Masala Dosa
Fermented rice-and-urad crepe stuffed with spiced potatoes; eat with sambar and chutney.
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Join HomecookedIngredients
- 200 g White rice
- 70 g Urad dal (split black gram, skinned)
- ½ tsp Fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
- 500 g Potatoes
- 1 Onion
- ½ tsp Ground turmeric
- 4 tbsp Coconut oil
- 1½ tsp Salt
- 15 g Ginger (optional)
- 2 Green chili (optional)
- 1 tsp Brown mustard seeds (optional)
- 1 tbsp Chana dal (split chickpea) (optional)
- 1 sprig Curry leaves (optional)
- 1 pinch Asafoetida (hing) (optional)
- 2 tbsp Cilantro (optional)
Method
- Rinse the rice and urad dal separately, then soak each in cold water (add the fenugreek seeds to the rice bowl). Soak 6 hours.
- Drain the soaked rice and dal. Blend the urad dal first with a little fresh water to a fluffy paste, then the rice with water to a coarse-fine paste. Combine both batters with a good pinch of salt, mix by hand 1 minute, then cover and ferment in a warm spot 8-12 hours until risen and lightly bubbly.
- Boil the potatoes whole in their skins until fork-tender, about 18 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes, cool, peel, and crush coarsely.
- Slice the onion, mince the ginger, and slit the chilies.
- Heat a glug of coconut oil over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and wait for them to pop, about 15 seconds. Add the chana dal, a little urad dal, the curry leaves, and asafoetida, and sizzle until the dals turn golden, about 30 seconds.
- Add onion, ginger, chilies, turmeric, and a pinch of salt. Cook 6 minutes until onion is soft.
- Add the crushed potatoes with a splash of water. Mash and toss to combine into a soft filling. Off heat. Stir cilantro through.
- Heat the tawa over medium-high. Brush with a film of coconut oil. Ladle on the fermented batter and spread thin in a spiral.
- Cook 2 minutes until the edges lift and the underside is golden-crisp. Spoon some filling along the middle. Fold over.
- Slide onto a plate. Repeat for remaining dosas. Serve hot with sambar and chutney.
Nutrition per serving
Estimated from ingredients; varies with exact portions and brands.
About Masala Dosa
Masala dosa is the crown jewel of South Indian breakfasts, a large, crisp crepe made from a naturally fermented batter of rice and urad dal and folded around a spiced potato filling. The batter is the whole art of it: rice and skinned split black gram are soaked separately, ground, and combined with a pinch of fenugreek before being left to ferment for hours until it rises and turns lightly bubbly. That wild fermentation is what gives a true dosa its faint tang and its lacy, shatteringly crisp edges when spread thin on a hot griddle. Inside sits the potato masala, softened with a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, turmeric, and asafoetida.
What sets a proper masala dosa apart from a quick pancake is patience with the batter, since the long soak and 8-to-12-hour ferment build both the flavor and the texture that no shortcut can replicate. The potato filling is crushed rather than mashed smooth, so it stays rustic and holds its shape when wrapped in the crepe. Naturally vegan and rich in fiber, masala dosa is a dish to eat with your hands, tearing off pieces to scoop through the accompaniments. It is traditionally served with coconut chutney and a bowl of sambar, the tangy lentil-and-vegetable stew that completes the meal.
Equipment: blender, tawa.
Masala Dosa: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Masala Dosa?
One serving of Masala Dosa has about 483 calories, with 12g of protein, 73g of carbs, 17g of fat and 9g of fiber. These are estimates based on the ingredient amounts in this recipe and will vary with your exact portions and brands.
Is Masala Dosa gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Masala Dosa has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
How long does Masala Dosa take to make?
About 35 minutes start to finish, but only around 22 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Masala Dosa?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out ginger, green chili, brown mustard seeds — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Masala Dosa make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.