Masala Dosa Recipe

Method41 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Set the batter rice and poha in separate bowls, and the urad dal (½ cup), batter 1 tbsp chana dal and twenty fenugreek seeds (20) together in a third bowl. Keep the optional filling chana dal separate.

   Uses 330 g idli/parboiled rice (source 1½ cups) · ½ cup urad dal (- 125 grams, husked whole or split black gram) · 35 g thick poha (flattened rice; source card ¼ cup) · 1 tablespoon chana dal (- husked and split bengal gram) · 20 fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)

2. 2

   Step 2: Rinse the urad dal, chana dal and fenugreek seeds a couple of times. Then soak them in 1 cup water for 4 to 5 hours.

   Lentil and fenugreek soak · 300 minUses batter urad dal, one-tablespoon chana dal and fenugreek seeds · Water for rinsing rice, poha, lentils and potatoes (quantity unspecified, drained) · 1 cup water (for soaking urad dal)

3. 3

   Step 3: Rinse the rice a couple of times and keep aside.

   Uses batter rice · Water for rinsing rice, poha, lentils and potatoes (quantity unspecified, drained)

4. 4

   Step 4: Rinse flattened rice once or twice and then add to the rice.

   Uses separate batter poha · rinsed batter rice · Water for rinsing rice, poha, lentils and potatoes (quantity unspecified, drained)

5. 5

   Step 5: Pour 2 cups water. Stir and soak both rice and flattened rice together for 4 to 5 hours.

   Rice and poha soak, parallel with lentils · 300 minUses rinsed rice and poha · 2 cups water (for soaking rice)

6. 6

   Step 6: Drain the soaked batter lentils and fenugreek. This route uses the source’s fresh-water grinding option, so discard their soaking water.

   Uses soaked batter lentils and fenugreek

7. 7

   Step 7: Put the drained lentils and fenugreek in the grinder and add the separate ½ cup fresh lentil-grinding water.

   Uses drained soaked batter lentils and fenugreek · ½ cup fresh water for grinding lentils

8. 8

   Step 8: Grind the urad dal, chana dal and fenugreek seeds till you get a batter which is light and fluffy. The urad dal has to be ground really well, so that the batter ferments well.

   Uses soaked lentils/fenugreek with fresh grinding water

9. 9

   Step 9: Remove the batter in a bowl or pan with a spatula.

   Uses light fluffy ground lentil-fenugreek batter

10. 10

    Step 10: Drain the rice and poha well. Grind them in one or more batches with the separate 1 cup fresh rice-grinding water, dividing that one dose between batches if needed.

    Uses soaked rice and poha after draining · 1 cup fresh water for grinding rice and poha

11. 11

    Step 11: Grind the rice and poha to a fine-grained or smooth batter.

    Uses soaked rice-poha with fresh grinding water

12. 12

    Step 12: Now pour the batter in the same pan or bowl containing the urad dal batter.

    Uses ground rice-poha batter · ground lentil-fenugreek batter

13. 13

    Step 13: Add ½ teaspoon edible rock salt or add as per taste. You can also use sea salt or pink salt.

    Uses combined rice-lentil batter · ½ teaspoon rock salt ((edible and food grade), add as required or sea salt or pink salt)

14. 14

    Step 14: Mix both batters and the salt thoroughly. Cover and ferment at room temperature until doubled or tripled in volume with tiny bubbles and a light sour aroma. The source’s 8–9 hours is a guide; the actual wait varies with temperature and may be longer. Refrigerate the fermented batter if not using it immediately.

    Ferment until airy, risen and lightly sourUses combined batter with food-grade rock salt

15. 15

    Step 15: For the filling, rinse the 300 g raw potatoes and boil them in an ordinary saucepan with enough separate potato-boiling water to cover, until completely fork tender.

    Boil potatoes until completely fork tenderUses 300 g raw potatoes for filling · Water for rinsing rice, poha, lentils and potatoes (quantity unspecified, drained) · Water for ordinary pan-boiling potatoes, enough to cover (quantity unspecified, drained)

16. 16

    Step 16: If using the optional filling 1 tbsp chana dal, soak it in its own ¼ cup hot water for 30 minutes while the potatoes cook, then drain and reserve.

    Soak Chana Dal · 30 minUses 1 tbsp chana dal for optional filling tempering · ¼ cup hot water for optional filling chana-dal soak, drained

17. 17

    Step 17: Drain the cooked potatoes and let them cool enough to handle, then peel and chop or crumble them.

    Uses fork-tender ordinary-pan-boiled potatoes

18. 18

    Step 18: Thinly slice the onion (1¼ cups) and prepare the chopped ginger (1 teaspoon), green chilli and coriander leaves (3 tablespoons). Keep curry leaves (8–10) ready and reserve coriander separately for finishing.

    Uses 1¼ cups thinly sliced onion · 1 teaspoon ginger (- finely chopped, or 1 inch peeled ginger) · 8–10 curry leaves · 1 teaspoon green chillies (- chopped, or 1 to 2 green chillies) · 3 tablespoons coriander leaves (- chopped)

19. 19

    Step 19: Heat the 2 tbsp filling oil in a skillet. If using the optional cashews (2 tablespoons), fry them in this oil and lift them out to reserve; keep the same remaining oil in the skillet for tempering.

