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Masala Dosa Recipe

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4.1 from 9 reviews

Masala Dosa is a traditional South Indian dish featuring a crispy fermented rice and urad dal crepe filled with a spiced potato curry. It combines the tangy, airy dosa batter with a flavorful potato masala, creating a perfect balance of textures and tastes. This recipe guides you through soaking, grinding, fermenting the batter, preparing the potato filling, and cooking the dosa to golden perfection.

  • Total Time: 6 hours 45 minutes
  • Yield: 14 dosas (approximately 14 servings)

Ingredients

Batter Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Urad Dal (dehusked split or whole urad dal gota)
  • 1 1/2 cup Dosa Rice (or combination of dosa rice + sona masoori rice, idli rice works too)
  • 1 tablespoon Split Chickpeas (Chana dal)
  • 1 tablespoon Toor Dal (Split pigeon peas)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds (Methi dana)
  • 1/4 cup Poha (Flattened rice) (soak for 20 minutes before grinding)
  • 1 teaspoon Non-iodized Salt (rock salt, sendha namak)
  • 7 tablespoon Ghee or Oil (to cook dosa; approximately half tablespoon per dosa)

Potato Masala Ingredients

  • 4 Potatoes (boiled, peeled, cut into 3/4 inch pieces, slightly mashed)
  • 1 tablespoon Oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Mustard Seeds (Rai)
  • 2 teaspoon Split Chickpeas (Chana dal) (soaked in hot water for 20 minutes)
  • 12 Curry Leaves (Kadi Patta)
  • 2 Green Chili Pepper (chopped, adjust to taste)
  • 1 pinch Asafoetida (Hing) (skip for gluten-free)
  • 2 cup Onion (thinly sliced)
  • 1 teaspoon Ginger (grated)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground Turmeric (Haldi powder)
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • Cilantro (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Soaking: Rinse urad dal, rice, chana dal, toor dal, and fenugreek seeds in water until clear. Soak them together in about 6 cups of water for 4-5 hours. Separately soak poha in water for 20 minutes before grinding.
  2. Grinding the Batter: Drain the soaked ingredients and poha. Grind them in a high-speed blender with 3/4 to 1.5 cups of cold water until a smooth paste forms. The batter should be free-flowing, not too thick or thin. Transfer to a large bowl or Instant Pot steel insert.
  3. Mixing and Salt Addition: Add non-iodized salt and mix the batter well by hand for a couple of minutes. This helps with fermentation.
  4. Fermenting the Batter: Cover the batter and keep it in a warm place to ferment for 6-14 hours, depending on climate. It should rise in volume and become frothy and airy. Check by dropping a spoonful of batter into water; it should float. If using an Instant Pot, set it on Yogurt mode for 12 hours with the lid closed (glass lid recommended).
  5. Preparing Potato Masala: Soak chana dal in hot water for 20-30 minutes, then drain. Boil or steam potatoes until soft, then peel and mash slightly, leaving some texture if desired. Heat oil in a pan and sauté cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and chana dal until golden. Add asafoetida, ginger, and curry leaves and sauté until fragrant.
  6. Sautéing Vegetables for Masala: Add chopped green chilies and sliced onions to the pan and sauté until onions are soft, about 2-3 minutes.
  7. Combining Masala: Add the boiled potatoes, turmeric, salt, and 2-3 tablespoons water to the pan. Mix well and sauté for another 2-3 minutes to blend flavors. Turn off heat and garnish with cilantro.
  8. Preparing to Cook Dosa: Stir the fermented batter to ensure it has pouring consistency; add water or salt if needed. Heat a cast-iron griddle or non-stick tava on medium-high heat until a sprinkle of water sizzles immediately.
  9. Cooking Dosa: Lightly oil the griddle with ghee or oil and spread it evenly using a paper towel or half an onion. Pour a ladleful of batter onto the center and spread thinly in a circular motion outward to form a thin crepe. Drizzle oil or ghee around the edges and center.
  10. Finishing Dosa: Cook until golden brown and edges start to lift. Place a portion of potato masala in the center or on one half. Fold or roll the dosa over the masala carefully with a spatula. Serve immediately.
  11. Continued Cooking: Wipe the griddle with a paper towel between dosas and repeat the greasing and spreading steps. Increase heat to high for subsequent dosas.
  12. Serving: Serve masala dosa hot with traditional accompaniments like sambar, coconut chutney, and peanut chutney.

Notes

  • Use non-iodized salt to ensure proper fermentation. Iodized salt can inhibit fermentation.
  • For best crispy dosa, use a cast-iron griddle and ensure it is sufficiently hot before making dosa.
  • Poha helps make the dosa soft; soak it before grinding.
  • Batter can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days after fermentation.
  • Adjust green chili quantity according to your spice preference.
  • Asafoetida can be omitted for a gluten-free variation.
  • If living in a cold climate, ferment batter in the oven with the light on or use the Instant Pot yogurt setting.
  • The thickness of dosa batter should be pourable but not watery; adjust water gradually while grinding.
  • Author: Amelia
  • Prep Time: 5 hours 30 minutes (including soaking)
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (includes simmering potatoes, cooking masala, and dosas)
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: South Indian
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Find it online: https://recipesvibe.com/masala-dosa-recipe/