Masala Dosa Recipe

10
35 mins
175 mins

Ingredients

Dosa Batter:
1 tbsp. fenugreek seed
3 cups short-grain (ideally idli) rice
1 cup urad dal, also known as split husked black gram lentils, or ivory white lentils
1 1⁄4 tsp. kosher salt
Masala Dosa:
1 lb. russet potatoes (about 1 large potato)
2 tbsp. ghee (clarified butter) or olive oil, plus more for brushing or drizzling
1 tsp. black mustard seeds
1 tbsp. chana dal, also known as split yellow gram lentils or split husked black or brown chickpeas
1 tbsp. urad dal, also known as split husked black gram lentils, or ivory white lentils (they are white in color)
1 large yellow onion (8 oz.), halved and thinly sliced
1 large jalapeño or 2 medium serrano chiles, diced (¼ cup)
3⁄4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
Pinch of ground turmeric
2 tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2-3 tsp. fresh lemon juice
For the gunpowder paste:
1⁄2 cup packaged spiced chutney powder (also known as pudi or masala chutney powder)
1⁄4 cup ghee (clarified butter) or olive oil

Preparation

Step 1

For DOSA

Combine the fenugreek seeds and ¼ cup water; cover and set aside.
Set a fine-mesh strainer in the sink and rinse the rice and urad dal with cold water until it runs clear. Transfer to a bowl and cover with 8 cups of cold fresh water. Cover and let soak at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 200°F or set a dehydrator to 90°F. Drain the rice mixture, reserving the soaking liquid. Drain the fenugreek seeds and add them and the salt to the rice mixture.
Add 1⁄3 of the mixture and 1 cup of the reserved soaking liquid to a blender and purée until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl or storage container that can hold at least 14 cups (this will prevent overflow as the batter ferments). Continue blending the rice mixture in 2 more batches, adding it to the bowl. Stir (batter should be the thickness of pancake batter), then cover tightly.
To ferment in the oven, turn the oven off. Transfer the batter container to the warm oven or the dehydrator and let rest again for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
Once the batter has doubled in volume and looks frothy, it is ready. (If it has thickened too much, add a tablespoon of cold water at a time until pourable.)

STEP 1: Ladle and Spread
Be sure the dosa batter is free of lumps. In the center of a hot pan, working quickly but evenly, add a ladleful of batter (start with 1/3 cup for a 12-inch pan). Starting in the center, drag the bottom of the ladle in a steady spiral motion, pulling the batter toward the pan’s edges.

STEP 2: Oil and Fill
When the top looks set, brush or drizzle a little melted ghee or oil over the outer portion of the dosa. Quickly spread on some of the gunpowder paste (if using). If filling, mash and spread some potato sabzi across the dosa’s center. Or skip to Step 3 to serve the filling on the side.

Fold and Remove
Loosen the dosa from the pan with a spatula. Coax one edge of the dosa over to the other side, tucking the edge slightly to create a tall cylindrical roll. (If it doesn’t form a cylinder, fold both sides toward the center like a letter, and flatten.) Cut or tear, and eat with your hands.

If you have batter left after using all your filling, Raj suggests adding fresh aromatics directly to the batter before cooking. Try finely chopped red onion, cilantro, and diced tomato, or red onion and fresh dill.

MASALA:
1 lb. russet potatoes (about 1 large potato)
2 tbsp. ghee (clarified butter) or olive oil, plus more for brushing or drizzling
1 tsp. black mustard seeds
1 tbsp. chana dal, also known as split yellow gram lentils or split husked black or brown chickpeas
1 tbsp. urad dal, also known as split husked black gram lentils, or ivory white lentils (they are white in color)
1 large yellow onion (8 oz.), halved and thinly sliced
1 large jalapeño or 2 medium serrano chiles, diced (¼ cup)
3⁄4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
Pinch of ground turmeric
2 tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2-3 tsp. fresh lemon juice
For the gunpowder paste:
1⁄2 cup packaged spiced chutney powder (also known as pudi or masala chutney powder)
1⁄4 cup ghee (clarified butter) or olive oil

Prepare the potato sabzi: Fill a medium pot about two-thirds of the way with water. Bring to a boil and add the potato; let cook until potato feels just tender when a paring knife is inserted into the center, about 25 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly, then peel and break into bite-size pieces.
In a pan set over medium heat, add the 2 tablespoons ghee or oil. Once hot, add the mustard seeds and cook, giving the pan a good shake every few seconds, until the seeds pop and sputter, about 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the chana dal and urad dal. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the dal is fragrant and lightly golden, 2–3 minutes. Add the onions and chiles and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and translucent, 6–8 minutes. Add the potatoes, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, and the turmeric and stir well; cook until the potatoes have absorbed the spices and turned a pale yellow, 8–10 minutes. (If the potatoes are looking pasty and dry, add water, mashing in 1 tablespoon at a time until they achieve a lumpy but pliable consistency.) Taste and adjust the salt as desired.
Remove the filling from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Add the lemon juice to taste. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and set aside or refrigerate until you are ready to cook the dosas.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the gunpowder paste: Add the chutney powder and ghee or oil. Mix until a smooth paste forms, then set aside. (Gunpowder paste will keep for up to a few weeks in the refrigerator.)
Heat a 12-inch nonstick pan or well-seasoned cast-iron griddle over medium-high heat, or set a nonstick electric griddle to medium-high. (If using cast iron, grease the surface lightly with oil.) Sprinkle a few drops of water on the hot surface: It is ready when the drops of water sizzle and evaporate right away. Be sure the dosa batter is well-stirred and free of lumps, then ladle ⅓ cup of batter into the center of the griddle. Working quickly but evenly, and using the bottom of the ladle, form the dosa by making a continuous spiral motion, starting in the center and dragging the batter outward toward the pan’s edges to form a large, connected bull’s-eye shape 10 inches in diameter. (If desired, you can trickle and drag more batter around the edges to fill the pan, and patch any too-thin areas or small holes with additional batter.) When the top develops bubbles and looks just set, quickly brush or drizzle a little ghee or oil (about 1 teaspoon) over the top as the dosa cooks, taking care to saturate the outer areas. When the bottom is lightly crispy and golden brown, about 5 minutes, you can fill the dosa, or use a spatula to flip the dosa and crisp the remaining side if desired. (This is helpful if you’re new to dosa making and want to be sure thicker spots are properly cooked through.) If flipping, drizzle an additional teaspoon of oil around the edges after flipping, and cook the other side until the thicker ridges of batter are set but still flexible, 30–60 seconds. Flip the dosa again so that the crispier, browner side is on the bottom. Spread 1 tablespoon of the gunpowder filling over the lighter surface of the dosa.
Fill the dosa on the pan if desired: Spoon ¼ cup of the potato sabzi onto the center of the dosa on its lighter side, using the back of the spoon to spread and press the filling into a thin layer so that it heats evenly. Carefully loosen the perimeter of the dosa with a flat spatula, then slide the spatula beneath the center to dislodge. Use the spatula to coax one edge of the dosa gently over to the other side, tucking the edge slightly on the inside of the crêpe to create a tall cylindrical roll. Alternatively, you can fold the dosa into thirds like a letter.
Remove to a plate and serve immediately with coconut chutney and additional gunpower paste and potato sabzi if desired. Eat with your hands.