Are you struggling to spread Dosa on your pan?
Is your Dosa not spreading well?
No worries!
In the following guide, you will learn the secrets to spread the Dosa batter on the pan.
So, let’s begin.
Here Is Why Your Dosa Doesn’t Spread On The Pan
Before we get into the details, the common reason for this issue is the batter consistency.
If you don’t get the batter right, you are likely to face the same issue each time.
Of course, there are some other causes too, but the main reason lies in the batter.
Now, let’s take a look at some of these reasons in detail –
1. Your batter is too thin.
As I mentioned earlier, most of the Dosa-making issues come from the batter.
In this case, if you have added too much water into your batter, it’d be difficult to spread it properly on the pan.
You don’t need a lot of water to prepare the right consistency of the batter.
Note: For Rava Dosas and Neer Dosa, you need a very thin batter consistency.
You can’t make such Dosas without this type of consistency.
2. Your batter is too thick.
The other side of this issue is the thick batter.
Even though the traditional plain Dosas or Masala Dosas do require a relatively thicker batter consistency, it should be of pouring consistency.
Don’t make it too thick, as the batter might stick to the pan instead of spreading evenly on the pan’s surface.
Also, if you use this type of batter, it won’t be easy to turn it into a crisp Dosa.
It will eventually turn into a soft spongy Dosa, which would probably look like a Set Dosa or Khali Dosa.
So, do check the batter consistency when you want to make Dosas at home.
3. Your batter is too coarse.
It’s another issue with the batter.
But honestly, it’s probably got to do with the griding tool and technique you’re using.
Many grinders don’t grind the batter ingredients to a fine consistency.
So, you may need to look at the grinder and see how it performs with such ingredients.
If it doesn’t do well, you will have to repeat the process several times.
It may not be an ideal thing to do because most grinders turn hot after a couple of batches.
But you will have to get the fine consistency for a perfectly smooth Dosa.
If you keep it coarse, there might be some large particles of grains in the batter.
And if you make Dosas with such batter, it’d not be a great experience in the end.
4. Your batter is cold.
Are you using a leftover batter?
I know many of us prepare batters that can be used for a week or so.
And generally, we use refrigerators to store them for such a long duration.
So, when you use the cold batter to spread on the hot tawa, it’s not going to spread smoothly.
And it will probably stick to the pan during this process.
Therefore, it’s better not to make Dosas with cold batter.
Note: It also applies to the packaged Dosa batters.
Most of the time, these refrigerated batters don’t do well on the pan, and you may need to perform a couple of additional steps to get things right.
5. You don’t mix the batter before pouring it on the pan.
Yes, that’s right!
It’s all about the consistency here.
When you pour the batter into a bowl or container, gravity plays its role.
It pulls down the thicker particles to the bottom and keeps the thin remnants floating on top.
And it creates a sort of imbalance in the consistency of the batter.
If you use this type of batter for your Dosa making process, you will have difficulties spreading the Dosas.
Therefore, it’s essential to mix the batter well if you want to make the perfect Dosas at home.
6. You did not clean the pan before spreading the batter on it.
There can’t be an excuse for this step.
You will have to clean the pan no matter what.
If you allow the remaining food particles from the initial batches to be on the pan, you will face a lot of issues with the subsequent batches.
With such a pan, some of the Dosas will not spread nicely, and some of them even stick to the surface at the time of pouring.
So, if you want to avoid such issues, you need to perform this additional cleaning step each time.
7. Your pan is not hot enough.
The second part of the issue is the temperature of your pan.
If the pan is not hot, there is no point in pouring the batter on it.
It’s going to remain on the surface, and you will find it hard to spread the batter on such a pan.
So, do not rush into making Dosas on a cold pan.
8. Your pan is too hot.
Again, the same issue with the temperature of the surface.
When the pan turns too hot, it doesn’t allow you to spread the Dosa smoothly.
As you try to spread it on the surface, the bottom layer of the batter cooks faster during the process.
And eventually, it results in a sticky Dosa.
Therefore, it makes the job a bit more difficult, especially if you are not good at spreading the batter quickly.
9. Your pan is rough and/or uneven.
Are you using a rough or old pan?
Well, it could be a problem area for this issue.
When the pan becomes old, it starts to open up many tiny gaps and edges on the surfaces.
And when you pour batter on such surfaces, it’s likely to stick on the surface while spreading and cooking.
So, it’s not a good idea to use such a pan for Dosa making process.
6 Things To Do When Dosa Doesn’t Spread Well
The solutions to the above issues are quite self-explanatory.
And if you are someone who has some experience in making Dosas at home, I’m sure you’d be able to fix them without much assistance.
But if you are a beginner, do check out the tips shared below.
1. Grind the ingredients to a smooth paste.
Whenever you want to make Dosas, make sure you grind all ingredients into a fine paste.
There shouldn’t be any large particles in the batter.
But how do you ensure the right texture?
Well, you can take some batter in between your index finger and thumb.
Now, feel the texture.
If it isn’t smooth, grind it again till you get the desired results.
Note: For more consistent results, I’d suggest you get a stone grinder for this type of batter preparation.
It works great and gives you a perfectly fine quality of batter in the end.
2. Check the dosa batter consistency and fix it as needed.
The next step is to check the batter’s consistency.
You need to see whether it has turned out thick or thin.
