Neer Dosa Neer Dose Soft Rice Crepes

What is Neer Dosa

Neer dosa are is a popular dosa variant from the Indian state of Karnataka. “Neer” means “water” in the Tulu language, meaning this dish is literally known as “water dosa.” They are so named because the batter is quite thin and watery, unlike the usual thick dosa batter. One of my aunts – who is from the Bunt community in Mangalore – introduced me to this lovely breakfast specialty. I make them often because they are easy to prepare and don’t require any fermentation (or much forethought). These lacy dosa pair well with coconut chutney for a delicious breakfast, or can be added to your tiffin box for a nice addition to your packed lunch. Since they are so light, you can easily devour 5 to 6 of them in one sitting, so make sure you plan accordingly when making the batter. Neer dosa are easy to prepare as fermentation is not required. You just need to soak the rice for about 4 to 5 hours and then grind it. If you want to eat the neer dosa first thing, you have to soak the rice overnight. If you’re in a real rush, you can also swap in rice flour to cut back on soaking time. Rice flour requires just a 30 minute soak in water prior to making the batter. I sometimes use this tip when we wake up extra hungry and have cravings for neer dosa. Once the batter is ready, you can start making the crepes and eat them hot from the pan. Apart from coconut chutney, neer dosa can also be served with Veg Sagu, Vegetable Kurma or Potato Kurma. For kids, it is commonplace to serve this dosa with coconut milk or milk sweetened with some jaggery.

Tips & Tricks for Best Neer Dosa

These simple, lacy rice crepes are rather easy to make. That said, I have assembled a list of my best advice for ensuring they come out perfectly every time.

A Thin Batter is the key to get perfect neer dose

The batter consistency should be watery, thin and flowing. The batter should not be thick. If the batter has a pouring consistency, then you will get the coveted tiny holes and lacy appearance of neer dose. If you cannot easily pour the batter, then you’ll need to add some more water to thin it down. Thick batter will cause cracks in the neer dosa; be sure to have a pourable, thin consistency. If the batter becomes too thin, then the dosas will fall flat and break while lifting. In this case, add some rice flour to slightly thicken the batter.

Cooking these soft crepes in the best way

Much like pancakes, you need to heat the skillet or tawa very well before you pour the batter. Before making each neer dose, stir the batter very well with the ladle as it tends to settle over time. The tawa or skillet should be well-seasoned if you are using a cast iron one. You could also opt to use non-stick pan. If the cast iron skillet is not properly seasoned, the batter or the dosa will stick to the pan.

Variations

The addition of coconut is optional, but adds a lovely flavor and texture. Add about 2 to 3 tablespoons of fresh grated coconut while grinding the batter. You can also consider adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of unsweetened desiccated coconut. We make neer dose with either of the Indian varieties of rice like sona masuri, surti kolam, ponni or parmal rice. Basmati rice will also work.

How to Make Neer Dosa

Make Rice Batter

1. Soak 1 cup rice for 4 to 5 hours or overnight, using enough water to cover it. I generally soak overnight and then grind or blend the next day.
2. Drain the soaked rice and add the grains to a powerful blender or mixer-grinder.
3. Add just enough of water for grinding the rice – about ¼ to ⅓ cup. If you add plenty of water, you won’t be able to grind the rice well.
4. Grind or blend to a smooth batter and then pour it in another bowl or pan. The batter should not have any coarse particles of rice. If the mixer-grinder becomes hot, then wait for a few minutes for it to cool down and then grind again.
5. Add more water to get a thin, flowing, watery consistency almost like that of milk. The addition of water depends on the quality and kind of rice; add water accordingly. Now you can add from 1.5 to 2 cups of water. I added 2 cups of water for 1 cup of rice.
6. Add salt as required and mix well.

