Wash and soak rice for 2 to 4 hours or even overnight is better. The longer you soak the rice, softer the dosas will turn out.

Now drain all the water and grind the rice along with grated coconut and salt into a very smooth paste adding water little by little.

The batter must be very smooth to get perfect dosas. Smoother the batter, the better dosas you can make, or else the dosas tend to break.

Transfer the batter into a vessel. Add one cup of water and mix well. Check and adjust salt.

The consistency of the batter should be watery. It should be slightly thicker than milk. If the batter is thick you’ll have thick dosas instead of paper like thin dosas.

Heat up a non-stick pan on high heat. If you are using an iron skillet, then grease it will oil every time you make dosas. You can rub the pan with piece of onion (cut the onion and use one half). You can use the same onion to rub every time before making the dosa.

If using a non-stick pan then you need not grease your pan. I always use a non-stick pan.

Sprinkle few drops of cold water on the hot pan, if the water sizzles then the pan is hot enough.

Once the pan is rolling hot, lower the heat, splash the batter using a ladle onto the frying pan. Hold the handle of the pan, start swirling the pan so that the batter spreads evenly through out the pan. It is very important to mix the batter well each time you make dosa.

Place a lid over the pan and cook them on medium to high heat for approximately 30 seconds.

Remove the lid and check if the dosa is cooked all around. If not let the dosa cook completely without the lid on for some more time.

There is no need to flip the dosa to cook it on the other side. You do not add oil onto the dosas when they are frying on the pan unlike we do for other dosas.

Once the dosa is completely cooked, you will know it from the change in colour of the dosa. The dosa changes from pure white to off white completely.

Once the whole dosa changes in colour, slide a flat spatula from the sides of the pan and work your way throughout under the dosa.

If you are using a non-stick pan, once your dosa is completely cooked it starts to come off the pan on the sides of the frying pan. That's an indication to remove the dosa if its cooked completely all around.

Fold the dosa in half on the frying pan and again fold it into half like a handkerchief to form a triangle. Then remove the dosa off the frying pan.

Do not stack the dosas when hot, they will stick to each other.

Serve the dosas hot with sides of your choice.