Masala Dosa/Savory Rice-Lentil Crepe with Spicy Potato Filling

Crispy Masala Dosa is one of  the vegan dishes served with Sambar and some chutneys  nothing fancy but simple comforting and soul satisfying meal that we enjoy having it for lunch or dinner. Dosa, is a traditional South Indian breakfast staple that I didn't grow up having it. My lovely big sister started making perfect Dosa batter using her simple electronic mixer/grinder many moons back and the other accompaniments at home as she loved to explore regional food of India. My mother never had an electronic mixer like many households back then. My sister always made Dosa for Ma while she was vising her and would always send a big container full of Dosa batter for my brother and me to Ma on her way back home from her place. We loved it so much for having it for dinner. This is such an elaborate procedure, soaking, grinding and fermenting but my sister enjoys making it till these days. 

This South Indian delicacy made from a fermented batter of  rice and white lentil paste. Long time back manual stone grinder was used, then special electric wet stone grinder came out that made grinding process much easier. But many Indian households do not have this special wet grinder. Regular blender works good too that I learned from my sister. 

When I first made Dosa batter sometime in a hot summer day after moving to USA, it got wonderfully fermented without any complications. So I often made it and my friends complimented my Dosa that was accompanied by Sambar and coconut chutney. I continued making it for several years but then I just stopped because Dosa batter wasn't that perfect for unknown reasons. It didn't rise but got too sour, very wired. So I stopped. Kids also loves Dosa and we only ate at restaurants for a long time and once in a while I would buy batter from the store. Honestly I always missed making Dosa from scratch very much. 

Sambar

Then COVID-19 pandemic happened and shelter in place began in our state. It is still not over yet and we are following lock down rules to save ourselves and others. We learned things not to be taken for granted. Since we don't have outside food, I am making variety of food to satisfy my kids cravings. We haven't had Dosa for a long time; so I took the chance to make the batter again. To my surprise batter got perfectly fermented after such a long time. Now I make Dosa batter in big batches and freeze in small containers that I take out one at a time.  Dosa batter can be frozen for up to 2-3 months. It's super simple to thaw it and make Dosa. It’s far better than store bought one. Using same batter I make Idli, Uttapam and Paniyaram. Recipes are coming up soon. 

Perfect Dosa batter needs the certain type of rice, the proportion of the lentil and rice, proper fermentation and batter consistency. I use Idli rice but any non aromatic rice except sticky rice would be fine too. Soaking rice and white lentil for 6-8 hours prior to grinding in hot summer days helps fermenting the batter very well.  It takes much faster to ferment during hot summer days. Adding little fenugreek seeds helps the batter ferment too and adds flavor to the batter. The consistency of the batter must be thick. There are different ratios and I am happy with 3:1 rice and white lentil with the addition of some beaten rice. 

Finally, follow some steps to make perfect crispy Dosa. Use seasoned cast iron griddle. The temperature of the griddle must be very very hot and after dropping some water it will sizzle. Then rub some oil and wipe with a paper towel. The pan must look very dry, not greasy. 

Masala Dosa served with potato curry, Sambar and Chutneys can be made in advance. I love to use sambar powder to the potato filling to enhance the authentic Masala Dosa flavor. I do add roasted peanuts and chopped fresh coconuts but it's optional. Here is my take on the Dosa and other accompaniments. 

Green Coconut Chutney:
1/2 cup grated coconut
1/4 cup dry roasted hulled black chickpeas
1/2 cup coriander, mint and curry leaves
1/4 tsp salt or to taste
1 1/4  tsp lemon juice or to taste
1 fresh chili
1 1/2 tsp oil
1 pinch hing
1/8 tsp black mustard
1 dry red chili
2 curry leaves

Method~Place first four ingredients in a blender and blend it to a smooth paste. Add water as needed. Add lemon juice and salt at the end. Mix well. Taste and adjust salt ,sour and spiciness as required. Heat oil on high flame. Temper mustard seeds, let mustard seeds splutter, then add  hing, dry chili and curry leaves. After a few seconds pour over the chutney. 

