Masala Dosa
Crispy fermented rice-lentil crepe filled with spiced potato masala.
Vegan
⚠ Contains: Mustard. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
How this varies: Udupi-style masala uses no onion or garlic at all (a Brahmin culinary tradition), relying purely on the dal tempering and green chili for flavor — a legitimate and very common variant, especially at Udupi/Karnataka-style restaurants.
Ingredients
- 3 cups dosa batter (rice and urad dal in 3:1 or 4:1 ratio, soaked separately, ground with 1 tsp fenugreek seeds and a pinch of salt, fermented 8-16 hours at room temperature until visibly risen and mildly sour — do not substitute baking soda for real fermentation)
- 4 potatoes, boiled and roughly crushed by hand (not smooth-mashed)
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 1 tsp chana dal
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1/4 tsp hing (asafoetida)
- 1 green chili, chopped
- 1 tsp ginger, minced
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp oil (ideally including a little coconut oil)
- Cilantro, to garnish
- Coconut chutney and sambar, to serve
Steps
- Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and let them splutter, then add urad dal and chana dal, frying until golden.
- Add hing, curry leaves, and green chili; sizzle a few seconds.
- Add onion and ginger, saute until translucent.
- Add turmeric and crushed potatoes, along with a splash of water; mix well, season with salt, and warm through 3-4 minutes so it stays a soft, slightly moist mash rather than dry crumbles.
- Heat a well-seasoned flat griddle (cast iron or heavy nonstick) until hot. Pour a ladle of batter in the center and spread outward in one continuous spiral motion into a thin circle.
- Drizzle oil/ghee around the edges, cook until the underside is crisp and golden with lacy edges — traditionally cooked on one side only.
- Place a portion of potato masala on one side, fold dosa over.
- Serve immediately with coconut chutney and sambar.