Masala dosa is a delicious and popular breakfast dish from South India. It consists of a crispy rice and lentil crepe (dosa) stuffed with a spicy potato curry (masala). It is usually served with coconut chutney and sambar, a lentil and vegetable stew. Masala dosa is a wholesome and satisfying meal that can be enjoyed any time of the day.
To make masala dosa, you need to prepare three components: the dosa batter, the potato masala, and the accompaniments. Here are the ingredients and step by step procedure for each component.
Dosa batter:
- 2 cups rice (preferably parboiled)
- 1/2 cup black gram (dhuli urad) (split and husked)
- 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 2 tsp salt
- Oil (for cooking dosas)
Procedure:
- Wash and soak the rice, black gram, and fenugreek seeds in separate bowls for 4 to 5 hours.
- Drain the water and grind the rice, black gram, and fenugreek seeds separately in a blender or wet grinder, adding water as needed to make a smooth paste.
- Transfer the ground rice, black gram, and fenugreek seeds to a large bowl and mix well. Add salt and adjust the consistency by adding water if needed. The batter should be thick but pourable.
- Cover the bowl with a lid and let it ferment in a warm place for 8 to 12 hours or overnight. The batter will rise and become bubbly when fermented.
- Mix the batter well before using. You can store the leftover batter in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Potato masala:
- 2 large boiled potatoes, peeled and mashed
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 sprig of curry leaves
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp split black chickpeas (chana dal)
- 1 tbsp ghee or regular butter
- Salt to taste
Procedure:
- In a medium skillet, heat ghee or butter over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, chana dal, and a pinch of salt and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add the turmeric powder and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add the mashed potatoes and mix well with the seasonings. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust the salt if needed.
- Turn off the heat and keep the potato masala warm until ready to use.
Accompaniments:
- Coconut chutney: Grind together 1 cup grated coconut, 2 green chilies, a small piece of ginger, a handful of fresh coriander leaves, salt, and water to make a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl and temper with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and dried red chilies fried in oil.
- Sambar: Pressure cook 1/2 cup tuvar dal (split pigeon peas) with water, salt, turmeric powder, and a pinch of asafoetida until soft. Mash the dal lightly and keep aside. In a large pot, heat oil and fry some mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, dried red chilies, asafoetida, and sambar powder. Add chopped onion, tomato, drumstick, carrot, okra, tamarind pulp, jaggery, salt, and water and bring to a boil. Simmer until the vegetables are cooked. Add the cooked dal and mix well. Adjust the consistency and seasoning as per your preference. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
Making masala dosa:
- Heat a non-stick or cast iron griddle over medium-high heat. Grease it lightly with oil using a paper towel or an onion half.
- Pour a ladleful of batter on the griddle and spread it quickly in a circular motion to make a thin crepe.
- Drizzle some oil around the edges of the dosa and cook until golden and crisp on one side. Flip it over and cook for another minute on the other side.
- Place some potato masala on one half of the dosa and fold it over to cover it. Alternatively, you can roll it like a wrap or make a cone shape.
- Transfer the masala dosa to a plate and serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar.
- Repeat with the remaining batter and potato masala.
Enjoy your homemade South Indian masala dosa.
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