Onion Masala Dosa Recipe

Soak

Rinse rice in several changes of water until water runs mostly clear. Combine the rice and poha (if using) in a bowl. In a separate small bowl, rinse the urad dal and soak it with fenugreek seeds. Cover both bowls and soak for 4–6 hours or overnight.

Grind

Drain the soaked urad dal and reserve soaking water. Drain rice and poha and reserve water separately. First grind urad dal with a little reserved water in a wet grinder or high-speed blender until a smooth, fluffy batter forms (about 6–8 minutes in a wet grinder). Transfer to a large bowl. Next grind rice (and poha) with water into a slightly grainy but smooth batter. Combine both batters in the large bowl; the final consistency should be spoonable — like heavy cream. Add salt and mix thoroughly.

Ferment

Cover the bowl and leave in a warm place to ferment for 8–12 hours (longer in cool climates). The batter should increase in volume and become slightly bubbly and sour. After fermentation, gently fold the batter. If too thick, thin with a few tablespoons of water; it should spread easily on a pan. Stir in 1 tablespoon oil into the batter to help crisp the dosa later.

Prepare potatoes

Boil the potato until tender (20–25 minutes) if not pre-cooked. Drain, peel and roughly cube or mash coarsely. Set aside.

Temper spices

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium heat. When hot, add mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add cumin seeds, urad dal and chana dal. Fry until the dals turn golden (30–60 seconds). Add curry leaves and sauté for 10 seconds.

Cook onions

Add the thinly sliced onions, salt (0.75 tsp), chopped green chilies and grated ginger. Sauté on medium-high heat until onions soften and begin to caramelize, about 6–8 minutes. Stir frequently so they brown evenly.

Spice and combine

Lower heat to medium. Add turmeric, red chili powder and coriander powder. Stir for 30 seconds until aromatic. Add the cooked potatoes and mix well, breaking up larger potato pieces so the filling binds together. Cook for 2–3 minutes so flavors meld. Taste and adjust salt and spices.

Finish masala

Turn off heat. Stir in chopped cilantro and lemon juice. Keep the masala warm while you make dosas. If the mixture seems dry, sprinkle 1–2 teaspoons water and fold to moisten.

Heat pan

Preheat a nonstick or cast-iron tawa/griddle on medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles and evaporates on contact. Reduce heat to medium. Wipe the surface with a lightly oiled cloth or paper to create a thin oil film.

Spread dosa

Stir the fermented batter gently. Pour a ladleful (about 3/4 cup) of batter in the center of the pan and quickly spread it outward in a circular motion with the back of the ladle to form a thin circle (~8–10 inches). If batter is too thick to spread, add 1–2 tbsp water to the batter and mix.

Cook dosa

Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon oil or ghee around the edges and a few drops on the surface. Cook on medium heat until the underside is golden brown and edges lift easily, about 2–3 minutes. Do not flip for a traditional thin dosa; for a slightly thicker dosa, you may flip once and cook 30–60 seconds more.

Add onion masala and fold

Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of the warm onion masala onto one half of the dosa. Spread gently and fold the dosa over the filling or roll it. Press lightly on the folded dosa for a few seconds so it seals.

Serve

Slide the assembled dosa onto a plate. Repeat with remaining batter, stirring the batter between dosas to keep it aerated. Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar.