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Ragi Dosa is a South Indian crepe made with finger millet also known as red millet. These iron and fiber rich dosas are healthy and are made in South Indian homes. For the uninitiated, dosa is a traditional crepe made with rice and lentil batter. These ragi dosa are a variant of the traditional dosas but ragi is the main ingredient used here. In this post I share 3 ways to make ragi dosa – instant dosa using flour, using left over dosa batter and fermented dosa.
Ragi Dosa
Ragi is a staple in our parts of India and I have grown up eating ragi in many different forms. My mom would make ragi mudde, ragi malt, ladoos, dosas, idli, rotti, chapatti, halwa and many more using ragi. For every dish she had numerous ways and recipes to make.
Finger millet is considered a super grain due to its high nutritional profile, especially iron and calcium. It is believed that regular consumption of this whole grain is going to keep us healthy and strong. We were encouraged to consume this regularly at least in small quantities to boost our calcium and iron levels.
Ragi dosa is not a traditional dish and this grain was not even known to a lot of Indians few decades ago. Health awareness may have led to the invention of making finger millet dosa. There is no one way to make them. Here are my tried and tested ways.
3 Ways To Make
1. First one is the Instant dosa that can be made in minutes just by mixing up ragi flour with curd and water or buttermilk. This method is good if you are a small family of 2 to 3. It is similar to the Oats dosa.
2. Second one is to soak the whole grain ragi, blend it and then ferment it. This method has several health benefits as the ragi is soaked, ground and fermented. It is good if you are focusing into healthy whole grain diet or have elderly folks at home.
3. The third method is to just mix some ragi flour to the dosa batter. This one is good to make when you have people with different choices at home. Plain dosa VS Ragi dosas.
Whichever method you make, the dosas will taste good if you like the earthy flavor of this grain. Serve them with any chutney or sambar.
More Ragi Recipes here,
Ragi ladoo
Easy ragi rotti
Ragi idli
Chocolate ragi cake
I have shared the first 2 methods in the recipe card. Here is the Method 3.
How To Make Ragi Dosa with Dosa Batter
1. We will need fermented dosa batter. I used 1 cup batter. My dosa batter was made in the ratio of 1:3 (dal:rice). For more details you can check this post on Dosa batter.
2. Add 4 tbsp of ragi flour and little salt. You can also mix ragi flour and salt together with some water and then stir in with the dosa batter. My dosa batter was already runny so I added directly to the batter.
3. Mix them up together.
4. Pour water to bring to the consistency.
5. The batter must be of pouring consistency. To make crisp dosas make the batter slightly thick. For soft dosas make the batter slightly runny like mine. We feel the soft dosas taste better than the crisp ones.
6. Grease and heat a pan well as you do for normal dosa. Pour the batter in the center of the pan.
7. Spread batter to a thin dosa.
8. Drizzle some oil.
9. The edges of the ragi dosa will begin to leave the pan.
10. Flip it and cook.
Serve ragi dosa with chutney.
This is the picture of the instant ragi dosa (recipe 1).
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Recipe Card
Ragi Dosa Recipe
Ragi dosa in 3 simple ways. A south Indian breakfast that is wholesome, healthy and nutritious. These are made with finger millets as the main ingredient. Serve them with a chutney or sambar.
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For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Prep Time10 minutes minutes
Cook Time15 minutes minutes
Total Time25 minutes minutes
Servings2 people
AuthorSwasthi
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
Method 1
- 1 cup ragi flour (fine ground)
- ½ cup rice flour or wheat flour (¼ cup works if using fresh rice flour)
- ½ cup fine rava or semolina (optional)
- ¼ to ½ cup curd (optional)
- 1¼ to 1½ cup water (use as needed)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or as needed)
- 1 green chili (finely chopped)
optional tempering
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1 pinch mustard
- ½ teaspoon jeera
- ½ teaspoon ginger (grated or chopped)
- 1 tablespoon curry leaves (fine chopped or coriander leaves)
Method 2 – Ragi dosa
- ½ cup rice (any rice)
- ½ cup ragi (100 grams whole grain or ragi flour (¾ cup))
- ½ cup urad dal (or skinned black gram)
- ¼ teaspoon methi seeds (or fenugreek seeds or 2 tbsp poha)
- salt as needed
- 2 tablespoon oil (for drizzling)
Instructions
How to make Instant Ragi Dosa (method 1)
Add ragi flour, rice flour, rava (optional) salt and curd to a bowl.
Pour water as needed and make a thin batter of pouring consistency. Rest this aside for about 15 mins.
Chop coriander leaves, chilies & ginger very finely. Next add them along with coriander leaves to the batter.
Tempering – optional – Heat a small pan with oil. Pop mustard and cumin. Then add curry leaves and ginger. saute for 30 seconds. Pour this to the batter and stir.
Check the salt and water. Add more salt if needed. The batter must be runny and of pouring consistency. If needed add more water to bring it to consistency.
Grease a nonstick pan well. Wipe off the excess oil with a tissue. Mix the batter well before making each dosa.
When the tawa is hot enough then Pour the batter across the pan. Fill up the gaps if any. Do not spread the batter like normal dosa, the batter should be just poured.
Pour a tsp of oil. Allow to cook on a medium heat until the sides begin to get separated from the pan. Flip and cook on the other side as well. Trying to flip an undercooked dosa will break it.
Remove to a plate, grease well and repeat making the ragi dosa. Mix the batter once more before pouring.
Method 2 – How to Make Fermented Ragi Dosa
Rinse ragi and rice together and soak them for 8 hours. Later wash urad dal & methi seeds thoroughly and soak for at least 4 to 5 hours.
Drain them and rinse well. Blend the urad dal with water as needed until frothy and thick. Transfer this to a bowl.
To the same jar, add ragi (or ragi flour) and rice. Blend well with water to a slightly coarse medium batter (not too thick or too runny). Mix this well with little salt. You can avoid salt now and add after fermenting.
Ferment this batter for 6 to 8 hours depending on the climate. The batter must rise at least slightly.
Pour water and bring to a desired consistency. To make crisp dosas keep the batter slightly thick. For thin dosas make the batter slightly thin.
Grease the pan and heat up. The pan must turn hot enough.
Pour 1 ladle of ragi dosa batter and spread it as you like thick or thin. Drizzle some oil or ghee. When the sides leave the pan, flip it and cook on the other side.
Notes
You can also add 2 tbsps of very finely chopped onions to the instant ragi dosa batter.
The nutrition facts are for the Instant ragi dosa (method 1)
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
Nutrition Facts
Ragi Dosa Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 436Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Sodium 376mg16%
Potassium 164mg5%
Carbohydrates 80g27%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 12g24%
Vitamin A 560IU11%
Vitamin C 299.1mg363%
Calcium 108mg11%
Iron 3.2mg18%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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© Swasthi’s Recipes
Ragi Dosa Recipe first published in April 2014. Updated and republished in July 2022.
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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