paper masala dosa recipe with step by step pics. one of the delicious varieties of masala dosa that is popular in south indian restaurants and hotels is paper masala dosa. as the name suggests paper dosa is crisp as well as thin dosa like paper.
in restaurants the paper dosa served is large in size as the dosa is made on a large tawa. in our homes we do not have such large tawas, so obviously a homemade paper dosa will be smaller in size as compared to the restaurant ones. usually paper dosa is served plain like a sada paper dosa or a masala paper dosa. i have already a detailed step by step post on making paper dosa recipe at home.
making paper dosa at home is not difficult and the entire method is similar to making masala dosa. usually on weekends i just make idli and sada dosa to be served with chutney or sambar. but once in a while i do make masala dosa.
to make this paper masala dosa batter recipe you don’t need to use idli rice or parboiled rice. you can easily use regular rice varieties like parmal, sona masuri, kolam, gobindbhog, surti kolam etc. if you do not have time, then you can simply make sada paper dosa and enjoy them with coconut chutney.
if you like dosas made with fermented batter, then you can check the following dosa varieties:
paper masala dosa is best served with coconut chutney and veg sambar or drumstick sambar or idli sambar.
few suggestions for making paper masala dosa
- while making paper masala dosa, one very important tip is to maintain the temperature of tawa. in case if the tawa is even slightly hot, you won’t be able to spread the dosa batter. if the tawa is not enough hot, then the dosa won’t be crisp. so while cooking paper dosas, you need to maintain a medium temperature in the tawa. so do regulate the flame while cooking these crispy dosas.
- also use a well seasoned tawa. by seasoned, i mean a tawa which is only used for making dosas. you can use either non stick tawa or cast iron tawa.
- paper dosas can be served folded or made into cone dosa or a topi dosa. if using a cast iron pan, then you can make the cone dosas, as you need to cut the dosa and then fold in a cone. if using a non stick pan, then avoid doing this.
paper masala dosa
INGREDIENTS FOR paper masala dosa
for paper masala dosa batter
- 1.5 cups regular rice or 325 grams regular rice
- ½ cup urad dal or 125 grams urad dal
- ¼ cup thick poha (flattened rice) or 20 grams thick poha
- 1 tablespoon chana dal (husked and split bengal gram)
- ¼ teaspoon methi seeds (fenugreek seeds)
- 1 cup water for soaking rice
- 1 cup water for soaking urad dal
- ¼ cup water for grinding urad dal
- ½ cup water for grinding rice
- 3 tablespoons fine rava (sooji or cream of wheat)
- 1 teaspoon rock salt or sea salt or regular salt or add as required
for potato masala or potato bhaji
- 5 medium sized potatoes - boiled or steamed
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger (adrak)
- 1 green chilli - chopped (hari mirch)
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- ½ cup onions - chopped
- 8 to 10 curry leaves - chopped (kadi patta)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
- ½ cup water
- salt as required
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (dhania patta)
other ingredients
- oil as required
HOW TO MAKE paper masala dosa
soaking lentils and rice for paper masala dosa batter
- in a bowl or pan take 1.5 cups regular rice (325 grams).
- rinse a couple of times and then soak rice in 1 cup water.
- then take ½ cup urad dal (125 grams), 1 tablespoon chana dal and ¼ teaspoon methi seeds in another bowl.
- rinse all three ingredients a couple of times and then soak in 1 cup water for 4 to 5 hours.
- take ¼ cup thick poha (20 grams) in a small bowl.
- rinse poha once or twice with water.
- then add the rinsed poha in the rice bowl. mix well. cover and soak both rice and poha for 4 to 5 hours.
making paper masala dosa batter
- after 4 to 5 hours, add urad dal, chana dal and methi seeds along with the soaked water in the grinder jar. also add ¼ cup of fresh water.
- grind everything 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.
- with a spatula or spoon remove the batter in a large bowl or pan.
- strain the rice well and drain all the water. then in the same grinder, add the soaked rice and ½ cup fresh water. you can grind rice in one batch or in two batches. this depends on the size of the grinder jar. i ground in one batch and added ½ cup water for grinding.
- grind rice to a fine grainy consistency like that of idli rava.
- pour the rice+poha batter in the same pan or bowl containing the urad dal batter.
- add 3 tablespoons rava and 1 teaspoon rock salt or sea salt or regular salt.
- 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. the time for fermentation varies with the temperature conditions in your city so you can keep the batter to ferment for less or more time.
making potato masala or potato bhaji
- rinse and then boil 5 medium sized potatoes in a pressure cooker with just enough water covering the potatoes for 3 to 4 whistles on medium flame.
