BreakfastMain Course

Masala Dosa

Name: Masala Dosa
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 12 h 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: indian
Ingredients: 1.5 cup raw rice soaked overnight; 0.5 cup urad dal soaked overnight; 0.5 tsp fenugreek seeds soaked overnight with urad dal; 1 tsp salt; 3 pcs potato boiled and mashed; 1 pcs yellow onion finely chopped; 2 pcs green chili minced; 1 tsp ginger grated; 0.5 tsp mustard seeds; 8 pcs curry leaves; 0.25 tsp turmeric powder; 0.25 tsp asafoetida; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 2 tbsp fresh coriander chopped; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 4 tbsp vegetable oil

Masala Dosa is a popular South Indian breakfast dish consisting of a thin, crispy fermented rice and lentil crepe. It is typically filled with a savory, spiced potato mixture and served with chutney and sambar.

An original recipe by Forkin

Total time: 12 hr 50 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Hard
Per serving: 625 kcal

VeganVegetarianGluten-free

Allergen information: may contain mustard. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.

Mise en place

Ingredients

dosa batter

1.5 cupraw rice, soaked overnight
0.5 cupurad dal, soaked overnight
0.5 tspfenugreek seeds, soaked overnight with urad dal
1 tspsalt

potato filling

3 pcspotato, boiled and mashed
1 pcsyellow onion, finely chopped
2 pcsgreen chili, minced
1 tspginger, grated
0.5 tspmustard seeds
8 pcscurry leaves
0.25 tspturmeric powder
0.25 tspasafoetida
1 tbsplemon juice
2 tbspfresh coriander, chopped
2 tbspvegetable oil

for cooking dosa

4 tbspvegetable oil

Equipment

wet grinder or high-speed blender · non-stick tawa or griddle · ladle · large bowl · pan

The method

Step by step

1
Rinse the raw rice, urad dal, and fenugreek seeds separately until the water runs clear.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: This removes excess starch and ensures a cleaner fermentation.
2
Soak the raw rice in enough water to cover it by several inches for at least 6 hours or overnight.
3
Soak the urad dal and fenugreek seeds together in enough water for at least 6 hours or overnight.
4
Drain the soaked urad dal and fenugreek seeds, then grind them in a wet grinder or high-speed blender with a little water until a smooth, fluffy batter forms.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: Add water gradually to achieve a thick, smooth consistency.
5
Transfer the urad dal batter to a large bowl.
About 1 min
6
Drain the soaked raw rice and grind it in the same grinder or blender with a little water until it forms a smooth batter, slightly coarser than the urad dal batter.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: Ensure there are no whole grains left.
7
Combine the rice batter with the urad dal batter in the large bowl.
About 1 min
8
Add the salt to the batter and mix thoroughly with your hands for a few minutes.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: Using your hands helps incorporate air and kickstarts fermentation.
9
Cover the bowl loosely and let the batter ferment in a warm place for 8-12 hours, or until it has doubled in volume and has a lightly sour smell.
About 12 hr
Cook’s note: Fermentation time varies with ambient temperature. In colder climates, place it in a warm oven (turned off) or near a heater.
10
While the batter ferments, prepare the potato filling: heat the vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat.
About 2 min
11
Add the mustard seeds and let them splutter.
About 1 min
12
Add the curry leaves, green chili, and ginger, and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
About 1 min
13
Add the yellow onion and sauté until translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
About 7 min
14
Stir in the turmeric powder and asafoetida, and cook for another minute.
About 1 min
15
Add the mashed potato to the pan and mix well with the spices.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: Break up any large potato lumps.
16
Season the potato filling with salt to taste and stir in the lemon juice and fresh coriander.
About 1 min
17
Mix the potato filling well and set aside.
About 1 min
18
Once the dosa batter is fermented, gently stir it without deflating too much.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: If the batter is too thick, add a little water to achieve a pouring consistency.
19
Heat a non-stick tawa or flat griddle over medium-high heat.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: The tawa should be hot enough for water droplets to sizzle and evaporate immediately.
20
Lightly grease the tawa with a little vegetable oil.
Cook’s note: You can use a piece of onion or a paper towel to spread the oil evenly.
21
Pour a ladleful of dosa batter onto the center of the tawa.
22
Quickly spread the batter outwards in a circular motion with the back of the ladle to form a thin, even crepe.
Cook’s note: Work quickly before the batter sets.
23
Drizzle a little vegetable oil around the edges and over the dosa.
Cook’s note: This helps in achieving crispiness and easy removal.
24
Cook until the bottom turns golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes.
About 3 min
Cook’s note: The edges will start to lift when it's ready to fill.
25
Place a spoonful of potato filling in the center of the dosa.
26
Fold the dosa in half or roll it up.
27
Remove the masala dosa from the tawa and serve immediately.
Cook’s note: Repeat with the remaining batter and filling.

Per serving

Nutrition

71%Score

Calories: 625.4kcal
Protein: 9.9g
Carbs: 97.1g
Fat: 21.9g
Fibre: 3.7g
Sugar: 2.9g

Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.

Keep it good

Storage

Store leftover dosa batter in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store leftover potato filling separately in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Reheating

Reheat leftover dosa on a dry tawa until crispy. Reheat potato filling in a microwave or on the stovetop.