Masala Dosa

Make Ahead and Storage

Batter keeps 4 days refrigerated. The potato filling keeps 3 days. Cooked dosas do not store — make them to order.

Masala Dosa: The Method

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1. Rinse the rice and, separately, the urad dal, chana dal and fenugreek. Soak both in plenty of water for 6 hours.

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2. Drain and grind the dal mixture first with just enough cold water to make a light, fluffy batter — it should feel airy. Then grind the rice to a slightly grainy paste.

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3. Combine both in a large container, add the salt, and mix thoroughly with your hand for a full minute; the wild yeasts on your skin genuinely help the ferment.

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4. Cover loosely and leave in a warm place, 26 to 30°C / 79 to 86°F, for 8 to 14 hours until the batter has risen, smells pleasantly sour and is full of bubbles. Stir gently before use.

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5. For the filling, heat the oil and pop the mustard seeds and urad dal until the dal turns golden. Add the curry leaves, onions, chillies and ginger and fry 8 minutes until soft.

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6. Add the turmeric and salt, then fold in the crushed potatoes with 3 tablespoons of water. Cook 5 minutes, then finish with lemon juice and coriander.

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7. Heat a flat non-stick or seasoned cast-iron pan over medium-high. Sprinkle with water — it should evaporate in about 2 seconds — then wipe with a cloth.

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8. Ladle batter into the centre and spread it outward in a continuous spiral with the base of the ladle, as thin as you can manage.

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9. Drizzle a teaspoon of ghee around the edge and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the underside is deep golden and the edges lift. Do not flip a masala dosa.

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10. Spoon potato down the centre, fold over and serve immediately with coconut chutney and sambar.

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Related guides: Prep, cook and total time · Choosing rice.

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Tips for Success

• Batter consistency is everything: it should pour like single cream. Too thick and it will not spread; too thin and it tears.
• In a cold kitchen, ferment the batter in an oven with only the light on.
• Fermented batter keeps 4 days in the fridge and gets tangier each day, which many people prefer.

Behind the Recipe

Fermentation is what makes a dosa: wild lactobacillus produces the lactic acid that gives the batter its tang, and carbon dioxide creates the lacy holes across the surface. Urad dal is essential because its mucilage traps that gas, which plain rice batter cannot do.

Good Alongside

Filter coffee, the traditional accompaniment · Serve with coconut chutney and sambar · Follow with fresh fruit

Swaps and Variations

• Dried chilli flakes can stand in for the green chillies. Heat varies a great deal between chillies and between jars, so start with a small pinch and add more to taste.
• If you only have ground ginger, a quarter-teaspoon for each tablespoon of fresh is the ratio usually given; it tastes warmer and less bright than the fresh root.

Questions About Masala Dosa

Masala Dosa Nutrition

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.

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