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Masala dosa, first of all, is one of the dosa varieties that is made of a thin, crunchy crepe that is made from a batter that has been naturally fermented and that consists of rice, urad dal, and methi seeds, and then it is filled with a mildly spicy potato-based masala. The batter is made by soaking, grinding, and fermenting to get the perfect flavor and lightness, and the filling is prepared by cooking the boiled potatoes by frying them with onions, spices, curry leaves, and green chilies. Follow my simple recipe to find out the steps for making masala dosa at your home.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Masala dosa is one of the most popular and widely enjoyed South Indian dishes.
It is best served hot with sambar, coconut chutney, dosa chutney, and tomato chutney.

The dish offers a perfect balance of crispiness on the outside and spicy and earthy potato filling inside.
Other similar recipes are plain dosa, rava dosa, and onion dosa.

The Ingredients:

For making the batter for dosa:

4 cups rice (any variety)
1 cup urad dal (without skin)
1 tbsp fenugreek seeds (methi)
Water as required
Salt to taste

For making the aloo masala:

4 pieces potatoes (medium size, boiled, peeled, mashed roughly)
2 tbsp cooking oil
¼ tsp asafetida (hing)
1 tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
2 pieces green chilies (finely chopped)
12 pieces curry leaves
½ cup onion (1 large size, finely sliced)
½ tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste

To fry the masala dosa:

Cooking oil – as much as required
Puri masala powder – as much as required

I stumbled on this masala dosa method ages back, visiting my aunt one summer. Cooking runs in her blood and she takes old ways seriously, especially when it comes to South Indian food. That dawn, she fired up the griddle early and the scent drifting through the house hooked me right away. As I stood beside her chopping onions, I kept my eyes locked on how she soaked lentils, blended them slowly, and let time do its work. She walked me through little things like how thick the batter should be, when to adjust the tawa’s heat, and more. Every detail went into my tiny notebook, scribbled beside her own kitchen secrets, so that I wouldn’t forget how she did it.

I recreated it that following weekend, cooking for my husband and our two boys. A touch shaky at first, dragging the batter across the pan still, it cracked just right, glowing amber at the edges. My husband nodded slowly, recognizing something real in the flavor, while the kids reached for more without being asked. Their empty plates coming back to the kitchen told me everything. Watching them eat like that stuck with me. Luck had a hand in leading me to this recipe – I know that – and every step learning it feels like a quiet gift.

How to Make Masala Dosa? (Step by Step Guide with Images)

Step 1: First, take 4 cups of rice (any variety) and 1 cup of urad dal (without skin), along with 1 tbsp of fenugreek seeds or methi in a bowl. Wash them very nicely and soak them in water. Cover and keep the bowl aside for at least 4 to 5 hours in water, if not overnight.

(Pro tip: The best way is to soak rice and dal in the morning, grind them in the evening and keep them aside overnight so that they are well-fermented by the next morning).

Step 2: Wash the soaked rice and dal nicely, transfer them into a mixer and add a little bit of water to it. Grind them to make a smooth batter. Check the batter in between. If you feel that there are grains in it, grind a couple of more times accordingly. It should have a smooth and dropping consistency.

(Pro tip: Do not add too much water while grinding the rice and dal. It will make the batter runny. The smoother the batter is with a dropping consistency, the easier it will be to spread it on the tawa).

Step 3: Now, transfer the batter to a deep-bottom container, cover it, and keep it aside for at least 12 hours more, if not overnight, to ferment properly. Check the batter in the morning. Mix it nicely once again. At this stage, the batter will be thick.

Step 4: Now, add water as required to make it slightly less thick. Then add salt to taste, and mix it nicely until the batter has a free-flowing consistency.

Step 5: Now, to make the aloo masala, heat 2 tbsp of cooking oil in a frying pan over a medium flame. When it is hot, put in ¼ tsp of asafetida (hing), 1 tsp of mustard seeds, and ½ tsp of cumin seeds, and sauté them for about 20 seconds or so. Then, add 2 pieces of finely chopped green chilies and about 12 pieces of curry leaves to it and fry them for another 20 seconds or so.

(Pro tip: Do not add coriander leaves to the masala as it will overpower the traditional flavor of curry leaves in masala dosa).

Step 6: Follow it up with ½ cup or 1 large size of finely sliced onions and sauté them nicely until the onions turn soft and translucent. Then, add ½ tsp of turmeric powder to it and mix well. Cook for about 30 seconds until the raw smell of turmeric powder is gone.

Step 7: Now, add 4 pieces of medium-sized, boiled, peeled, and roughly mashed potatoes to it along with salt to taste. Mix well and cook for about a minute or so over a medium flame. Remove it from the gas stove when done.

(Pro tip: Ensure that the potatoes are not finely mashed. Chunks of it add to the taste in every bite).

Step 8: Now, heat a non-stick tawa over a high flame. Put a little bit of cooking oil on it when hot and brush it over the surface with a tissue paper.

(Pro tip: Dosa is usually made on cast-iron tawa for the right texture, crispiness, and color of the base. To make it non-stick, additionally, insert the tip of a fork on the outside of half of a peeled onion and rub it on the surface of the tawa. You may also do it with your hand instead of using a fork. This will also help the dosa come out perfectly).

Step 9: Now, sprinkle a bit of water on the tawa. Rub it with the tissue paper. Turn the flame of the gas stove to low.

(Pro tip: This is a crucial step for making dosa. Water helps to determine the temperature and also reduces it if the tawa is too hot and prevents the dosa from burning at the bottom).

Step 10: Pour some batter in the middle of the tawa with a round ladle. Then, spread it by moving the bottom of the ladle in one direction, slowly and carefully.

Step 11: Now, turn the flame to high and put a bit of cooking oil or ghee (clarified butter) on the dosa surface and rub it with a spatula. Then, put a generous amount of the aloo masala on it along with a pinch of puri masala powder and let the base of the dosa cook nicely. Use a spatula to fold it carefully and remove when done.