South Indian · Breakfast
Masala dosa (crisp dosa with potato masala)
Masala dosa is a thin, crisp crepe made from fermented rice and urad dal batter, folded around a soft potato and onion filling. The contrast of the crunchy golden shell and the mildly spiced potatoes makes it the most famous South Indian breakfast. With the batter ready in advance, each dosa takes only a few minutes on a hot tawa.
- Prep30 min
- Cook45 min
- Waiting14 h
- Servings6
- Total15 h 15 min · Per serving≈480 kcal
Ingredients
Tap an ingredient to tick it off as you cook.
Method
Waiting: Soaking and fermenting (14 h)
- Make the batter: soak the rice in 1 bowl and the urad dal, chana dal and fenugreek in another for 5–6 hours. Grind the dal mix with cold water until fluffy, grind the rice smooth, then mix both with 1 1/2 tsp salt and ferment for 8–12 hours. You can also use the batter from the plain dosa recipe.
- Start the masala: heat the oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the urad dal and chana dal and fry until golden, then add the curry leaves, green chillies and ginger.
- Add the onions and cook on medium heat for 4–5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Stir in the turmeric.
- Crumble in the potatoes with your hands, add the salt and water, and cook for 3–4 minutes, mashing lightly, until the masala is soft but holds together. Keep it warm.
- Stir the batter and thin it with a little water if needed; it should flow like thick pancake batter. Heat a cast-iron tawa over medium-high heat and wipe it with an oiled cloth.
- Pour a ladle of batter in the centre and quickly spread it outward in a spiral to make a thin, even circle.
- Drizzle 1 tsp ghee or oil over the dosa and around the edge. Cook for 2–3 minutes, without flipping, until the underside is deep golden and crisp.
- Place 3–4 tbsp potato masala on 1 half, fold the dosa over and serve at once. Sprinkle the tawa with water and wipe it before the next dosa.
About this dish
Masala dosa is closely linked with Karnataka, especially the Udupi restaurants that made it popular across India and abroad, though it is eaten everywhere in the South. In Kannada it is called masala dose, and in Tamil masala dosai. It is a favourite order at breakfast or as an evening tiffin, served with coconut chutney and sambar.
The filling, often called potato palya in Karnataka, is a simple dry sabzi of boiled potatoes, onions, green chilli, curry leaves and turmeric. Well-known variations include Mysore masala dosa, where a spicy red garlic chutney is spread inside before the potato goes in, and Davangere benne dosa, a thicker, soft dosa cooked with plenty of butter.
Tips
- If the batter sticks or will not spread, the tawa is too hot: sprinkle water on it, wipe and wait a few seconds.
- A spoon of sugar or a little extra chana dal in the batter gives a deeper golden colour.
- Make the potato masala up to 1 day ahead and warm it with a splash of water before filling.
Serve with
Serve hot with coconut chutney, tomato chutney and a bowl of sambar.
Goes well with: Coconut Chutney, Sambar
