Masala dosa recipe with step by step photos. Masala dosa is crispy rice & lentil crepes that are stuffed with a spiced and savory potato filling.
It is made by soaking and grinding lentils and rice batter. This ground batter is then fermented overnight to give the dosa its characteristic soft and crispy texture.
This masala dosa recipe will give you a restaurant-style or hotel style masala dosa, where the dosa is crisp and served with delicious potato masala. The recipe post shares both the method of preparing batter as well as the savory potato filling.
Masala dosa is a famous South Indian tiffin snack popular not only in India but outside India too. Masala dosa is on the menu list of many North Indian restaurants too. Though making masala dosa is a long process, but its worth it.
Tips for making best masala dosa
1. To prepare this hotel style masala dosa, I have used idli-dosa rice. You can also use parboiled rice. In case you do not have idli rice or dosa rice, use any short grained rice like sona masuri. Even using regular rice like sona masuri or parmal rice gives crisp dosas.
2. Addition of thick poha (flattened rice) makes the dosa crisp and also makes it soft. So you get a crisp texture outside with a nice soft texture inside. I always add some thick poha to get this texture in masala dosa. Poha also helps in giving a golden color to the dosa.
3. Some chana dal is also added to make the dosa crisp and it gives a nice golden crust.
4. Methi seeds are added to aid the fermentation process. Methi seeds also give a nice taste to the masala dosa.
5. The proportion I use is 3:1 of the rice and lentils for making crisp dosas. In this masala dosa recipe I have used 1.5 cups dosa rice with ½ cup of urad dal. These recipe proportions yield crisp masala dosa, but one which is still soft. I use the same recipe proportions to make Ghee roast dosa.
6. The potato masala recipe shared here is truly restaurant style and tastes delicious with dosa. This potato masala or potato sabzi recipe is the way I make it. I add a lot of onions that impart a subtle sweet taste to the potato masala. Some soaked chana dal is also added. The taste of the potato masala is similar to the ones we get in hotels.
7. To get golden crisp dosa, the pan should be hot. But the flip side is that if the pan is very hot, then you cannot spread the batter nicely. Either sprinkle water on the pan and then wipe it. This brings down the temperature of the pan. Do this method on a cast iron pan. Don’t do this on a nonstick pan. It might affect the nonstick coating. Or you can heat the pan first, then reduce the flame to a low. Then spread the batter. Increase the flame to medium and then cook the dosa.
8. Also if using a nonstick pan than as soon as one dosa is done, reduce the flame. Spread the batter on the pan. Now increase the flame and let the dosa cook.
9. The batter has to be fermented well. if you live in a cold region, then keep the batter in a warm place or keep the batter for more time to ferment well.
The regular masala dosa is the dosa served with potato masala with a side of sambar and coconut chutney.
However, in a regular masala dosa, many changes can be made. E.g in the potato stuffing you can add vegetables like carrots, peas, cauliflower, green beans and make a vegetable masala dosa.
Add some grated paneer and you get paneer masala dosa. So many variations can be made in a basic masala dosa. You could use butter or ghee instead of oil. The leftover batter can always be refrigerated and used when required.
I have divided the entire hotel style masala dosa post into three steps So that it is easy to understand and follow:
- Making batter
- Making potato masala
- Making masala dosa
How to make Hotel Style Masala Dosa
A) making masala dosa batter
1. First take all the ingredients in three bowls:
- 1.5 cups idli rice or parboiled rice in one bowl
- ½ cup urad dal + 1 tablespoon chana dal + 20 methi seeds (fenugreek seeds) in a second bowl
- ⅓ cup thick poha (flattened rice) in a third bowl.
2. Rinse the lentils and methi seeds a couple of times. Then soak them in 1 cup water for 4 to 5 hours.
3. Rinse the rice a couple of times and keep aside.
4. Rinse poha once or twice and then add to the rice.
5. Pour 2 cups water. Stir and soak both rice and poha together for 4 to 5 hours.
6. Before grinding, strain the water from the soaked lentils+methi seeds and keep it for grinding urad dal.
7. Add the lentils in the grinder jar. Also add ½ cup of the soaked and strained water to the dal.
8. Grind the urad dal, chana dal and methi seeds till you get a batter which is light and fluffy. The urad dal has to be ground really well, so that the batter ferments well.