- when the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid. remove the potatoes and let them become warm. then peel and chop them. keep aside.
- heat 2 tablespoons oil in a kadai or pan. add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds and let them crackle. keep the flame to a low.
- then add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and saute till the cumin seeds also crackle.
- next add 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger, 1 green chilli - chopped and a pinch of asafoetida. mix very well on a low flame.
- then add ½ cup chopped onions and 8 to 10 curry leaves (chopped).
- mix very well and sauté till the onions turn translucent on a low flame.
- then add ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi) and mix very well.
- add the chopped boiled potatoes and salt as per taste.
- add ½ cup water. mix very well and bring the curry to simmer for about 4 to 5 minutes on a low flame. mash the potatoes lightly when stirring them.
- the potato masala will also thicken.
- lastly switch off the flame and then add 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves.
- mix well and keep aside.
making paper masala dosa
- before you begin to make dosa with a spoon lightly stir the batter. in a well fermented dosa batter, you will also see tiny air pockets.
- heat a thick bottomed cast iron griddle or a good quality heavy non-stick pan. the pan should be medium hot. you can keep the flame to a low or medium while making paper dosas.
- if using an iron pan, then spread ¼ to ½ tsp oil or ghee all over the pan. use a silicon brush or spoon or kitchen towel or an onion halve to spread the oil or ghee. do not spread oil or ghee on a non stick pan.
- do keep the flame on low to low-medium flame, so that you are easily able to spread the batter. if the pan base is very thick, then keep the flame to medium. pour a ladle of the batter in the center.
- with the ladle gently begin to spread the batter in round circles. if the pan is very hot, you won't be able to spread the batter in a round circle.
- spread the batter to a neat, round shaped thin dosa.
- on a low to medium flame, begin to cook the paper dosa.
- let the top side get cooked and then with a spoon drizzle and spread some oil on the dosa. you can add less or more oil as per your requirements. you can also use ghee or butter instead of oil.
- keep cooking till you see the base becoming golden.
- when the base becomes golden and the top side is completely cooked, then take 2 to 3 tablespoons of the potato masala and place it on the dosa.
- spread the potato bhaji on the dosa.
- fold dosa and then serve paper masala dosa. if you want you can just make plain paper dosa and serve potato bhaji separately.
- serve paper masala dosa with coconut chutney and sambar. same way make paper masala dosas with the remaining batter. leftover batter can be refrigerated and stays good for 2 to 3 days.
how to make paper masala dosa
a) soaking lentils and rice for paper dosa batter:
1. in a bowl or pan take 1.5 cups regular rice (325 grams).
2. rinse a couple of times and then soak rice in 1 cup water.
3. then take ½ cup urad dal (125 grams), 1 tablespoon chana dal and ¼ teaspoon methi seeds in another bowl.
4. rinse all three ingredients a couple of times and then soak in 1 cup water for 4 to 5 hours.
5. take ¼ cup thick poha (20 grams) in a small bowl.
6. rinse poha once or twice with water.
7. then add the rinsed poha in the rice bowl. mix well. cover and soak both rice and poha for 4 to 5 hours.
b) making paper masala dosa batter:
8. after 4 to 5 hours, add urad dal, chana dal and methi seeds along with the soaked water in the grinder jar. also add ¼ cup of fresh water.
9. grind everything 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.
10. with a spatula or spoon remove the batter in a large bowl or pan.
11. strain the rice well and drain all the water. then in the same grinder, add the soaked rice and ½ cup fresh water. you can grind rice in one batch or in two batches. this depends on the size of the grinder jar. i ground in one batch and added ½ cup water for grinding.
12. grind rice to a fine grainy consistency like that of idli rava.
13. pour the rice+poha batter in the same pan or bowl containing the urad dal batter.
14. add 3 tablespoons rava (sooji).
15. next add 1 teaspoon rock salt or sea salt or regular salt
16. 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. the time for fermentation varies with the temperature conditions in your city so you can keep the batter to ferment for less or more time.
c) making potato masala or potato bhaji:
17. rinse and then boil 5 medium sized potatoes in a pressure cooker with just enough water covering the potatoes for 3 to 4 whistles on medium flame.
18. when the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid. remove the potatoes and let them become warm. then peel and chop them. keep aside.
19. heat 2 tablespoons oil in a kadai or pan. add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds and let them crackle. keep the flame to a low.
20. then add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and saute till the cumin seeds also crackle.
