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masala dosa are a traditional South Indian savory pancake with a spiced potato filling. Light and crisp, they're a delicious snack or lunch. Gluten free, vegetarian & vegan.
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5 from 3 votes

Masala dosa

These might take a little advanced preparation, but the result is a deliciously crisp pancake and gently spiced filling.
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Brunch
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4 -5 pancakes
Calories: 255kcal
Author: Caroline's Cooking
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Ingredients

  • ¾ cup rice (white, short grain or basmati best)
  • ¼ cup urud dal/black lentils husked/split
  • ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • ¾ lb potatoes 340g
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ onion
  • 2 cloves garlic , crushed or grated
  • 1 teaspoon ginger , grated (approx ½in/1cm piece)
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

The day before

  • The day before you plan to have these, rinse the rice then leave it to soak in 1 ½cups/360ml of water. Rinse the lentils and fenugreek and cover them with water in a separate bowl. Leave both to soak for approx 3-4 hours.
  • After soaking, drain and rinse the rice then put it in a food processor or blender with ⅓cup/80ml water and grind until smooth. Transfer to a bowl then rinse the lentils and fenugreek and grind them until smooth with 1tbsp water as well. Mix the two together, cover with a cloth and leave for 8hours/ overnight to ferment. After it has fermented, if you don't need/want to use it straight away, you can store in the fridge, covered, for around 5 days. You may need to thin the mixture slightly before cooking.
  • Peel and dice the potatoes into bite-sized pieces and boil until tender. Drain and set aside (this can also be done ahead).

As you are ready to cook

  • Warm the oil in a skillet/frying pan and add the cumin and mustard seeds. Cook them a minute until they start to pop. Meanwhile, finely dice the onion then add it to the pan. Cook for approx 5min until starting to soften.
  • Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric and red pepper flakes. Stir and cook a minute then add the potatoes. Cook for another minute or two, adding a little more oil if needed if it's sticking, then set aside.
  • To cook the dosas, warm a little oil in a medium-large skillet or griddle and ensure the oil covers the pan. Drop approx ¼cup/60ml of the mixture into the pan and quickly spread it out into a thin layer with the back of a spoon/ladle - it's often easier in a circular motion - trying to avoid having thick areas. Cook until the dosa is starting to brown around the edges.
  • Loosen the dosa with a spatula from the bottom of the pan and spoon a couple spoonfuls of the potato mixture in the middle of the dosa, fold in the sides and warm a minute then serve. Repeat with the remaining mixture.

Notes

Note- you'll need to start preparation the day before.

Nutrition

Calories: 255kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 411mg | Fiber: 5g | Vitamin A: 35IU | Vitamin C: 11.7mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 4.4mg