India · South Indian cuisine (Karnataka and Tamil Nadu)
Masala dosa
A large, paper-thin, crisp golden crepe of fermented rice and lentil batter, folded around a spiced potato and onion filling, served with a fresh coconut chutney.
Cookhuddle Editorial Cookhuddle | India
Editorial selection: recipes cross-checked against several documentary sources. They have not been tested in our kitchen: follow the precautions given and adapt times to your own oven.
Photo: Marajozkee · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source · cropped
original Original text, written in English.
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- Servings
- 4
- Preparation
- 40 min
- Cooking
- 60 min
- Resting
- 720 min
- Total
- 820 min
- Difficulty
- Advanced
Cuisine / tradition: South Indian cuisine (Karnataka and Tamil Nadu) (IN) — declared by the author
- Breakfast
- Main dish
- Street food
Ingredients
For 4 servings
- 200 g sona masuri or parboiled rice, for the batter
- 70 g whole urad dal (split black gram), for the batter
- 1 tbsp chana dal, for the batter
- 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 40 g poha (flattened rice), rinsed
- 1 tsp salt, for the batter
- 4 piece potatoes, boiled, peeled and coarsely mashed
- 2 tbsp oil, for the potato filling
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp urad dal, for the filling
- 1 tsp chana dal, for the filling
- 1 piece dried red chilli
- 10 piece curry leaves
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- 2 piece green chillies, finely chopped
- 1 piece piece of fresh ginger (2.5 cm), finely chopped
- 1 piece large onion, sliced
- 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp salt, for the filling
- 3 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 4 tbsp butter or ghee, for the dosas
- 100 g fresh or frozen grated coconut, for the chutney
- 2 tbsp roasted chana dal (dalia), for the chutney
- 2 piece green chillies, for the chutney
- 1/2 tsp salt, for the chutney
Method
- Step 1. Batter: soak the rice with the fenugreek in plenty of water for 4 hours. In a separate bowl soak the urad dal and the tablespoon of chana dal for 2 hours.⏱ 240 min
- Step 2. Drain the dals and grind them with a little water to a smooth, fluffy paste; leave to rest for 40 minutes. Drain the rice and grind it with the rinsed poha and a little water to a slightly coarse paste. Mix the two batters thoroughly by hand.⏱ 40 min
- Step 3. Cover and ferment in a warm place for at least 8 hours, until the batter has doubled and smells pleasantly sour. Stir gently to keep the air. Mix in the 1 teaspoon of salt and add a little water if needed, to a pouring consistency.⏱ 480 min
- Step 4. Potato filling: heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan, add the mustard seeds, the urad dal and chana dal, the dried chilli, the curry leaves and the hing and let them splutter. Add the green chillies and ginger and fry for 1 minute, then the onion, and cook for 6 minutes until soft.
- Step 5. Add the turmeric and salt, then the mashed potatoes. Mix and mash lightly so that everything combines, cook for 2 minutes, then turn off the heat and stir in the coriander and the lemon juice.⏱ 2 min
- Step 6. Chutney: blend the coconut, roasted chana dal, green chillies, salt and about 100 ml of water into a smooth chutney.
- Step 7. Heat a large flat tawa or non-stick pan until hot. Pour a ladle of batter in the centre and spread it quickly in a spiral to a thin, 25 cm round. Spread 1 teaspoon of butter over it.
- Step 8. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the underside is golden and the top has dried. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of potato filling in the centre, fold or roll the dosa, and serve at once with the coconut chutney and sambar if you like. Make about 8 dosas.⏱ 2 min
Story and cultural note
Masala dosa is a South Indian dish: a thin crepe from a fermented batter of rice and lentils, filled with a spiced potato bhaji (aloo bhaji) and served with coconut chutney and sambar. The sources agree that long fermentation, about 8 hours until the batter doubles, is the key, and that the batter is made from urad dal and rice, with fenugreek, and sometimes poha or other dals for crispness. They differ on the type of rice (sona masuri, parboiled or short-grain), and on whether the filling has onion. The potato bhaji in this recipe has mustard seeds, curry leaves, ginger and onion.
Tips for success
Ferment the batter in a warm place until it doubles: the sour, airy batter makes the crisp, golden crepe. Heat the tawa until a drop of water dances on it, and wipe it with an oiled half-onion between dosas. Spread the batter in one quick spiral, thin, and do not flip it. Keep the filling hot and spread a little butter on the dosa for a deeper colour.
Serving and presentation
Serve the dosa on a large plate, folded or rolled, with a bowl of coconut chutney and, if you wish, a bowl of sambar. It is eaten with the hands, breaking pieces of the crisp crepe with some filling.
Diet and allergens
Information declared by the author. CookHuddle does not verify or certify it. If you have an allergy, check the ingredients yourself.
DietVegetarianEgg-freeNut-free
ContainsMilkMustard
May contain traces ofGluten (cereals)