9. Remove the batter in a bowl or pan with a spatula. Here is a pic showing the consistency of the batter.
10. Strain the rice well. Then in the same grinder, add the soaked rice and 1 cup fresh water. You can grind rice in one batch or in two to three batches. This will depend on the size of the grinder jar. I ground in one batch and added 1 cup water for grinding. You can even add ¾ cup water while grinding. Addition of water will depend on the quality of rice.
11. Grind the rice till you get a fine grainy consistency in it. The rice batter should have a fine rava like consistency in the batter.
12. Now pour the rice+poha batter in the same pan or bowl containing the urad dal batter.
13. Add ½ teaspoon rock salt or add as per taste.
14. Mix the salt very well with the batter. Also, mix both the batters very well. Cover and keep aside to ferment for 8 to 9 hours. You can keep for less or more time and this will depend on the temperature conditions in your city.
15. The batter the next day. I kept for about 13 hours and 35 minutes as it is cold during monsoons here.
Making potato masala for masala dosa
1. First rinse and then boil 4 medium sized potatoes in 2 cups water for 5 to 6 whistles in a pressure cooker. You can also boil potatoes in a pan. The potatoes have to be completely cooked.
2. When the potatoes are cooking, soak the chana dal in hot water for 30 minutes. Then drain the chana dal and keep aside.
3. When the pressure settles down on its own in the cooker, remove the lid. Drain the potatoes and let them become warm.
4. Then peel them and chop them. Also, slice the onions and chop the green chilies, ginger and coriander leaves.
5. Heat oil or ghee. If using cashews, then fry cashews at this step and keep them aside. Lower the flame and add mustard seeds and let them splutter. You can add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds while tempering in the potato masala.
6. Then add the chana dal.
7. Saute the chana dal for 2 to 3 minutes on a low flame or till they turn light golden or golden.
8. Now add the sliced onions, curry leaves, green chilies and ginger.
9. saute the onions till they soften and turn translucent.
10. Add the turmeric powder and asafoetida.
11. mix very well.
11. Now add water.
12. Again mix well and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or till the mixture thickens a bit.
12. Next add the boiled chopped potatoes.
13. Mix very well.
14. Season with salt. Also add ¼ teaspoon sugar for a slightly sweet taste. You can add more sugar if you prefer.
14. And stir again.
15. simmer on a low flame to medium-low flame for 3 to 4 minutes stirring occasionally.
16. Switch off the flame and then add chopped coriander leaves. also add fried cashews now (if you have fried the cashews earlier as mentioned in step 5 above). Mix well.
15. Stir and keep the potato masala aside. the potato masala should be moist and easily spreadable on the dosa. Make sure there is no water in the potato masala. It should not be of a curry or gravy consistency. This is your basic potato masala for the masala dosa.
Making masala dosa
1. Now lightly stir the batter, before you begin to make dosa. you will also see tiny air pockets in the batter.
2. Heat a cast iron pan or a flat non-stick pan. The pan should be medium hot. Smear some oil if using an iron pan or griddle. Don’t smear oil on a non stick pan, as then you won’t be able to spread the batter.
3. Keep the flame to a low, while spreading batter.
4. Spread the batter in a circular way on the pan. on a medium flame, cook the dosa.
5. Sprinkle some oil on top and edges.
6. cover the dosa with a lid and let it cook.
7. Cook the dosa till its base becomes golden and crisp.
8. when you see the base has become golden, place a portion of the potato masala on the dosa. You can spread it a bit if you want.
