Masala Dosa


Needless to say, Dosa is a famous breakfast classic of South India. There are a thousand new variations to the basic crepe made of rice and lentil. I will start with the basic recipe, and all week long, try out other variations. You will need to make the aloo palya and tomato chutney for the filling.

What I used:  Makes nearly 6 cups of thick batter, each cup yielding 3/4 dosas.
1 cup urad dhal
3 cups raw rice
1tsp methi seeds (fenugreek)
2 tsp avalakki (beaten rice) – added to get crisp crepes
¼ cup toor dal – added to get a golden colored dosa
1/2 tsp salt 

Wash and soak all these together in ample water for 4 to 6 hours. In a blender, grind them to a fine consistency. Add in a little salt, give it a good stir. Cover it, and let it ferment overnight in a warm place. I keep it in the oven. The warmth of cooking above, on the stove top does the trick. You may also on the light in the oven, overnight, with gives adequate warmth.
 
The fermented batter would have literally doubled. The smell of fermentation will tell you the job is done. It is the key to a great golden crepe. Stir/beat it back to original volume. Set aside.  Prepare the spicy potato filing/  aloo palya and tomato chutney for the filling.


First heat and prep a pancake/dosa pan. Cut an onion into half horizontally. Dip it in a little oil. Smear it on a hot pan just before you pour the batter on it. Take a comfortable ladle and pour one scoopful of batter on the hot pan. Gently, in a circular motion spread out the batter to form a thin crepe. Moisten the edges of the dosa with a little oil. Let it cook to a light brown. 

Add a tsp of chutney to form an orange circle on the dosa. Then, add a spoonful of aloo filling. Cover the dosa with a lid, so the steam cooks the top of the dosa too. 

Lift the edge to see the color of the crepe, if it has turned golden brown; gently turn one edge of the dosa on the filling, then the other edge, to make a roll. Serve hot with a dollop of butter, and some chutney/filling on the side. 


The good thing about this batter is that you can let your imagination run wild with the basic batter. It can be stored in the refrigerator for a week. This breakfast will have you dozing in no time. It will make a great Sunday brunch!