If it’s too thick, you can add some water to it.
On the other hand, if it looks thin, you may add some Rice flour or Wheat flour to it.
Note: When you are using Wheat flour to fix the consistency, add it in a limited quantity.
It generally adds a distinctive taste to it, which may or may not be liked by everyone.
But Rice flour or Flattened Rice powder are great substitutes in this case, as they don’t offer any such taste to the batter.
Quick Tip: When you add one of these flours to the mixture, you may prepare a slurry in a separate bowl.
It will help in preventing any clots in your main Dosa batter.
3. Clean the pan before using it.
Well, I have explained this point in detail in the above section.
And there is nothing much to add to it.
If you want to make perfect Dosas, you will need to clean the pan each time.
Ideally, it should look like a clean slate.
For cleaning purposes, you may use a kitchen towel or coconut coir.
4. Heat the pan before pouring oil onto it.
Many times we forget to heat the pan while adding oil to it.
But that’s not the right way to prepare your pan for making Dosas on it.
The pan should always be hot enough to spread and cook the batter at optimum temperature.
If you pour the batter on a cool pan, the Dosa won’t spread perfectly.
And it may even stick to the bottom due to the uneven heat.
5. Grease the pan with Oil or Ghee or Butter.
The oil or other greasing ingredients help in a couple of ways.
When you smear it on the pan, it forms a thin layer on its surface.
This layer allows you to spread the batter without any obstructions on the pan.
In the later stage of cooking, it also helps in getting the crisp brown color to your Dosas.
So, there are dual benefits of using oil for this preparation.
6. Spread the batter in a spherical shape.
Yes, learn the technique!
If you are not good at spreading the batter, you will struggle to make perfectly thin and crisp Dosas at home.
For better understanding, I’d suggest you check out some of the Dosa-making videos on YouTube.
These videos will significantly help in improving your technique.
Also, do not stop while spreading the dosa batter.
If you stop in the middle of this process, the Dosa might break or may turn thick on the edges.
To avoid such mishaps, you should spread the batter in a continuous movement and speed.
If you want more detailed instructions on this topic, do check out the following section.
How To Spread The Dosa Batter Evenly
Here are the steps required to spread the batter –
- Firstly, mix the batter with the ladle and make sure it’s got a pouring consistency.
- Clean the pan and grease it with some oil.
- Now, take the batter in your ladle and pour it into the center of the pan. You may add more again if needed.
- Hold the ladle at around 10-15 degrees angle from the surface and spread the batter gently in a spherical shape.
- Drizzle some oil on top and cover it with a lid. Allow it to cook for a few minutes.
- Once the edges start leaving the surface, you can remove the Dosa from the pan.
And you’re done!
That was easy, right?
Well, now go ahead and practice this method at home.
Note: The angle of the ladle is more important in this case.
If you hold it at more than 15 degrees angle, it may put more pressure on the batter.
And ultimately, your Dosa batter won’t spread appropriately on the surface.
Quick Tip: You can also use a small Katori/bowl to spread it on the pan.
It gives a better angle and pressure while rotating your hand in a circular manner.
And oh, if you still find it difficult to spread the batter on the pan, you can use a crepe spreader at home.
It will make things a lot easier for you.
Alternatively, you can also use a spatula knife for this purpose.
FAQs
There are a couple of reasons why Dosas break on the pan.
The first reason is too thin or thick batter consistency.
And the second reason is the very high temperature of the pan.
If you can keep an eye on these two issues, I think your Dosas will come out nice and crisp.
Also, make sure you apply a bit of oil to the pan before adding the batter to it.
The best way to ensure your Dosa doesn’t stick to the pan is to grease the pan well before spreading the batter.
Apart from that, you can also think of fixing your Dosa batter consistency.
It really depends on the consistency of the batter as well as the type of Dosas you’re making.
If the batter is too thick, you can simply add some water to it.
And that should do the trick for you.
For the thin batter, you may need to add some Rice flour or Wheat flour to it.
You can also add more veggies like Onions and Tomatoes to such batter if you are preparing a mixed vegetable Rava Dosa or Uttapam.
Well, I have shared a detailed guide on preparing the perfect Dosa batter at home.
You can have a look at the guide here.
It cracks because there is too much water in your Dosa batter.
When there is an imbalance between Rice flour and water, you get to see the cracks in the middle of the Dosa.
Similarly, if the batter is too thick, you will probably see the same issue with your Dosa.
Note: It’s quite common to see cracks in this type of Dosa.
And if there aren’t too many cracks on it, you can simply double-fold the Dosa like Chapatis and serve as it is.
It depends on the type of ingredients you’re using in the batter.
Generally, the lentils help in getting the right color to the Dosas.
You can also add some Methi Seeds (Fenugreek Seeds) for a darker shade of golden brown color.
Apart from this, the final color also depends on how long you cook the Dosas on the pan.
If you take them out quickly, your Dosas might have a white-light brown surface.
But if you keep them a little longer on the pan, it will help in getting the golden brown color to it.
It will also make them crispier in this process.
Note: Don’t keep them on the flame for too long, as they may get burned easily.
Over To You
Now, I hope your Dosas spread like Butter on the pan!
Do let me know how they turn out when you make them next time.
And if you have any questions or feedback, you can share it with me in the comments section below.
I will definitely try and reply to your queries as and when possible.
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