India · India
Masala Dosa (Crispy Fermented Rice Crepe with Potato Filling)
Paper-thin fermented crepe of rice and lentils, crisped on a hot griddle and wrapped around a spiced potato filling.
Dosa batter is a living culture of wild yeasts and lactobacilli, and the better the fermentation the thinner the crepe. Making it well means a warm, unhurried ferment that develops its own sour edge, so recipes vary with climate and household. Cooking it is another discipline: the rice and potato must be in perfect sync, with the masala ready before the dosa leaves the griddle.
Ingredients
- idli rice or parboiled rice, soaked300 g
- urad dal (split black gram), soaked100 g
- flattened rice, soaked50 g
- fenugreek seeds, soaked1 tsp
- potatoes, boiled and mashed600 g
- yellow onion, sliced1 pieces
- green chilies, slit2 pieces
- fresh ginger, grated10 g
- curry leaves10 pieces
- black mustard seeds1 tsp
- turmeric1 tsp
- cooking oil60 ml
- ghee for cooking dosa30 g
- fine salt2 tsp
Directions
- 1
Grind soaked rice, urad dal, poha and fenugreek into a smooth batter; rest 6-8 hours to ferment.
Batter is airy, slightly sour and doubles in volume. - 2
Heat oil, pop mustard seeds, add curry leaves, chili, ginger and onion; sauté until soft.
Mustard has popped and onions are translucent. - 3
Add mashed potato, turmeric and salt; mash together and cook 5 minutes.
Filling is dry enough to mound and smells of turmeric. - 4
Spread a thin ladle of batter on a hot griddle in a circular motion, drizzle ghee and cook until edges lift.
Dosa surface is pale gold and crispy at the edges. - 5
Spoon potato filling along the center, fold both sides over and serve hot with chutney.
Dosa is folded into a neat half-moon with filling visible inside.
Source: WorldBite Editorial · WorldBite Proprietary Editorial Content