Dosa with Brown Rice

Dosa with brown rice is a healthy, easy-to-make soft, fluffy sponge dosa prepared using three ingredients. Brown rice dosa or pancakes can be served with South Indian chutney, traditional korma, or mixed vegetable stew.

About the recipe

Brown rice dosa is my variation of traditional Konkani-style surnali dosa. After trying surnali dosa, which is somewhat similar to Kerala-style appam or hotel style thengai, or coconut dosa, my readers asked for dosa recipes using brown rice, finger millet (ragi), and quinoa for weight loss and diabetics.

A few of them also asked if they could substitute regular rice with brown rice, and after trying it, I have shared my simple and easy recipe here. This dosa with brown rice is super soft and fluffy. Today I served it with hotel-style veg kurma. You can serve it with any Kerala or Mangalorean-style chicken curry, classic South Indian coconut chutney, shrimp or prawns curry, vegetable coconut stew, and more.

Benefits of this dosa

1. Brown rice is rich in antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals compared to regular white rice; they are nutritious alternatives.
2. The high fiber content in brown rice keeps you full and helps in weight loss management.
3. Brown rice has a lower glycemic index than white rice and is thus good for diabetes or for those who want to maintain blood sugar levels.
4. Brown rice is vegan and gluten-free.

South Indian homes, most of the time, have a bowl full of dosa batter in the refrigerator always so that you can make nutritious dishes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even a quick after-school snack. You can check my 2 in 1 idli dosa batter or multi purpose dosa batter recipe, which is loved by my readers.

Ingredients

Brown rice: variation to surnoli dosa, which is prepared using regular dosa rice. Brown rice gives dosa a nutty flavor, unique texture, and nutritional benefits.

Poha: Also called flattened rice flakes or beaten rice acts as fermenting agent in the dosa batter. It also makes your dosa light and fluffy.

Coconut: It adds sweetness and enhances the flavor. Also makes your dosa super soft. Since coconut is also a key ingredient here, you can call this thengai dosa or coconut dosa too.

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Step-by-step instructions

Making of brown rice dosa batter

• Wash brown rice in water 2 to 3 times. Soak the rice for 6 hours or even overnight and drain them.
• Wash the poha or beaten rice just before grinding the dosa batter.
• Now grind the drained rice, washed poha, and grated coconut by adding water to form a smooth batter in your mixie or blender.
• Transfer this to a big bowl and allow it to ferment for 6 to 8 hours or overnight at room temperature.
• Once the batter is fermented, add salt and mix well. 

Cook brown rice dosa or pancakes

• Heat the non-stick tava or skillet on medium heat. If you use cast iron tava, lightly grease it with oil.
• Once the tava is hot and on a medium flame, pour a laddle full of batter and allow it to spread by itself. These are thick, soft, and sponge dosas. Drizzle oil around the edges only if desired. You will notice that as the batter cooks, holes start appearing on the top surface. (the perfect sign that batter is fermented well)
• Cover it with a lid and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the dosa develops a light golden color at the bottom and the top is cooked (you should not see any wet batter). 
• Like traditional surnali dosas or appams, I have cooked these on one side only. But feel free to flip it and cook for another minute or two.
• Repeat the process for the remaining batter.
• Serve brown rice dosas with any type of South Indian chutney, mixed vegetable kurma, or simple tomato chutney.

Tips

• Once the batter is fermented overnight, you can keep it in the refrigerator and use it when required. Leftover batter can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 
• The dosa won't turn fluffy and spongy if you do not see the holes or if the batter is not fermented. Only in this case you can add a pinch of baking soda or fruit salt (eno) to the batter. 
• You can use dry or fresh grated coconut. Traditionally fresh grated coconut is used and gives the best results. I have used dry grated coconut flakes as fresh was unavailable today. 
• Because you are adding poha, dosa may turn black soon if cooked on high flame. So always cook this dosa on medium flame. 
• If the weather is cold, then grind the batter using warm water or preheat the oven to 150 degrees F, switch off the oven, and rest the batter overnight.
• As this is traditionally prepared as a thick dosa, do not spread the batter once you pour on a hot tava – as you would generally do with other dosas.
• I have cooked this dosa on both non-stick and cast iron tawa. If the batter is prepared as instructed, these dosas are very easy to handle. 
• If using thin poha, you may use up to 1 ¼ cup for this recipe. I switch between thin and thick, whatever is available in my pantry.  
• I have tried this dosa with long-grain brown rice from great value and whole grain. 
• Cooking dosas for more than ten years now, almost on a daily basis, I can tell you that the quality and the brand you use matter a lot for the end result.

