Crisp Masala Dosa with Spiced Potato and Tomato Chutney
Inspired by techniques from NYT Cooking and Food Network Kitchen.
A fermented rice and urad dal batter spread thin and crisped on one side, rolled around spiced potato masala, served with a tangy tomato chutney and yoghurt.
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Method
- 1
Soak. Rinse the rice and cover with 1 litre cold water. Rinse the dal and fenugreek together and cover with cold water. Leave both to soak for 4-6 h.
- 2
Grind. Drain separately. Blend the rice with 240 ml cold water to a smooth paste, about 10 min in batches. Blend the dal and fenugreek with a little water until fluffy and smooth. Grinding the dal separately whips air into it, which helps the batter rise.
- 3
Ferment. Whisk both pastes together in the large bowl with enough water to make a thick pancake batter, about 1.4 litres in all. Cover with the towel and leave somewhere warm for 8-12 h until bubbly and risen. Stir in the batter salt. Fermentation gives the dosa its light texture and gentle sourness.
- 4
Make the chutney. Heat the oil in the saucepan over medium-high heat and add the mustard seeds; when they pop, add the urad dal and chilli flakes for about 1 min until the dal is golden. Add the garlic until it just sizzles, then the tomatoes, turmeric and salt, and simmer for about 15 min until thick. Stir in the jaggery and tamarind and cook for 4-5 min more. Leave to cool.
- 5
Make the potato filling. Heat the ghee in the wide pan over medium heat and add the mustard and cumin seeds. When they pop, add the dried chillies and onion and cook for about 5 min until soft. Add the turmeric, asafoetida, ginger, curry leaves, garlic and green chillies for 1 min. Add the potatoes and water and cook, stirring, for about 5 min until the liquid has gone. Mash lightly, then stir in the salt and coriander.
- 6
Cook the dosas. Heat the griddle over medium heat and wipe it with a little oil on kitchen paper. Pour 60 ml batter into the middle and at once spread it outwards in a spiral with the back of the ladle to about 20 cm. Drizzle 1/2 tsp oil around the edge and cook on one side only for 2-3 min, until the edges dry and lift and the underside is crisp and brown.
- 7
Fill and serve. Spoon about 80 g filling in a line down the middle, fold the sides over to make a roll and serve at once with the chutney and yoghurt. Wipe the pan with the oiled paper and repeat with the rest of the batter.
Storage
Batter keeps refrigerated up to a week and filling up to 2 days. Dosas are best cooked to order; reheat filling until piping hot (74 °C). Chutney keeps refrigerated up to 2 weeks. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- 2 bowls for soaking
- sieve
- blender
- large mixing bowl
- tea towel
- wide frying pan
- medium saucepan
- 25-28 cm cast-iron or non-stick frying pan or flat griddle
- ladle
- thin metal spatula
- kitchen paper
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 542 kcal |
| Protein | 12.3 g |
| Carbohydrate | 79.1 g |
| of which sugars | 7 g |
| of which free sugars | 1.3 g |
| Fat | 20.3 g |
| of which saturates | 5.9 g |
| Fibre | 8.1 g |
| Salt | 2.22 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
2.3 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
