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  3. Set Dosa | How to make Spongy Set Dosa

Set Dosa | How to make Spongy Set Dosa

Published: Feb 22, 2011 · Modified: Feb 6, 2023 by Kalyani · This post may contain affiliate links · 16 Comments

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Set Dosa is a soft, airy and porous Dosa (savoury V + GF Crepe) made with Rice, lentils. It is served in a set of 2 or 3 along with any curry or chutney.

Set Dosa is my all time favourite. The erstwhile 'Pavithra' restaurant in Bangalore's Jayanagar 4th block served, to my knowledge, the best ever Set Dosa. Almost bereft of oil, this silky soft Dosa was a constant treat option for the college and office goers around that area, and we were willing participants, come day or night ! 

What is Set Dosa

Set Dosa generally refers to a set of two or three soft round dosas served with coconut chutney and Mixed Vegetable Sagu (veggies in spicy gravy). I don't know if they still do, but the memories of this Set Dosa is what I tried to create today.  In fact, at another restaurant called "Chutneys" in Hyderabad, a similar dosa called "Chiranjeevi Dosa" (named after the Telugu superhero) is also brilliant !

I served this dosa today with chutney. Recipe for Vegetable sagu (that's served in Bangalore with Puri / Chapati / Dosa) is here

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Pin

Preparation : 3 hours (soaking), 12 - 14 hours (fermentation)

Makes ~25 - 26 dosas

Ingredients to make Set Dosa

  • 2 cups Idli Rice (or parboiled rice, which yields slightly different texture)
  • 1 cup Split black gram (whole Urad Dal)
  • ¼ cup Beaten Rice (Poha/aval)
  • ¼ cup Sago (Sabudana / Tapioca pearls)
  • 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi)
  • 2 teaspoon Bengal Gram (Channa Dal)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Tips and Tricks to make the best Set Dosa

  1. Use Urad dal Gota (whole white urad dal) for best results
  2. DO not add too much water while grinding the batter. Use the soaked water for grinding
  3. You may skip adding sago / sabudana and increase the poha quantity by ¼ cup.
  4. If the batter is well fermented, you may make this completely oil free.
  5. Before you flip the dosa on to the other side, see the slightly big holes (in the pic) that the dosa will have to ensure thorough cooking.
  6. Once you flip, cook for just 10-12 seconds, the dosa needs to be spongy

PIN FOR LATER

Pin

How to make Set Dosa

  1. Soak rice + methi in one vessel. Soak Urad dal + sago + poha + channa dal in another vessel for 3 - 4 hours minimum. You can also soak for 4-6 hours
  2. Drain and grind the rice + lentil mixtures separately, sprinkling the soaked water intermittently to get a smooth flowing yet nicely ground batter.
  3. Pour the individual batters to a large bowl and add salt to taste. 
  4. Mix well with clean hands for 1-2 minutes 
  5. Let the batter ferment for at least 12 - 14 hours, preferably overnight.
  6. Next morning, gently mix the fermented batter lightly just 1-2 times, so as to keep the fermentation intact. 
  7. Heat a tava / skillet. 
  8. When hot. drizzle 1 teaspoon of oil and rub with half an onion (this prevents the batter from sticking to the tava) and pour one ladle of batter. 
  9. Do not spread like the normal dosa.  Put ¼ teaspoon oil around the dosa.
  10. If the batter is ground well you can make this Set dosa without any oil too
  11. Cover and cook on one side.
  12. Once done, flip to the other side and cook.
  13. Serve hot with any Chutney or veg kurma or Vegetable Sagu (Karnataka style veg curry)
Set Dosa is a soft, airy and porous Dosa (savoury V + GF Crepe) made with Rice, lentils. It is served in a set of 2 or 3 along with any curry or chutneyPin

Set Dosa | How to make Spongy Set Dosa

Kalyani
Set Dosa is a soft, airy and porous Dosa (savoury V + GF Crepe) made with Rice, lentils. It is served in a set of 2 or 3 along with any curry or chutney.
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Soak + Grinding + Fermentation Time 12 hours hrs
Total Time 12 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Course Breakfast, Tiffins
Cuisine Karnataka Cuisine, South Indian
Servings 20 servings
Calories 107 kcal

Equipment

  • Wet Grinder
  • 2 Bowl
  • Cast Iron Skillet
  • Ladle
  • Pancake Turner

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups Idli Rice or parboiled rice, which yields slightly different texture
  • 1 cup Split black gram whole Urad Dal
  • ¼ cup Beaten Rice Poha/aval
  • ¼ cup Sago Sabudana / Tapioca pearls
  • 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds methi
  • 2 teaspoon Bengal Gram Channa Dal
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste

