Peanut Free Vegan Onion Rava Dosa
Crispy, lacy, and packed with the warm bite of green chili and ginger, this South Indian street-food classic is one of those dishes that looks impossibly impressive but comes together with pantry staples. The batter is built from semolina, rice flour, and a splash of all-purpose flour, whisked into a thin, almost ethereal pour that creates those signature golden holes entirely on its own — no spreading required. Finely chopped onion, cumin seeds, and fresh cilantro go straight into the mix, so every bite carries a little crunch and a lot of flavor. Because the whole recipe relies on simple grains, vegetables, and neutral oil, there's no need to scan labels or worry about hidden nut-based ingredients sneaking in. The technique is the magic here: a screaming-hot pan, a confident circular pour, and a couple of minutes of patience until the edges lift and turn deep, crackling gold. Serve it straight from the skillet with coconut chutney or sambar alongside, because rava dosa waits for no one — it's best eaten the moment it hits the plate.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the batter
- 1 cup fine semolina (rava / sooji)
- ½ cup rice flour
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups water, plus more as needed
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 green chilies, finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For cooking
- 3–4 tbsp neutral oil (such as canola or sunflower oil), for cooking
For serving
- coconut chutney, for serving (optional)
- sambar, for serving (optional)
Can be omittedsambar
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the semolina, rice flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and 2 1/2 cups water until smooth and lump-free. The batter should be very thin and pourable — thinner than pancake batter, closer to the consistency of heavy cream. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes so the semolina hydrates fully.
- 2
After resting, stir in the chopped onion, green chilies, ginger, cumin seeds, cilantro, and black pepper. If the batter has thickened as the semolina absorbs water, whisk in additional water, a few tablespoons at a time, until it returns to a thin, pourable consistency. The batter should flow freely off the ladle.
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