During the school summer holidays, my mother took us to the Byculla zoo in Mumbai. On our way back home, we walked by a Udipi restaurant. I would crave for a masala dosa, silently pray that she steps in the restaurant and treat us. Some times she did and we ate to our heart content. Though I am much older now, my love for dosa has not diminished. A thin crispy dosa is what I always look forward to eating first on my vacation in India. In December 2019, we stayed at T24 Residency Hotel at Marol, Mumbai. Their breakfast buffet included dosas with a variety of fillings. I preferred the one with paneer and decided to replicate it. The outcome was delicious and satisfying. Enjoyed by the family too!!!
Dosa is the staple food of the south Indian cuisine, popular throughout the country and globally. Listed among the world's 50 most delicious food. Basically, made with a batter of rice and urad dal, stuffed with either potatoes, paneer, mushrooms, mixed vegetables, cheese, chicken or indo-chinese fillings. Served accompanied with chutney and sambar. Though dosa is a breakfast item, it can be eaten any time throughout the day. The crispy outer crepe with the spicy filling is a perfect combination, hitting the right spot. Easy to make at home with your favourite stuffing.
Dosa is the staple food of the south Indian cuisine, popular throughout the country and globally. Listed among the world's 50 most delicious food. Basically, made with a batter of rice and urad dal, stuffed with either potatoes, paneer, mushrooms, mixed vegetables, cheese, chicken or indo-chinese fillings. Served accompanied with chutney and sambar. Though dosa is a breakfast item, it can be eaten any time throughout the day. The crispy outer crepe with the spicy filling is a perfect combination, hitting the right spot. Easy to make at home with your favourite stuffing.
Paneer Filling
White Chutney
Potato Filling
Buttermilk
 Before fermentation |  After fermentation |
 Water sprinkled on tawa   Cut from edge to centre  Paneer Filling |  Bottom of dosa browning   Rolled into a cone  Dosa folded over filling |
Masala Dosa
(Yields 16)
Batter
Ingredients:
2 cups sona masoori rice
1 cup urad dal
1 teaspoon methi (fenugreek seeds)
2 tablespoons chana dal
salt
You will need oil for drizzling on the dosas
Method:
In the afternoon, wash rice and soak in water for 6 to 8 hours.
Rinse the urad dal well, soak in water with methi and chana dal for 6 to 8 hours. Drain out the water after the soaking time and grind with some fresh water to a smooth paste. Transfer into a deep bowl.
Discard the water from the soaked rice and blend with some fresh water to a slight coarse texture. Mix well with the ground dal, cover and set aside to ferment overnight.
Next day, the batter should have a mass of tiny bubbles. Add salt and stir lightly not vigorously. It should have a pouring consistency (not too thick or thin).
Heat the tawa on medium flame. Sprinkle a few drops of water. If it sizzles, the tawa is ready for use.
Pour a ladleful of batter over the tawa and spread outwards in a continuous spiral motion. Do it lightly not forcefully with too much pressure. I used a katori (small steel container with a round base) to pour the batter and spread it around. Let the dosa cook for few seconds to get rid of any moisture. Then drizzle some oil all over the dosa and around the edges.
Increase the heat and you will see from the top that the bottom is turning to golden brown in colour.
Spoon some potato or paneer filling and fold one side of the dosa to enclose it.
Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar.
Repeat the above to make more dosas with rest of the batter.
To prepare a cone shaped dosa, spread a ladle of batter and drizzle some oil as above. Once you notice the bottom browning, use kitchen shears to cut the dosa from the edge to the centre. Just lift the dosa slightly with your left hand and make a slit. Roll the dosa in a shape of a cone. Note: Do not use a pizza cutter or knife, it will ruin the tawa.
Note:
- Sprinkle water before making each dosa to prevent the tawa from overheating.
- Leftover batter can be refrigerated for a couple of days.
- If dosa sticks to the tawa, rub the pan with a halved potato or onion dipped in oil. This will prevent the dosa from sticking.
- I tried making dosa with idli rice, but prefer the ones with sona masoori rice. The latter were crispy, soft and perfect. No need of adding poha (beaten rice) as some do in the batter.
- Chana dal imparts a lovely golden colour, while fenugreek seeds aids in fermentation and flavouring the batter.
Paneer Filling
Ingredients:
1/2 kg paneer
1 large onions (chopped)
2 long green chillies (chopped)
4 large cloves of garlic (chopped)
1/2-inch ginger (grated)
1 large tomato (chopped)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
few coriander leaves
2 tablespoons oil
salt
Method:
Cut the paneer into cubes and grind coarsely in a food processor. Alternatively, paneer can be grated using a hand or box grater.
Heat oil in the pan, saute onion, garlic and ginger. When soft, stir in green chillies and tomato, cook until pulpy. Add the spice powders and fry well. Then, mix in the paneer and salt.
Cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
Note:
- If desired, add garam masala powder or even a dash of lime juice.
Potato Filling
Ingredients:
6 large potatoes
2 onions (sliced)
2 green chillies (slit)
1 tomato (chopped)
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 sprig of curry leaves
1 teaspoon urad dal
1 teaspoon chana dal
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
a dash of lemon juice
handful coriander leaves (chopped)
2 tablespoons oil
salt
Method:
Pressure cook potatoes with salt for two whistles or until tender. Peel and cut into cubes.
Soak urad dal and chana dal for 10 minutes.
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds along with urad dal, chana dal and curry leaves. When the seeds start to splutter, add the onions and saute till soft. Take the time to soften the onions well adding some salt. Then add green chillies and tomato. When tomato is pulpy, add turmeric powder, potatoes and check for seasoning. Stir and cook on low heat. Add a dash of lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves.
White Chutney
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh grated coconut
1/4 cup roasted chana dal (dalia split - store bought)
4 long green chillies
2 large cloves of garlic
3 tablespoons curds
salt
Method:
Blend the above ingredients together. Avoid adding water. If required, add extra curds while grinding.
Temper in 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds and a sprig of curry leaves. Add tempering to the chutney.
Serve chutney with the crispy dosa.
