Smita Salgaonkar's Dosas

** Begin 2-3 days ahead ** Wash rice and dals separately. Place each in separate bowl and cover generously with water. Add methi seeds to 1 of dals. Soak at least 6 hours or overnight. Drain rice and dals. Combine in blender or food processor and puree until fine, adding water as necessary to make thick, smooth paste. Add salt to taste. Place batter in large bowl, cover with foil and set in warm place such as sunny window to ferment until light and fluffy and slightly sour in aroma, about 10 hours. Refrigerate until ready to use.

** Must be made ahead up to this point ** Heat large nonstick skillet or nonstick griddle. Stir water into thick batter until it is consistency of thin crepe batter. Place large spoonful, about 1/2 cup, batter in pan. With back of ladle or offset spatula, immediately swirl until batter forms large, thin circle across surface of griddle. Add small amount batter to fill any holes. Drizzle about 1 teaspoon oil around edge of dosa. Cook without turning until dosa is light brown or starts to peel from sides. Fold over and serve plain, or place Potato Bhaji in strip down center, fold 1 side over filling, then other side and lift with large spatula onto plate. Accompany with Sambar and Coconut Chutney. Makes 24 dosas.

Each dosa, without Bhaji, Sambar or Chutney: 24 calories; 28 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 29 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 1.01 grams fiber.

Notes: "Notice that the batter for these dosas takes 2 to 3 days to prepare. You can begin soaking the dal and rice the morning before your dosa party, make the batter when you come home from work and let it sour overnight so it will be ready the next day. For best results on the first try, make sure the batter is fairly thin. If making only a few dosas, separate out the amount of batter needed, then thin with water. Keep remainder refrigerated."

This is part of an Indian Dosa Brunch, as described in Barbara Hansen's "Grab Your Dosa While It's Hot", Los Angeles Time