Masala Dosa Recipe

Instructions

1. 1

   Put urad dal, chana dal, and methi seeds in a large bowl. Rinse them well several times, then add plenty of fresh water. In another large bowl, add the rice, wash it well a few times, and cover it with plenty of fresh water.

   
2. 2

   Soak both the dal mixture and rice for 4 to 5 hours. About 30 minutes before preparing the batter, rinse the poha twice and add enough water to cover it completely. Let the poha soak for 30 minutes.
3. 3

   Drain all the water from the soaked dal and transfer the dal to a blender jar along with the soaked poha.
4. 4

   Add 1¼ cups of water and salt to the blender. If you live in a hot climate, do not add the salt at this stage; add it after the batter has fermented.
5. 5

   Blend everything until you get a thick, smooth, and fluffy batter. Make sure the blender does not become hot or overloaded while blending. Stop for a short break in between if needed, then continue blending.
6. 6

   Pour the blended dal batter into the same bowl in which you soaked the dal.

   
7. 7

   Drain the rice completely and put it into the blender jar with ½ cup of water. Blend the rice until it is smooth or slightly coarse, depending on your preference. I prefer a slightly coarse batter with a texture similar to fine semolina. If required, add the remaining ¼ cup of water while blending. Use up to the full 2 cups of water mentioned in the recipe as needed.
8. 8

   Add the rice batter to the dal batter and mix both well. The final batter should have the right consistency for making dosa, as shown in the recipe photos or video.
9. 9

   Divide the batter between two large bowls if you want to use it on two different days. Cover the bowls properly.
10. 10

    Keep the masala dosa batter in a warm place and let it ferment for about 6 to 16 hours, depending on the weather. The batter should rise and become slightly fluffy. Be careful not to ferment it for too long.
11. 11

    If the weather is cold, heat the oven at 60°C or 140°F for 10 minutes, then place the covered batter inside with the oven light switched on. Another option is to use the yogurt setting on an Instant Pot for fermentation.
12. 12

    Boil or steam the potatoes until they are just cooked. Avoid cooking them until they become very soft and mushy.
13. 13

    If using an Instant Pot, pressure cook small potatoes for 5 minutes, medium potatoes for 6 to 7 minutes, and large potatoes for about 10 minutes.
14. 14

    If using a regular pressure cooker, peel and cut the potatoes into pieces, then place them in a bowl and add enough water to partially cover them. Put the bowl inside the pressure cooker and cook for three whistles.
15. 15

    While the potatoes are cooking, soak 1 teaspoon each of chana dal and urad dal in a small amount of hot water to soften them. After 30 minutes, drain the water and keep the soaked dals aside. Once the pressure from the cooker is released, take out the potatoes.
16. 16

    Heat oil in a pan, then add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, chana dal, and urad dal. Stir-fry them until the dals become golden brown.
17. 17

    Add the onions, curry leaves, and green chilies to the pan. Fry everything until the onions become lightly golden.
18. 18

    Add hing and ginger, then fry until the ginger releases its aroma.
19. 19

    Crumble the cooked potatoes and add them to the pan. Add turmeric, salt, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of water. Do not add water if the potatoes are already very moist or slightly mushy.

    
20. 20

    Cook and stir the potato mixture for 2 to 3 minutes. Add chopped coriander leaves, taste it, and add more salt if needed. Keep the potato filling aside.
21. 21

    Add a little water to the fermented batter and adjust its consistency. It should be thick enough to pour but easy enough to spread on the pan.
22. 22

    Heat a dosa tawa over medium heat. If you are using a cast-iron pan, drizzle a few drops of oil when it becomes slightly hot. Take a piece of onion, make a cut in it, insert a fork or butter knife, and rub the onion all over the pan to spread the oil. You can also season a cast-iron tawa the night before using it.
23. 23

    To check whether a cast-iron pan is hot enough, sprinkle a little water on it. The water should sizzle and disappear quickly. Use this water test only with a cast-iron pan and never try it on a non-stick pan.
24. 24

    Once the tawa is hot, stir the batter once and take one full ladle of batter. Pour it into the center of the hot tawa.
25. 25

    Immediately spread the batter in circles, starting from the center and moving your hand clockwise toward the edges of the pan. Continue making circular movements until the batter is evenly spread.
26. 26

    Make the dosa as thick or thin as you like. If the batter does not spread easily, it may be too thick or the tawa may be too hot. Check the troubleshooting instructions if needed.
27. 27

    Drizzle about ½ teaspoon of oil around the edges and a little over the dosa. You can also use about ¼ teaspoon of soft butter instead of oil.
28. 28

    Cook the masala dosa over medium heat. After a few minutes, the edges will begin to come away from the pan. Flip the dosa and cook the other side for about 1 minute.
29. 29

    Turn the dosa over again and cook until the bottom becomes golden and crisp. For Mysore masala dosa, spread the red chutney over the dosa as desired. Put some potato filling on one half, then fold or roll the dosa.

    
30. 30

    For the next dosa, repeat the onion-rubbing process if you are using a cast-iron tawa. Make sure the tawa is hot but not extremely hot, or the dosa may burn. Avoid cooking the dosa over low heat because this can make it hard. Serve the crispy masala dosa hot with coconut chutney and tiffin sambar.