9. Now fold the dosa and serve.
10. Serve crisp restaurant style masala dosa hot with sambar and coconut chutney.
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By Dassana Amit
Ingredients
ingredients for batter
- 330 grams idli rice (parboiled rice, ukda chawal, sela chawal) or 1.5 cups idli rice
- 125 grams urad dal or ½ cup husked whole or split black gram
- 35 grams thick poha or ¼ cup thick poha (flattened rice)
- 1 tablespoon chana dal (husked & split bengal gram)
- 20 methi seeds (fenugreek seeds)
- 1 cup water for soaking urad dal
- 2 cups water for soaking rice
- 1 cup water for grinding rice & poha
- ½ cup water for grinding dal
- ½ teaspoon rock salt or add as required
ingredients for potato masala
- 300 grams potatoes or 4 medium sized potatoes or 2 cups boiled & chopped or crumbled potatoes
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon chana dal (husked & split bengal gram) soaked in ¼ cup hot water for 30 minutes
- 150 grams onions or 2 medium to large onions, thinly sliced or 1.25 cups thinly sliced onions
- 1 inch ginger, finely chopped or 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
- 8 to 10 curry leaves
- 1 to 2 green chillies, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 pinch of asafoetida (hing)
- ½ cup water
- 3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
- 8 to 10 cashews , optional
- ¼ teaspoon sugar, optional
- salt as required
Instructions
soaking rice & lentils
- First take all the ingredients in bowls. Take rice and poha in separate bowls. Take the urad dal, chana dal and methi seeds in one bowl.
- Rinse the urad dal, chana dal and methi seeds a couple of times. Then soak them in 1 cup water for 4 to 5 hours.
- Rinse the rice a couple of times and keep aside.
- Rinse poha once or twice and then add to the rice.
- Pour 2 cups water. Stir and soak both rice and poha together for 4 to 5 hours.
making masala dosa batter
- Before grinding, strain the water from the soaked lentils and keep it for grinding urad dal.
- Add the lentils in the grinder jar. Also add ½ cup of the soaked and strained water to the dal. You can even use fresh water while grinding.
- Grind the urad dal, chana dal and methi seeds till you get a batter which is light and fluffy. The urad dal has to be ground really well, so that the batter ferments well.
- Remove the batter in a bowl or pan with a spatula.
- Strain the rice well. Then in the same grinder, add the soaked rice and 1 cup fresh water. You can grind rice in one batch or in two to three batches. This will depend on the size of the grinder jar. I ground in one batch and added 1 cup water for grinding. You can even add ¾ cup water while grinding. Addition of water will depend on the quality of rice.
- Grind the rice till you get a fine grainy consistency in it. The rice batter should have a fine rawa like consistency. You can even grind to a smooth batter.
- Now pour the batter in the same pan or bowl containing the urad dal batter.
- Add ½ teaspoon rock salt or add as per taste.
- Mix the salt very well with the batter. Also mix both the batters very well. Cover and keep aside to ferment for 8 to 9 hours. You can keep batter to ferment for less or more time and this will depend on the temperature conditions in your city.
preparation for potato masala
- First rinse and then boil 4 medium sized potatoes in 2 cups water for 5 to 6 whistles in a pressure cooker. You can also boil potatoes in a pan. The potatoes have to be completely cooked
- When the potaoes are cooking, soak the chana dal in hot water for 30 minutes. Then drain the chana dal and keep aside.
- When the pressure settles down on its own in the cooker, remove the lid. Drain the potatoes and let them become warm. then peel them and chop them.
- Also slice the onions thinly and chop the green chilies, ginger and coriander leaves.
making potato masala
- Heat oil or ghee. Fry cashews and keep aside. This step of frying cashews is optional.
- Lower the flame and add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add the chana dal.
- Saute the chana dal for 2 to 3 minutes on a low flame or till they turn light golden or golden. Now add the sliced onions, curry leaves, green chilies and ginger.
- Saute the onions till they soften and turn translucent.
- Add the turmeric powder and asafoetida. Mix very well.
- Add water. mix well and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or till the mixture thickens a bit.
- Next add the boiled chopped potatoes and mix very well.
- Season with salt. Also add ¼ teaspoon sugar for a slight sweet taste.
- Simmer on a low flame for 3 to 4 minutes stirring occasionally. The water will reduce and the potato masala will thicken.