Cook Neer Dose

7. In a cast iron skillet or tawa or a nonstick pan, drizzle ½ teaspoon of oil with a high smoke point. TIP: If using a cast iron skillet, sprinkle some water to check the temperature of the pan before adding the oil. If the water droplets sizzle and evaporate, then the pan is ready to make dosas. Avoid using this method on a nonstick pan as adding water on a hot nonstick pan will affect the coating.
8. Spread the oil all over with a spoon, a small piece of cotton kitchen towel or a halved onion.
9. Stir the batter in the bowl and take a ladle full of batter.
10. Then pour the batter moving from the outside of the pan to the inside, like we do for Rava dosa. You can also spread the batter by tilting and rotating the pan. Do not spread the batter with the back of the ladle like we do for regular dosa.
11. Fill in any large gaps with extra batter.
12. Cover with a lid and cook the neer dosa until cooked through. Don’t brown it.
13. In the photo below, the neer dosa is done. When the the batter has firmed up and looks cooked, the dosa is done. The edges or sides will also separate from the pan. These rice crepes are never flipped. Only the base has to be cooked well. You can choose to drizzle some oil on the top of the neer dosa if you prefer. 14.Fold the completed neer dosa into a triangle on the tawa or skillet itself.
14. Then remove the dosa and place it on a plate. Make the remaining neer dosa this way and place them separately – without them touching each other – on a plate. Once they cool down, you can keep them in a casserole or an airtight container/dabba. 16. Serve neer dosa warm with coconut chutney, potato sagu, or veg kurma. Neer dosa will remain soft even after they cool down, so you can serve them later, too. Since they remain soft, they are a good option to pack in tiffin-box or lunch-box.

Storage

Once the dosas are done cooking, don’t stack them while they are still hot as they will stick to each other. Stack them up only when they are thoroughly cooled. Or you can choose to place them between parchment papers. You may ask “Can we keep neer dosa batter in fridge?”. My answer is yes, you can. It stays good for a 1 to 2 days. Store it in an air-tight container. I would not recommend storing it for more than 2 days as the batter can go sour or become rancid. If in case the batter has thickened a bit after refrigeration, then add a splash of water to thin the consistency slightly. If you still have a craving for dosas, I don’t blame you! Here are other varieties of this delightful Indian treat. Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. Oats Dosa (Crispy Oats Crepes) Masala Dosa Recipe (Mastering The Perfect Batter & Filling) Ragi Dosa Recipe | Nachni Dosa Set Dosa | Soft Sponge Dosa Recipe This Neer Dosa from the archives first published in April 2015 has been republished and updated on 14 October 2021.

title: “Neer Dosa Neer Dose Soft Rice Crepes " ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-08” author: “Chad Wehunt”

What is Neer Dosa

Neer dosa are is a popular dosa variant from the Indian state of Karnataka. “Neer” means “water” in the Tulu language, meaning this dish is literally known as “water dosa.” They are so named because the batter is quite thin and watery, unlike the usual thick dosa batter. One of my aunts – who is from the Bunt community in Mangalore – introduced me to this lovely breakfast specialty. I make them often because they are easy to prepare and don’t require any fermentation (or much forethought). These lacy dosa pair well with coconut chutney for a delicious breakfast, or can be added to your tiffin box for a nice addition to your packed lunch. Since they are so light, you can easily devour 5 to 6 of them in one sitting, so make sure you plan accordingly when making the batter. Neer dosa are easy to prepare as fermentation is not required. You just need to soak the rice for about 4 to 5 hours and then grind it. If you want to eat the neer dosa first thing, you have to soak the rice overnight. If you’re in a real rush, you can also swap in rice flour to cut back on soaking time. Rice flour requires just a 30 minute soak in water prior to making the batter. I sometimes use this tip when we wake up extra hungry and have cravings for neer dosa. Once the batter is ready, you can start making the crepes and eat them hot from the pan. Apart from coconut chutney, neer dosa can also be served with Veg Sagu, Vegetable Kurma or Potato Kurma. For kids, it is commonplace to serve this dosa with coconut milk or milk sweetened with some jaggery.

Tips & Tricks for Best Neer Dosa

These simple, lacy rice crepes are rather easy to make. That said, I have assembled a list of my best advice for ensuring they come out perfectly every time.

A Thin Batter is the key to get perfect neer dose

The batter consistency should be watery, thin and flowing. The batter should not be thick. If the batter has a pouring consistency, then you will get the coveted tiny holes and lacy appearance of neer dose. If you cannot easily pour the batter, then you’ll need to add some more water to thin it down. Thick batter will cause cracks in the neer dosa; be sure to have a pourable, thin consistency. If the batter becomes too thin, then the dosas will fall flat and break while lifting. In this case, add some rice flour to slightly thicken the batter.