Instructions
 

  • Soak rice + methi in one vessel. Soak Urad dal + sago + poha + channa dal in another vessel for 3 - 4 hours minimum. You can also soak for 4-6 hours
  • Drain and grind the rice + lentil mixtures separately, sprinkling the soaked water intermittently to get a smooth flowing yet nicely ground batter.
  • Pour the individual batters to a large bowl and add salt to taste.
  • Mix well with clean hands for 1-2 minutes
  • Let the batter ferment for at least 12 - 14 hours, preferably overnight.
  • Next morning, gently mix the fermented batter lightly just 1-2 times, so as to keep the fermentation intact.
  • Heat a tava / skillet.
  • When hot. drizzle 1 teaspoon of oil and rub with half an onion (this prevents the batter from sticking to the tava) and pour one ladle of batter.
  • Do not spread like the normal dosa.  Put ¼ teaspoon oil around the dosa.
  • If the batter is ground well you can make this Set dosa without any oil too
  • Cover and cook on one side.
  • Once done, flip to the other side and cook.
  • Serve hot with any Chutney or veg kurma or Vegetable Sagu (Karnataka style veg curry)

Notes

Tips and Tricks to make the best Set Dosa
  1. Use Urad dal Gota (whole white urad dal) for best results
  2. Do not add too much water while grinding the batter. Use the soaked water for grinding sprinkling a little at a time as needed.
  3. You may skip adding sago / sabudana and increase the poha quantity by ¼ cup.
  4. If the batter is well fermented, you may make this completely oil free.
  5. Before you flip the dosa on to the other side, see the slightly big holes (in the pic) that the dosa will have to ensure thorough cooking.
  6. Once you flip, cook for just 10-12 seconds, the dosa needs to be spongy

Nutrition

Calories: 107kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 4gFat: 0.2gSaturated Fat: 0.02gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.04gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.04gSodium: 121mgPotassium: 20mgFiber: 3gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 9mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Breakfast, Crepe, Dosa, Hotel Style Set Dosa, Karnataka cuisine, Set Dosa, Spongy Dosa
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lakshmi says

    February 23, 2011 at 12:43 am

    Dear Mom Chef, Many thanks for your feedback and it feels good to know that you liked it. The recipe should be tweaked often to suit the local ingredient quality. Being in Singapore it is very difficult to get the same quality dosa that you actually make in India. Set dosa has come out very well, looks yummy too. Enjoy. Btw..you have a lovely blog here.

    Reply
  2. Padma says

    February 23, 2011 at 11:14 pm

    Pavithra restaurant is my dad's fav place for food. Also mine when I was working in Jayanagar. Love set dosas... that too with coocnut chutney and vegetable sagu. Yours look perfect and delicious.
    Padma

    Reply
  3. Kalyani says

    February 27, 2011 at 11:51 am

    @ LG - Thanks for your complis !
    @ Padma - Pavithra restaurant rocked in its heyday ! I also remember their Idli-Vada (esp at their Darshini in the basement) was slurpy !

    Reply
  4. Mayuri Patel says

    September 10, 2019 at 3:51 pm

    Set dosa certainly look so soft and delicious. I like your recipe as you've added poha and sago. Set dosa are best had with a delicious curry as it helps to soak up the gravy.

    Reply
  5. cookwithrenu says

    September 10, 2019 at 4:07 pm

    Set dosa looks super soft. Love the last pics with the bubbles on it. Shows how nicely fermented the batter is. Would love to enjoy this with some sagu.

    Reply
  6. Lathiya says

    September 10, 2019 at 8:07 pm

    Set dosa is a famous breakfast dish in Tamil nadu too. The dosa looks so spongy and yummy.

    Reply
  7. Poonam Bachhav says

    September 19, 2019 at 5:02 pm

    I have never had a chance to sample set dosa. Your pics are tempting me to try it soon. The recipe with addition of sago and Poha sounds interesting !

    Reply
  8. Sasmita says

    September 20, 2019 at 4:28 am

    WOW so soft and spongy looking dosa. The picture makes me drooling actually 😉 . Like the porous texture all over the dosa as well 🙂

    Reply
  9. jayashree says

    September 20, 2019 at 7:22 am

    I love set dosa and this looksso scrumptious. I had made this kind long back, do need to make it again.

    Reply
  10. Archana says

    January 26, 2023 at 1:41 pm

    5 stars
    I love these set dosa they are soft and spongy and "holey" the way I like them. I notice you have used both beaten rice and sago. Was about to soak my set dosa stuff will add it to my ingredients list.

    Reply
    • Kalyani says

      January 26, 2023 at 7:28 pm

      Thank you Archana, hope you can make this..

      Reply
  11. Jayashree. T.Rao says

    January 31, 2023 at 12:14 pm

    5 stars
    Set Dosa is one of the favourite kind of dosas at home. Your dosa looks soft and spongy. Lovely one for morning breakfast.

    Reply
    • Kalyani says

      January 31, 2023 at 1:18 pm

      thank you Jayashree. we love it at home too!

      Reply
  12. Preethicuisine says

    February 06, 2023 at 6:57 pm

    5 stars
    Set dosa has come out so perfectly Kalyani. It is just not a dosa it is an emotion. I love the spongy set dosa we get in Bangalore. Missing it here. Now I will try your recipe. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Kalyani says

      February 06, 2023 at 7:03 pm

      totally agree with you Preethi, set dosa IS an emotion 🙂

      Reply
  13. Preethi says

    February 06, 2023 at 7:02 pm

    5 stars
    Set dosa looks so soft and spongy. It is not just a dosa it is an emotion. I love the set dosa we get in Bangalore. Missing that typical dosa here.Bookmarking your recipe.

    Reply
5 from 4 votes

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