½ cup of water as needed. This process takes about 15 minutes. Next, drain the soaked rice and add it to the wet grinder. Grind until smooth. While grinding, I used ½ cup of ice-cold water. Transfer the ground batter to a large vessel or the inner pot of an Instant Pot for fermentation. Rinse the grinder with ¼ cup of water and add it to the batter. Finally, mix in salt and combine well.
- Ferment the batter: For fermentation, I use an Instant Pot. Instead of the IP lid, I cover it with another lid and set the Instant Pot to Yogurt Mode for 10 to 12 hours. Fermentation time varies between 8 to 14 hours, depending on the climate. Once fermented, gently mix the batter, add ¼ to ½ cup of water, and stir until it reaches a pourable consistency.
- Cooking the vendhaya dosai: Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron pan. Once hot, reduce the heat to medium-low. Take a ladleful of batter and pour it onto the pan, spreading it gently to your desired thickness. Drizzle about ½ teaspoon of oil around the edges. Cover with a lid and let the dosa cook in steam—flipping isn't necessary as it cooks completely in its own steam, though you can flip if desired.
- Once the top is fully cooked, loosen the edges and remove the dosa from the pan. Repeat with the remaining batter and serve hot with chutney, sambar, or vada curry.
Notes
- You can soak and grind the dal and rice together if preferred. Check my kal dosa recipe for details.
- Since I worked with a small quantity, I first ground the urad dal, then added the rice without removing the dal and ground them together.
- Instead of idli rice, you can use parboiled rice or brown idli rice.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.
Update Notes: Earlier posted on 2014, now updated it with new pics, step-wise pictures, recipe card with nutritional information.
Yummy and crispy dosa
Thanks Beena.
Healthy Dosa!!
Thanks Sharmila.
Super soft vendaya dosa and peanut chutney is my ffav:-) I feel like taking two dosai. And have it
Thanks :-) You are welcome any time.
Something new to me, added to my list of to-dos :)
:-) :-)