Tomato Garlic Chutney:
1/2 lb. ripe tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp minced ginger 
5-6 red hot fresh chilies
1/4  tsp lemon juice or to taste
1/4 tsp salt or to taste
1/8 tsp turmeric
2 tsp + 1 1/2 tsp oil
1 pinch hing
1/8 tsp black mustard
1 dry red chili
2 curry leaves

Method~Heat 2 tsp. oil on high flame in a medium pan. Saute tomato, onion, garlic, ginger,  chilies, lemon juice with salt and turmeric for 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook for 6-8 minutes covering the pan. Tomato mixture will be mushy and thick. Turn off the heat and let it cool for awhile. Blend it to a smooth paste. Taste and adjust salt, spice and sourness. Heat remaining oil on high flame. temper mustard seeds, let mustard seeds splutter , then add  hing, dry chili and curry leaves. After a few seconds pour over the chutney. 

Coconut Peanut Chutney:
1/2 cup grated coconut
1/4 cup roasted peanut
1/4 cup dry roasted hulled black chickpeas
1 fresh chili

1/4 tsp salt or to taste

1 1/4  tsp lemon juice or to taste
1 1/2 tsp oil
1 pinch hing
1/8 tsp black mustard
1 dry red chili
2 curry leaves

Method~Place first four ingredients in a blender and blend it to a smooth paste. Add water as needed. Add lemon juice and salt at the end. Mix well. Taste and adjust salt ,sour and spiciness as required. Heat oil on high flame. Temper mustard seeds,  let mustard seeds splutter, then add  hing, dry chili and curry leaves. After a few seconds pour over the chutney. 

Potato filling:

5 cups white or yellow potato, boiled, peeled and cubed

1/4 cup chopped coconuts

2 tbsp chopped coconut

1 tsp minced ginger

1 cup chopped red onion

4 fresh hot chilies, slightly slit

1/4 cup raw peanuts

1 tbsp whole Bengal gram

4 tablespoons oil

1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1 tsp sambar powder

 A pinch of asafetida

A fist full of curry leaves

1/4 cup water

Method~

Heat oil over medium heat. Fry peanuts until golden brown and set aside.Temper Whole Bengal gram, mustard seeds and curry leaves, then fry chopped coconuts until just light brown in color. Add in onion and ginger and saute onions until bit softened for about 4-5 minutes. Add potatoes and saute for a couple of minutes. Add salt, turmeric, asafoetida, sambar powder and green chilies and fried peanuts. Gently stir to coat potato and spice mixture. Keep stirring until it looks well combined. Pour 1/4 cup water and stir for a couple of minutes. You can slightly mash it if desired. Taste and adjust seasoning. 

 

For the Dosa battter~

1 1/2 cups Idli rice

1/2 cup Urad dal/white lentil  

1/4 cup beaten rice/poha-

1/4 tsp methi seeds 

1/3 tsp pink salt      

Method~

Wash all the ingredients separately 3-4 times. Soak rice, urad dal and poha mixed with fenugreek seeds separately with just enough water for 6-8 hours(longer is better). Drain water and reserve it. First grind urad dal and poha to a fine paste adding little by little soaked water. Transfer it to a bowl that is bigger than the quantity of batter because it will rise during fermentation, then grind rice to little course consistency. Mix the batter with a spatula. Do not add extra water and refrigerate reserved water. Keep the bowl in a warm place to ferment well for 10-12 hours. After nice fermentation add reserved water just to make medium thin consistency and give it a good stir. Leave enough batter outside for making Dosa and refrigerate rest of the batter in a covered container. Freeze it up to 3 months. Adjust the consistency by adding water as needed.

Heat a seasoned cast iron griddle/pan on high heat. To check the griddle's hotness, drop some water on the pan. It will sizzle. Lightly rub the pan with oil, then wipe with a wet paper towel. If  the pan is greasy it will be difficult to spread the batter. Pour a ladle full of batter(depending on the size of the pan) in the center of the pan. Spread the batter with the ladle in circular motion quickly. Reduce heat to medium-high. Drizzle oil on the Dosa. Let the Dosa bottom get light-golden brown and crispy for about a couple of minutes. No need to cook Dosa both sides. Dosa will easily lift off the pan by scraping with spatula. Spread potato filling in the center of the Dosa and fold it from both sides using the spatula or simply roll cooked Dosa and serve potato filling on the side. For the next Dosa, rub a wet paper towel on the pan. Don't rub oil. Make Dosa one at a time and and serve immediately. You can make around 10 to 12 Dosa(depending on how big or small you wish to make) with this amount of the batter.

Happy Cooking!