Recipe FAQs

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Recipe card

Dosa with Brown Rice

Kushi

Dosa with brown rice is a healthy, easy-to-make soft, fluffy sponge dosa prepared using three ingredients. Brown rice dosa or pancakes can be served with South Indian chutney, traditional korma, or mixed vegetable stew.

5 from 6 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Fermentation and soak time 12 hours hrs

Total Time 12 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine South Indian

Servings 16 dosas

Calories 106 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  Dosa tawa or skillet

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 cups Brown rice
• ▢ ¾ cup Poha or Flattened rice flakes
• ▢ 1 cup Coconut (fresh, frozen or dried)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Salt, adjust to taste
• ▢ Oil for cooking dosa

Instructions

 

Making of brown rice dosa batter

• Wash brown rice in water 2 to 3 times. Soak the rice for 6 hours or even overnight and drain them.
  2 cups Brown rice
• Wash the poha or beaten rice just before grinding the dosa batter.
  ¾ cup Poha or Flattened rice flakes
• Now grind the drained rice, washed poha, and grated coconut by adding water to form a smooth batter in your mixie or blender.
  1 cup Coconut
• Transfer this to a big bowl and allow it to ferment for 6 to 8 hours or overnight at room temperature.
• Once the batter is fermented, add salt and mix well. 
  1 teaspoon Salt, adjust to taste

Cook brown rice dosa or pancakes

• Heat the non-stick tava or skillet on medium heat. If you are using a cast iron tava, then lightly grease it with oil.
  Oil for cooking dosa
• Once the tava is hot and on a medium flame, pour a laddle full of batter and allow it to spread by itself. These are thick, soft, and sponge dosas. Drizzle oil around the edges only if desired. You will notice that as the batter cooks, holes start appearing on the top surface. (the perfect sign that batter is fermented well)
• Cover it with a lid and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the dosa develops a light golden color at the bottom and the top is cooked (you should not see any wet batter). 
• Like traditional surnali dosas or appams, I have cooked these on one side only. But feel free to flip it and cook for another minute or two.
• Repeat the process for the remaining batter.
• Serve brown rice dosas with any type of South Indian chutney, mixed vegetable kurma, or simple tomato chutney.

Notes

• Once the batter is fermented overnight, you can keep it in the refrigerator and use it when required. Leftover batter can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 
• The dosa won't turn fluffy and spongy if you do not see the holes or if the batter is not fermented. Only in this case you can add a pinch of baking soda or fruit salt (eno) to the batter. 
• You can use dry or fresh grated coconut. Traditionally fresh grated coconut is used and gives the best results. I have used dry grated coconut flakes as fresh was unavailable today. 
• Because you are adding poha, dosa may turn black soon if cooked on high flame. So always cook this dosa on medium flame. 
• If the weather is cold, then grind the batter using warm water or preheat the oven to 150 degrees F, switch off the oven, and rest the batter overnight.
• As this is traditionally prepared as a thick dosa, do not spread the batter once you pour on a hot tava – as you would generally do with other dosas.
• I have cooked this dosa on both non-stick and cast iron tawa. If the batter is prepared as instructed, these dosas are very easy to handle. 
• If using thin poha you may use upto 1 ¼ cup for this recipe. I switch between thin and thick, whatever is available in my pantry.  
• I have tried this dosa with long-grain brown rice from great value and whole grain. 
• Cooking dosas for more than ten years now, almost on a daily basis, I can tell you that the quality and the brand you use matter a lot for the end result.

Nutrition

Calories: 106kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 2gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.3gSodium: 147mgPotassium: 82mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.3gVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 9mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

This brown rice surnali dosa was first published in April 2017. Updated with calorie and nutritional information.