Millet Dosa (Kambu Dosa)
Updated: August 2, 2022, By Swasthi
Millet Dosa also known as Kambu Dosai in South India are delicious thin crepes made with pearl millet. These tiny millets are known as Bajra in Hindi, Kambu in Tamil and Sajjalu in Telugu. Millet Dosas are made with whole grains and are healthy, good in taste and texture. These make a very nutritious Breakfast with good amount of protein, carbs, minerals and iron. This is one of the very old recipes that I have been using. This recipe uses whole bajra, Urad dal and rice as the main ingredients. I had a few requests for bajra recipes, so thought of sharing my tried and tested recipe.
I have been trying to reduce the usage of ready or store bought flours as we don’t know the quality of flour. Instead I use the whole grains where ever possible, so I have not tried this recipe with bajra flour.
These kambu dosai or bajra dosa turns out crispy but soft dosas can also be made with the same recipe by adding more water to the batter. This recipe uses urad dal, rice and kambu /bajra in equal quantities. You can replace rice with kambu/ bajra but too much of millet consumption and avoiding rice totally is also not good. So these dosas have a balanced nutrition of protein, carbs, minerals and iron. These are good for all age groups including toddlers.
Photo Guide
How to Make Millet Dosa
1. Wash urad dal until water runs clear. Soak it in enough water for 4 hours. Wash rice and kambu/ bajra together in a large pot. Soak them in enough water for 4 hours. You can also soak bajra for longer if you prefer.
2. Drain the water from both the pots. Add urad dal to a blender jar along with some water. Do not add too much water as it makes the batter too thin.
3. Blend it until smooth and bubbly.
4. Add bajra and rice to the same jar and pour some more water. If your blender jar is small, first transfer the urad dal batter to a pot, then add the rice and bajra. Do not add too much water.
5. Blend until the batter is smooth. The batter must be of the dosa batter consistency. Very thin or runny batter will not ferment well.
6. Transfer this to a large bowl for fermentation. Cover and set aside in a warm place for 4 to 8 hours. Depending on the indoor temperature & climate the timing may vary.
7. It usually takes about 16 hours for the batter to rise in my home. Do not let the batter over ferment as it turns sour. These dosas turn slightly hard without fermentation but even little fermentation yields very good dosa. So allow the batter to rise at least a bit.
8. Add salt and water as needed. Bring it to a pouring consistency. If you prefer to set some batter in the fridge, then you can put it in without adding salt and water.
9. Heat a tawa or griddle until hot. If using cast iron pan, sprinkle some oil and grease it well with a kitchen tissue or piece of onion. Wipe off the excess oil. When the pan is hot, pour a ladle full of batter in the center.
10. Spread it to a dosa. You can make thick or thin dosas to your liking.
11. Sprinkle some oil and allow to cook until the edges begin to leave the pan.
12. Flip and cook on the other side for 1 minute. Flip back and cook until crisp.
Serve millet dosas hot with your favorite chutney.
You may like to check these Dosa recipes and Chutney recipes.
Related Recipes
Recipe Card
Millet Dosa (Kambu Dosa)
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- ½ cup pearl millets (bajra / kambu/ sajjalu or substitute with ¾ cup bajra flour)
- ½ cup urad dal
- ½ cup rice or pearl millet (parboiled short grain like ponni, masuri or idly rice)
- ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- Water as needed
- 3 to 4 tablespoons Oil or ghee as needed
Instructions
How to make Millet Dosa
- Add rice and millets/ bajra to a large pot and wash them well at least thrice.
- Add water and soak them for at least 4 hours.
- Add urad dal to another pot. Wash it well and soak for 4 hours.
- Drain the water from both the pots.
- Add dal to a blender jar along with water just enough to blend. I used about 3/4 to 1 cup.
- Blend it till smooth and frothy. Transfer it to a large bowl.
- Add rice and kambu/ bajra to the same jar along with little water. Blend it well until smooth.
- Mix together the batter. If you live in a cold place you can add non iodized salt at this stage. Cover the bowl.
- Ferment it in a warm place for 6 to 8 hours or as needed.
- After fermentation the batter rises well and turns light. Add salt if you have not added before fermenting. Add little water to bring it to a consistency. The consistency must be neither too thick nor too thin (runny). It must be of spreading consistency. Mix well.
- Grease and heat a dosa tawa/ griddle.
- When it is hot enough, pour 1 laddle of batter to the center of the tawa. Begin to spread from the center and make a thick or thin dosa as per your preference.
- Drizzle some oil around the edges. Cook until the edges leave the pan.
- Flip and cook on the other side. Flip back and cook until crisp.
- Serve millet dosai hot with any chutney.
Video
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
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About Swasthi
I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me
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Comments
If I’m using bajra flour, can I just add to rice and dal batter
Yes, you can. Either add it to the blender with little water and blend to mix with the dal batter. Or mix the flour with little water in a bowl and then mix it with the rice dal batter.
I tried your Kambu dosa recipe. Along with urad dhaal, I added little fenugreek seeds. Came out so good..
Glad to know Vidhya
Can I replace kambu flour with kambu grain? If yes, then how do I do it. What is the ratio of kambu flour I have to take.
Hi Swathi,
Yes you can use about 3/4 cup flour about 100 grams
Hi Swasti,
As we don’t get bajra in whole grain in US, can I use bajra flour?
Thank you
Welcome Pushpa
This recipe may work with flour. But I haven’t tried it. I will try and update this post soon.
I just tried your kambu dosa recipe .. it came out so well .. thank u
Hi Srujana
Glad you liked the kambu dosas. Thank you!