Here are the main ingredients needed:

Rice

Rice is used as the main ingredient to make tosai dough. Rice is usually soaked for several hours before being pounded or ground to a fine powder.

Ulundu Beans (Urad Dal)

Ulundu beans are a type of small legume that is rich in protein. These beans are also soaked and ground together with rice to give tosai a soft texture and special taste.

Water

Water is needed to grind rice and ulundu beans into a fine paste. It is also important to melt the mixture to a consistency suitable for making pancakes.

Salt

Salt is added to the mixture to give it flavor. It is added after the fermentation process to balance the taste.

Oil or Ghee

Oil or ghee (Indian butter) is used to grease the pan before pouring the tosai mixture. This helps prevent the tosai from sticking and provides a crisp and tasty surface.

Fenugreek (Optional)

Some recipes use fenugreek (fennel) to add flavor and aid in the fermentation process of the mixture.

Here are the steps to prepare tosai traditionally:

1. Preparation of Main Materials

Soak rice and ulundu beans (urad dal):

Soak rice and ulundu beans separately for 4 to 6 hours. This helps to soften both ingredients for easy grinding.

Grind:

Grind the soaked rice until smooth. Then, grind the ulundu nuts separately until it becomes a soft and creamy paste.

Mix the mixture:

Combine the rice and ulundu bean mixture, adding a little water to get a smooth and fine texture. The mixture should be runny enough to pour over the pan, but not so runny that it becomes too thin.

2. Fermentation Process

Fermentation of the dough:

Let the mixed mixture ferment for 6 to 8 hours (or overnight) in a warm place. This fermentation process will make the tosai dough more hollow, soft, and give it a special sour taste.

3. Preparing the Pan

Heat a flat pan (griddle or tawa):

Heat a non-stick pan or flat iron over medium heat. The pan needs to be well heated to ensure that the tosai is cooked evenly.

Apply oil or ghee:

Apply a little oil or ghee on the surface of the pan to prevent the mixture from sticking and produce crispy tosai.

4. Prepare Tosai

Pour the mixture:

Take a spoonful of the fermented mixture and pour it into the middle of the pan. Use the back of a ladle to spread the batter in a circular motion, starting from the center to the outside of the pan to form a thin pancake.

Cook tosai:

Let the tosai cook on the pan for 2 to 3 minutes until the top looks dry and the bottom is golden brown.

Apply some oil or ghee:

If you like, spread a little oil or ghee on the tosai while it's cooking to add more flavor and a crisper texture.

Flip the tosai (if necessary):

Tosai is usually cooked on the bottom side only, but if desired, can be turned over and cooked on both sides.

5. Serve Tosai

Fast food:

Once the tosai is golden and crisp, remove from the pan and serve immediately.

Complementary dishes:

Tosai is usually served with various sauces such as coconut chutney, dhal curry, stir-fried sambal, and various other chutneys such as mint chutney or tomato chutney.

This process can be repeated for each tosai to be prepared, and variations such as tosai masala (which is filled with spicy potatoes) can also be prepared based on needs and tastes.