Cooking these soft crepes in the best way

Much like pancakes, you need to heat the skillet or tawa very well before you pour the batter. Before making each neer dose, stir the batter very well with the ladle as it tends to settle over time. The tawa or skillet should be well-seasoned if you are using a cast iron one. You could also opt to use non-stick pan. If the cast iron skillet is not properly seasoned, the batter or the dosa will stick to the pan.

Variations

The addition of coconut is optional, but adds a lovely flavor and texture. Add about 2 to 3 tablespoons of fresh grated coconut while grinding the batter. You can also consider adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of unsweetened desiccated coconut. We make neer dose with either of the Indian varieties of rice like sona masuri, surti kolam, ponni or parmal rice. Basmati rice will also work.

How to Make Neer Dosa

Make Rice Batter

1. Soak 1 cup rice for 4 to 5 hours or overnight, using enough water to cover it. I generally soak overnight and then grind or blend the next day.
2. Drain the soaked rice and add the grains to a powerful blender or mixer-grinder.
3. Add just enough of water for grinding the rice – about ¼ to ⅓ cup. If you add plenty of water, you won’t be able to grind the rice well.
4. Grind or blend to a smooth batter and then pour it in another bowl or pan. The batter should not have any coarse particles of rice. If the mixer-grinder becomes hot, then wait for a few minutes for it to cool down and then grind again.
5. Add more water to get a thin, flowing, watery consistency almost like that of milk. The addition of water depends on the quality and kind of rice; add water accordingly. Now you can add from 1.5 to 2 cups of water. I added 2 cups of water for 1 cup of rice.
6. Add salt as required and mix well.

Cook Neer Dose

7. In a cast iron skillet or tawa or a nonstick pan, drizzle ½ teaspoon of oil with a high smoke point. TIP: If using a cast iron skillet, sprinkle some water to check the temperature of the pan before adding the oil. If the water droplets sizzle and evaporate, then the pan is ready to make dosas. Avoid using this method on a nonstick pan as adding water on a hot nonstick pan will affect the coating.
8. Spread the oil all over with a spoon, a small piece of cotton kitchen towel or a halved onion.
9. Stir the batter in the bowl and take a ladle full of batter.
10. Then pour the batter moving from the outside of the pan to the inside, like we do for Rava dosa. You can also spread the batter by tilting and rotating the pan. Do not spread the batter with the back of the ladle like we do for regular dosa.
11. Fill in any large gaps with extra batter.
12. Cover with a lid and cook the neer dosa until cooked through. Don’t brown it.
13. In the photo below, the neer dosa is done. When the the batter has firmed up and looks cooked, the dosa is done. The edges or sides will also separate from the pan. These rice crepes are never flipped. Only the base has to be cooked well. You can choose to drizzle some oil on the top of the neer dosa if you prefer. 14.Fold the completed neer dosa into a triangle on the tawa or skillet itself.
14. Then remove the dosa and place it on a plate. Make the remaining neer dosa this way and place them separately – without them touching each other – on a plate. Once they cool down, you can keep them in a casserole or an airtight container/dabba. 16. Serve neer dosa warm with coconut chutney, potato sagu, or veg kurma. Neer dosa will remain soft even after they cool down, so you can serve them later, too. Since they remain soft, they are a good option to pack in tiffin-box or lunch-box.

Storage

Once the dosas are done cooking, don’t stack them while they are still hot as they will stick to each other. Stack them up only when they are thoroughly cooled. Or you can choose to place them between parchment papers. You may ask “Can we keep neer dosa batter in fridge?”. My answer is yes, you can. It stays good for a 1 to 2 days. Store it in an air-tight container. I would not recommend storing it for more than 2 days as the batter can go sour or become rancid. If in case the batter has thickened a bit after refrigeration, then add a splash of water to thin the consistency slightly. If you still have a craving for dosas, I don’t blame you! Here are other varieties of this delightful Indian treat. Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. Oats Dosa (Crispy Oats Crepes) Masala Dosa Recipe (Mastering The Perfect Batter & Filling) Ragi Dosa Recipe | Nachni Dosa Set Dosa | Soft Sponge Dosa Recipe This Neer Dosa from the archives first published in April 2015 has been republished and updated on 14 October 2021.