Masala Dosa
Crispy, golden masala dosa with a spiced potato filling. It's a classic for good reason, perfect for a weekend breakfast or easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw rice
- 0.75 cup urad dal (split black lentils without skin)
- 0.25 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- Water as needed for grinding and batter
- 4 medium potatoes
- 1 large onion
- 2 green chilies
- 1 tablespoon ginger, finely chopped
- 8 curry leaves
- 0.5 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 0.25 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter or ghee for cooking dosas
Instructions
- To prepare the dosa batter: Wash 2 cups raw rice and 0.75 cup urad dal separately under running water until the water runs clear. Soak the rice in ample water for at least 6 hours or overnight. Soak the urad dal and 0.25 teaspoon fenugreek seeds together in a separate bowl with ample water for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Drain the soaked urad dal and fenugreek seeds. Grind them in a wet grinder or blender with minimal water to a very smooth and fluffy batter. The batter should be light and airy.
- Drain the soaked rice. Grind the rice in a wet grinder or blender with minimal water to a smooth batter. It should be slightly coarser than the dal batter, but still very smooth.
- Combine both the ground rice batter and urad dal batter in a large bowl. Add 0.5 teaspoon salt and mix well with your hands. Mixing by hand helps with fermentation. Cover the bowl and let it ferment in a warm place for 8-12 hours, or until it has doubled in volume and has a slightly sour aroma. The fermentation time will vary based on room temperature.
- To prepare the potato masala: Wash 4 medium potatoes well. Boil the potatoes in a pot of water until they are tender when pierced with a fork, approximately 15-20 minutes. Drain the water, let them cool slightly, then peel and lightly mash them.
- Peel and finely slice 1 large onion. Finely chop 2 green chilies and 1 tablespoon ginger.
- Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large pan or kadai over medium heat. Add 0.5 teaspoon mustard seeds and let them splutter.
- Add 8 curry leaves, the finely chopped 1 large onion, 2 green chilies, and 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger to the pan. Sauté until the onions are translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add 0.25 teaspoon turmeric powder and 0.5 teaspoon salt to the pan. Mix well and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the lightly mashed 4 medium potatoes to the pan. Mix thoroughly with the onion mixture, ensuring all ingredients are well combined. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves. Remove the potato masala from heat and set aside.
- To make the dosas: Once the batter is well fermented, gently stir it. If the batter is too thick, add a little water, a tablespoon at a time, to achieve a pouring consistency similar to pancake batter.
- Heat a non-stick tawa or flat griddle over medium-high heat. To test if it's hot enough, sprinkle a few drops of water; they should sizzle and evaporate immediately. Lightly grease the tawa with a few drops of oil using a paper towel.
- Pour approximately 0.5 cup of dosa batter onto the center of the hot tawa. Quickly spread the batter outwards in a circular motion with the back of a ladle to form a thin, even crepe.
- Drizzle 0.5 teaspoon butter or ghee around the edges and over the surface of the dosa. Cook until the underside turns golden brown and crispy, and the edges start to lift, about 2-3 minutes.
- Place 0.5 cup of the prepared potato masala filling in the center of the cooked dosa. Gently fold the dosa in half or roll it up.
- Serve the Masala Dosa immediately with coconut chutney and sambar. Repeat the process with the remaining batter and filling.