- Switch off the flame and then add chopped coriander leaves. Also add the fried cashews now and mix well. The potato masala should be moist and easily spreadable on the dosa. Make sure there is no water in the potato masala. It should not be of a curry or gravy consistency.
- Stir and keep the potato masala aside.
making masala dosa
- Lightly stir the batter, before you begin to make dosa. You will also see tiny air pockets in the batter
- Heat a cast iron pan or a flat non-stick pan. The pan should be medium hot. Smear some oil if using an iron pan or griddle. Don't smear oil on a non stick pan, as then you won't be able to spread the batter.
- Keep the flame to a low, while spreading batter.
- Spread the batter in a circular way on the pan.
- On a medium flame, cook the dosa.
- Sprinkle some oil on top and edges
- Cover the dosa with a lid and let it cook.
- Cook the dosa till its base becomes golden and crisp.
- When you see the base has become golden, place a portion of the potato masala on the dosa. You can spread it a bit if you want.
- Now fold the dosa and serve.
- Serve crisp restaurant style masala dosa hot with coconut chutney and sambar
Nutrition Info Approximate values
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Can I use besan instead of chana dal??
yes, you can use besan.
Dasanna, thanks for your comments on the structure of the dosa. My batter is not that dilute. In any case, I will add a bit of rice flour and try again. Hope it will work. Keep up the great work you are doing. Regards, Rom
welcome rom and do let me know how the rice flour tip turns for you. thank you.
Hello Dasanna, I followed your recipe for making dosa as well as masala curry to the last letter. Both came out excellent. However, I am disappointed about one aspect. When I spread the batter on the cast iron skillet, immediately I noticed millions of holes on the surface of the dosa like you get on rava dosa. I did not get the smooth outer surface you notice on the dosas made at the south Indian restaurants. I am wondering what is happening with the batter I made. I would appreciate if you have any thoughts on this. It is not a major complaint, but I am a perfectionist and would like to replicate closest to the restaurant made dosa. Thanks in advance.
thank you rom. i guess this is happening due to more water in the batter. a thick pouring batter will give you the restaurant style dosa. so you can reduce the amount of water added while grinding. i have made dosas with thin batter and they do have limp texture with many holes in it. there would be less crispness or no crispness in them. it is good if someone wants soft thin dosas. but for a crisp dosa, it is better to make a thick batter but one with a pouring consistency, so that the batter can be spread easily in the pan.
you can also try adding some rice flour to the batter and make dosa. i usually do this when accidentally i have added more water while grinding or the quality of lentils or rice required less water than the usual. add rice flour and mix the batter very well. the batter will thicken. hope these suggestions help.
Hello Madam,
I have been following your superb guide and recepie for over 6 years now and whatever I make according to your easy Instructions comes out spot on you are a asset and have a huge following and I thank you..Just wanted to know I was using your guide through Veg Recipes Of India App, the but unfortunately I cannot find that app anymore, Also Madam when are you launching your YouTube channel, the i can tell you for sure in a short span you will have not hundred of thousand but millions of subscribers…Always Warm Regards
thank you karan for this feedback. glad to read. we had an app, but due to a lot of user complaints we had to remove it. there were a lot of technical errors users would get based on the phone type, model and brand. the company who had made the app was not very helpful and we could not alone manage these technical issues.
we have a youtube a channel but i am not adding any videos after 2017. creating videos has taken a backseat but now i am looking at ways through which i can easily shoot and edit videos in a considerably less time and effort.
thanks for your best wishes and kind words.
Dear Madam,
I cannot thank you enough for all the lovely recipes you have posted.
This site is like a second mother to all the daughters who very much need their Mother’s for assistance, whilst cooking!
Also appreciate the fact that, it takes a lot of time and efforts to post the step by step methods with all the pictures.
Thank you again. I keep trying your recipes and it turns out really well. Thank you and God bless you! :-*
hi divya, felt so good to read your comment. thank you very much. yes it does take time and effort to share recipes with step by step post. thanks for understanding this. most welcome and i wish you all the best.