Ragi dosa with tomato chutney

Method

1. Ahead (Saturday morning; skip the batter steps if this week's batter is already in the fridge): rinse 200 g idli rice in a sieve 3 times, until the water runs almost clear. Soak it in a bowl with plenty of water. In a second bowl, rinse 50 g urad dal with ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds and soak them too. Leave both on the bench for 5–6 hours.
2. Ahead: drain the urad dal and fenugreek. Grind them in the large mixer jar with 100 ml cold water, in 30-second bursts, for 3–4 minutes in total. Stop when it is smooth, pale and fluffy, like whipped cream. Scrape it into a large mixing bowl.
3. Ahead: drain the rice and grind it in the same jar with 180 ml (about ¾ cup) cold water, in 30-second bursts, for 4–5 minutes. Stop when a drop rubbed between your fingers feels like fine semolina. Pour it into the dal, add most of the 1¾ tsp salt (keep a pinch for the chutney) and mix with a clean hand for 1 minute. It should be thick but pourable, like pancake batter. Add a splash more water only if it is stiff.
4. Ahead (overnight): check the bowl is no more than half full, as the batter rises. Cover loosely and leave it in a warm spot for 8–12 hours. In an Australian winter, put it in the oven with only the light on (oven off). It is ready when it has risen, looks bubbly and smells pleasantly sour.
5. Ahead: stir the risen batter gently, spoon it into jars and put them straight in the fridge. It keeps 5 days. From now on, keep the batter in the fridge between uses.
6. Morning, first job: in a bowl, whisk 100 g ragi flour with 160 ml (about ¾ cup) water until smooth, then stir in the week's batter. Rest 10 minutes. It should be thinner than plain dosa batter, like pouring cream.
7. Chutney (or make it the night before; it keeps 3 days): chop 80 g (~½ medium) onion and 240 g (~2 medium) tomato and peel 2 cloves garlic. Heat a third of the 1½ tbsp oil in the frying pan on medium heat for 1 minute. Add 2 dried chilli, onion and garlic and cook 3 minutes until the onion softens.
8. Add the tomato and the pinch of salt and cook 4–5 minutes, stirring, until it is soft and mushy. Cool 2 minutes, then blend in the small mixer jar for 20 seconds until smooth.
9. Heat the tawa on medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes, until a few drops of water sizzle and vanish in 2–3 seconds. Wipe it with a few drops of oil on a paper towel.
10. Pour one ladle of ragi batter in the centre and spread it quickly in a spiral, thin. Drizzle a few drops of oil around the edge.
11. Cook on medium heat for 2 minutes, until the edges are crisp and lift away. Ragi dosa stays dark, so go by the edges, not the colour. Flip for 30 seconds and serve hot with the chutney.

Tips

• For a toddler, give the dosa with a little ghee or mashed banana instead of the chilli chutney.

Make it easier

• Weekend: Soak and grind idli/dosa batter (Saturday). Soak rice and dal separately for 5–6 h, grind, mix with salt, ferment overnight.
• The night before: Make tomato chutney tonight (keeps 3 days).

Keeping and freezing

• Fridge: keeps 1 day in a lidded box. Cool it within an hour of cooking.
• Freezer: does not freeze well; eat within the fridge time.

Good to know

• Toddlers: take their portion out before adding chilli or pepper.