Masala dosa
Crispy fermented rice-and-dal crepes filled with spiced potato masala — perfect breakfast or dinner with chutney.
Crispy, tangy fermented dosa wrapped around a bright, spiced potato filling — masala dosa is the sort of comfort that’s also clever. It’s worth the overnight wait: the fermentation gives the dosa its lift and that light, tangy hit.
Make these when you’ve got time to ferment the batter (overnight), and you’ll be rewarded with crackly edges and soft, fragrant masala. Serve for a weekend brunch, a relaxed dinner or whenever you want genuinely impressive comfort food that’s mostly hands-off.
Ingredients
- 300 g white rice (idli or parboiled rice) — for the dosa batter
- 50 g poha (flattened rice)
- 100 g split urad dal (skinned)
- 5 ml fenugreek seeds
- water — for soaking and grinding, about 700–900 ml total; add sparingly when grinding
- 10 ml salt — to add to the batter after grinding (adjust to taste)
- 600 g potatoes (floury, e.g. Maris Piper) — for the potato masala
- 60 ml vegetable oil — use neutral oil; 2 tbsp for masala and ~2 tbsp for cooking dosas
- 5 ml mustard seeds
- 5 ml cumin seeds
- 15 ml urad dal (optional for tempering, roasted) — optional, for extra crunch in tempering
- 1 onion — medium, thinly sliced
- 2 green chillies — finely chopped (reduce if you want milder)
- 15 ml fresh ginger — finely chopped
- 10 curry leaves
- 5 ml ground turmeric
- 5 ml chilli powder — optional, for extra heat
- 15 ml lemon juice
- 45 ml fresh coriander — chopped, to finish
- 100 g desiccated coconut — optional coconut chutney (see note)
- 15 ml roasted chana dal (dalia) — for chutney
- 5 ml tamarind or lemon (for chutney) — tamarind paste or extra lemon juice, optional
- 5 ml salt (for chutney) — adjust to taste
Equipment
- wet grinder or high-speed blender
- non-stick or cast-iron dosa tawa (flat griddle)
- ladle (dosa ladle or 60–80 ml)
- spatula
- large mixing bowl
Instructions
Rinse rice and poha together until the water runs clear; rinse the urad dal separately. Put rice+poha in one bowl and the urad dal with fenugreek seeds in another. Cover with cold water and soak both for 4–6 hours.
Drain the dal and grind it in a wet grinder or high-speed blender with just enough cold water to make a smooth, slightly fluffy batter — about 5–8 minutes of grinding. The batter should be thick but pourable and hold soft peaks.
Drain the rice+poha and grind to a slightly grainy paste (not as smooth as the dal), adding water sparingly. Grind 5–8 minutes until the mixture is flowing but with a little texture.
Mix the dal and rice batters thoroughly in a large bowl, add 1 tsp salt, cover with a lid or cling film and leave in a warm place to ferment for 8–12 hours (overnight is usual). The batter should rise and have bubbles when ready.
While the batter ferments, put the potatoes in a pan of cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 15–20 minutes until tender. Drain and roughly mash — leave some texture.
Make the masala: heat 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan over a medium hob. When hot, add mustard seeds; when they pop add cumin seeds and optional roasted urad dal. Add curry leaves, sliced onion, green chillies and ginger and sauté for 3–4 minutes until the onion softens.
Stir in turmeric and chilli powder, then add the mashed potatoes, 1 tsp salt and cook, stirring, for 5–7 minutes so the extra moisture evaporates and flavours meld. Finish with lemon juice and chopped coriander. Keep warm.
(Optional) Quick coconut chutney: blitz desiccated coconut, roasted chana dal, 1–2 green chillies, a little water, tamarind or lemon and ½ tsp salt to a smooth paste. Temper with 1 tsp mustard seeds and a few curry leaves in 1 tsp oil and pour over.
Heat a non-stick or cast-iron dosa tawa over medium-high heat until very hot (about 3–5 minutes). Reduce to medium. Pour a ladleful (about 60–80 ml) of batter in the centre and, using the bottom of the ladle, spread outwards in a circular motion to a thin circle.
Drizzle a little oil round the edges and on the surface. Cook 1–2 minutes until the underside is golden-brown and edges lift. Spoon 2–3 tbsp potato masala down the centre, fold the dosa over and slide onto a plate.
Repeat with the remaining batter, keeping cooked dosas in a very low oven (80–90°C) on a baking tray to stay warm and crisp. Serve immediately with coconut chutney and sambar if you like.
Tips
- Ferment in a warm place (26–32°C). If it’s cold, put the covered bowl in the oven with just the light on or on a warm radiator to help the batter rise.
- Add water sparingly when grinding; small amounts make a smoother, aerated batter — too much water gives thin, floppy dosas.
- Cook dosas on a very hot pan for crispness but reduce to medium while spreading the batter to avoid burning.
- Make the potato masala a little drier than you think — a wet filling ruins crispness. You can make the masala a day ahead and gently reheat.
- If you don’t have a wet grinder, use a high-speed blender and grind dal first until fluffy; stop occasionally to scrape the sides.
Substitutions
white rice → parboiled rice or idli rice, same quantity
Stays closepoha (flattened rice) → omit and increase water slightly when grinding rice
Noticeably differentvegetable oil → ghee, same quantity
Noticeably differentpotatoes → sweet potato, same quantity
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 650
- Calories
- 13 g
- Protein
- 107 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 600 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
My batter didn’t ferment. What went wrong?
Most likely it was too cold, or the batter had too much salt or water. Keep it in a warm spot (26–32°C) and try again with the same proportion of rice to dal, reducing salt until after fermentation next time.
Why are my dosas not crispy?
Common causes: pan not hot enough, batter too thick/wet, or filling too moist. Heat the pan well, thin the batter a little, and make the masala drier.
Can I use a blender instead of a wet grinder?
Yes — a high-speed blender works. Grind the dal first to a fluffy paste, scraping sides frequently. Expect a slightly different texture but still very good.
How long will the batter keep in the fridge?
Fermented batter keeps 3–4 days in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before using; it may continue to sour slowly.
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