Chana dosa are Indian style chickpea crepes which are not only protein packed and healthy but are also delicious. Dosa is a popular breakfast food from south Indian cuisine made with fermented lentils and rice batter. These chickpea crepes are a variation which my folks at home love a lot for their aroma and taste.
We eat them for breakfast or a weekend brunch along with some chutney and sometimes even eat plain with some masala chai.
These chana dosas are similar to the south India Adai and pesarattu which are made with green gram or mung beans.
Most times I just make a veggie filling and skip making the chutney. I have shared the recipe to make the stuffing as well.
The chana dosa batter can be used to make crispy thin dosa or uthappam and are absolutely tasty with wholesome goodness of ghee & vegetables too.
I have made these with white kabuli chana, the same ones we use for chana masala. But even black chana or even chana dal works good. If using chana dal or bengal gram you can reduce the soaking time to 3 to 4 hours.
Tips
1. I have used 1:1 ratio rice: chickpeas, I have made with all possible proportions and even with no rice too. But this proportion is the best in terms of health, taste and crispness too.
2. Minimum Soaking time is overnight. This helps to digest these better without being left bloated.
3. Add the required amount of water while grinding. Do not thin down the batter once you are done with the blending.
4. I have used mixed vegetables for stuffing, you can use any veggies of your choice.
5. Chana dosa cannot be made thin like the plain dosa but they will be crispy.
These chickpea crepes are best made immediately after blending the batter.
chana dosa recipe
Chana dosa (chickpea crepes)
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
- 1 cup rice regular raw rice
- 1 cup chickpeas or channa
- 1 inch ginger
- 2 Green chilies (optional)
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp oil or butter as needed
- Salt to make
Vegetables for stuffing
- 1 carrot shredded
- ½ cup onions chopped
- 2 green chilies
- Salt to taste
How to make the recipe
- Soak rice for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Soak chana for at least 8 hours.
- Grind all the ingredients with enough water except the vegetables and oil.
- Make a smooth batter of a medium consistency, do not make it runny as you cannot make them crisp. Too thick batter with result in very thick chana dosa and will be unable to spread the batter when you make them.
- Heat a pan with 1 tsp oil, add the vegetables and salt. Fry them on a high flame for 2 to 3 mins, till they are partially cooked to retain the crunchiness of veggies. Off the flame and set aside.
- Grease a non-stick flat pan / dosa tawa and heat it till smoky hot.
- Drizzle few drops of water, set the flame to medium, pour a ladle full or 1/3 cup of batter and spread the batter evenly with the base of the ladle to get a 7 “ dosa.
- Flip the dosa to the other side and toast it.
- Flip it back, let it toast till crisp.
- Add the vegetables, fold as desired.
- Proceed to make more chana dosa.
- Serve chana dosa hot with chutney or as it is.
NUTRITION (estimation only)
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
If you are new to cooking, follow my detailed step by step photo instructions for best results.
Step by step pictures
Priya says
Hi, what happen if I just grind chick pea and add with regular dosa batter in 1:1 ratio and make dosa, just out of curiosity.
swasthi says
Hi Priya
I haven’t tried. But I guess it works if the dosa batter is made with 1:3 ratio (dal:rice) or above. Thanks for reading.
🙂
kk says
Hi – Would be able to tell me how to do this without rice, but still get it like dosa – doesnt have to be crisp.
I tried with black chick peas and little poha, and it couldn’t even flip it, it became stuck to non stick, uncooked and mushy.
swasthi says
Hi,
KK. I guess only chana works. You couldn’t flip it because of poha. Poha is used to make the dosa soft and porous. It has to be used with some grain always like rice, millet etc. Try making dosa only with chana i am sure it will work
annas says
hy and thanks for the recipe. do I understand right that it’s made of raw rice and raw chickpeas, that have just be soked? Can I use brown rice?
swasthi says
Hi Annas
welcome. Yes it is made of rice and chickpeas. Raw rice or parboiled rice can be used. Not sure if it works with brown rice. If you are making this for a diabetic, you can also use parboiled rice – low carbs. Hope this helps
DK says
Made this recipe recently, and everyone is clamouring for more! Thank you for this innovative, healthy, delicious recipe.
swasthi says
Welcome DK.
i am glad you all liked it. Thank you
Amina Khaleel says
healthy and delicious recipe… looks fantastic..
Swathi Iyer says
Healthy and perfect crispy dosa. Love it.
sara's TASTY BUDS says
HI SWASTHI , I AM SHARING AN AWARD WITH YOU . RECIEVE IT.
sharanya says
healthy dosa swasthi
kitchen queen says
very innovative and crispy dosas.
Vimitha Anand says
Crispy and healthy pancakes dear…
Az says
wow.. i love these variations for Dosas.. I will be posting your moong dal dosa next… absolutely love it!!
Sanoli Ghosh says
Wonderful presentation Swasthi. Fabulous dosa dear.<br />
Priya Satheesh says
Very healthy pancake…Heard abt this but never tried….
PT says
perfectly made.. neat presentation..