    Uses 2 tbsp neutral oil for filling tempering · 2 tablespoons cashews (- optional)

20. 20

    Step 20: Lower the heat, add mustard seeds (½ teaspoon) to the same prepared frying oil and let them splutter. Add the optional soaked, drained filling chana dal if using.

    Uses remaining hot filling oil after optional cashew frying · ½ teaspoon mustard seeds · soaked drained optional filling chana dal

21. 21

    Step 21: If using filling chana dal, fry it over low heat for 2–3 minutes until light golden. Add the prepared sliced onion, curry leaves, chopped green chilli and ginger.

    Optional filling-dal fry only · 3 minUses mustard and optional filling dal in tempering oil · thinly sliced onion · prepared chopped green chilli · prepared chopped ginger · prepared eight-to-ten curry leaves

22. 22

    Step 22: Saute the onions stirring often till they soften and turn translucent.

    Uses onion and aromatics in tempered filling oil

23. 23

    Step 23: Add the turmeric powder (¼ teaspoon) and asafoetida (1 pinch) (hing). Mix very well.

    Uses translucent onion-aromatic base · ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder · 1 pinch asafoetida, optional

24. 24

    Step 24: Add water (½ cup). Mix well and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or till the mixture thickens a bit.

    Brief filling-liquid simmer · 3 minUses spiced onion base · ½ cup water

25. 25

    Step 25: Next add the boiled chopped potatoes and mix very well. You can also mash the potatoes if you like while cooking them.

    Uses slightly thickened onion-spice mixture · peeled chopped cooked potatoes

26. 26

    Step 26: Season the filling with its separate salt to taste. If using optional sugar (¼–½ tsp), begin with ¼ tsp and adjust within the source’s ¼–½ tsp range.

    Uses cooked potatoes mixed into onion masala · salt (as required) · ¼–½ tsp sugar, optional for filling

27. 27

    Step 27: Simmer on a low flame for 3 to 4 minutes stirring occasionally. The water will reduce and the consistency will thicken.

    Finish thickening potato filling · 4 minUses seasoned potato masala

28. 28

    Step 28: Turn off the heat, then mix in the reserved chopped coriander and any cashews fried earlier. The filling should be moist and spreadable without free liquid, rather than a gravy.

    Uses moist thickened potato masala · reserved chopped coriander leaves · reserved optionally fried cashews

29. 29

    Step 29: Stir and keep the potato filling aside.

    Uses finished potato filling

30. 30

    Step 30: Lightly stir the fully fermented batter. It should pour and spread readily: only if too thick, mix in a splash of separate fresh adjustment water; only if too thin, add a little optional rice flour.

    Uses fully fermented risen airy rice-lentil batter · Extra fresh water only if batter needs thinning (quantity unspecified) · Rice flour only if batter needs thickening (quantity unspecified)

31. 31

    Step 31: Heat a cast-iron or flat nonstick pan until medium hot. Lightly smear separate dosa oil on cast iron; do not smear it on nonstick before spreading, as the source advises.

    Uses A little separate dosa oil for cast-iron pan, if needed

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    Step 32: Reduce the heat to low while spreading each dosa.

33. 33

    Step 33: Spread the batter in a circular way on the pan.

    Uses ready fermented dosa batter

34. 34

    Step 34: On a medium flame, cook the dosa.

    Uses thinly spread dosa batter on the pan

35. 35

    Step 35: Sprinkle some oil on top and edges.

    Uses dosa cooking over medium heat · A little separate dosa cooking oil over top and edges

36. 36

    Step 36: Cover and cook until the crepe is cooked through and its base is golden and crisp. Spread the oil already sprinkled with a spoon if needed; optionally flip to cook the top side.

    Uses dosa with cooking oil sprinkled over top and edges

37. 37

    Step 37: When you see the base has become golden and the edges separate from the pan, place a portion of the potato filling on the dosa. You can spread it a bit if you want.

    Uses fully cooked golden crisp dosa · finished potato filling

38. 38

    Step 38: Fold the filled dosa and serve promptly. Repeat cooking and filling dosas with the remaining batter and filling.

    Uses cooked dosa with portion of prepared potato filling

39. 39

    Step 39: Serve the finished masala dosas hot with optional ready coconut chutney and sambar.

    Uses finished crisp masala dosas · Ready coconut, onion, tomato OR peanut chutney for optional serving (quantity unspecified) · Ready sambar for optional serving (quantity unspecified)

40. 40

    Step 40: Alternatively, serve the cooked dosas plain with the prepared potato filling alongside instead of placing it inside.

    Uses plain cooked golden dosas for external-filling serving option · prepared potato filling for separate serving option

41. 41

    Step 41: Ready onion, tomato OR peanut chutney is an alternative to coconut chutney for serving; choose whichever accompaniment you prefer.

    Uses finished masala dosas · Optional ready onion, tomato OR peanut chutney from chosen accompaniment supply