21. next add 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger, 1 green chilli – chopped and a pinch of asafoetida (hing). mix very well on a low flame.
22. then add ½ cup chopped onions and 8 to 10 curry leaves (chopped).
23. mix very well and sauté till the onions turn translucent on a low flame.
24. then add ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi) and mix very well.
25. add the chopped boiled potatoes and salt as per taste.
26. add ½ cup water.
27. mix very well and bring the curry to simmer for about 4 to 5 minutes on a low flame. mash the potatoes lightly when stirring them.
28. the potato masala will also thicken after 4 to 5 minutes.
29. lastly switch off the flame and then add 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves.
30. mix well and keep aside.
making paper masala dosa
31. before you begin to make dosa with a spoon lightly stir the batter. in a well fermented dosa batter, you will also see tiny air pockets and a pleasant sour aroma.
32. heat a thick bottomed cast iron griddle or a good quality heavy non-stick pan. the pan should be medium hot. you can keep the flame to a low or medium while making paper dosas. if using an iron pan, then spread ¼ to ½ tsp oil or ghee all over the pan. use a silicon brush or spoon or kitchen towel or an onion halve to spread the oil or ghee. do not spread oil or ghee on a non stick pan. pour a ladle of the batter in the center.
33. with the ladle gently begin to spread the batter in round circles. if the pan is very hot, you won’t be able to spread the batter in a round circle. do keep the flame on low to low-medium flame, so that you are easily able to spread the batter. if the pan base is very thick, then keep the flame to medium.
34. spread the batter to a round shaped thin dosa.
35. on a low to medium flame, begin to cook the paper dosa.
36. let the top side get cooked and then with a spoon drizzle and spread some oil on the dosa. you can add less or more oil as per your requirements. you can also use ghee or butter instead of oil.
36. keep cooking till you see the base becoming golden.
37. when the base becomes golden and the top side is completely cooked, then take 2 to 3 tablespoons of the potato masala and place it on the dosa.
38. spread the potato bhaji on the dosa.
39. fold dosa and then serve paper masala dosa. if you want you can just make plain paper dosa and serve potato bhaji separately.
40. serve paper masala dosa with coconut chutney and sambar. same way make paper masala dosa with the remaining batter. leftover batter can be refrigerated and stays good for 2 to 3 days.
Hello dassana,
Wish you & your family a very happy holi!
I had a query regarding seasoning of cast iron pan for dosa. How is a cast iron pan seasoned for dosa?
You mentioned that after seasoning, the tawa should better be reserved for making dosas only and not chapatis. However, can this pan be used for making besan/moong dal cheela?
ruchi, wish you and your family also happy holi. i first heat the pan, spread oil it. let the oil become hot. then wipe the layer of oil with a thick paper tissue. then again spread another layer of oil, let it heat and wipe it again. repeat once or twice. then i switch off the flame. spread oil on it and keep the pan aside. before cooking, i wipe this residue of oil first and then start with the cooking.
yes it is better if these pans are used to make dosa only. you can even make cheela or aloo tikki or parathas. in any recipe that you use oil you can use the pan. but for dry cooking like that of phulka or roti/chapati (if not using oil on chapati when still on the pan), avoid. hope these suggestions help.
thanks dassana for sharing the process.
And how do I wash the seasoned pan?
I wash my cast iron chapati tawa with water & ‘scrub’ the chapati dough marks on its surface with an earthen diya.. I don’t know if it sounds strange but that’s how we do it at our home 🙂 I was taught to do it this way by my mother, who in turn was taught by her mother.. (don’t know how long this tradition has been passed down)
Secondly after washing & drying, should I keep it oiled?
Sorry I have many queries. Never knew that I could keep a separate seasoned pan for frying stuff. Main reason I want to do it since I think it would avoid the food from getting stuck & thus help in cutting down amount of ghee/oil usage.
saloni, after cooking on the tawa, using warm water, sponge and a liquid detergent or soap wash the cast iron pan. water at room temperature is also fine. do not use a scrub as it can leave scratches on the tawa. i have seen some ladies using diya when washing utensils.
as soon as you rinse the pan, wipe it with a clean cloth or napkin. then oil it and keep aside. no need to heat and oil. just oil it at room temperature and keep it stored.
no problem. you can ask queries. the best part of cast iron pans is that the dosa or cheela becomes very crisp and tastes good when eating it. also cooking in a cast iron pan is a healthy option than cooking in a nonstick pan.
Hi….I always follow you site. I made this dosa today in breakfast and my husband liked it very much. Even my 2 yrs old son also enjoyed it.
Thank you so much for all these easy and delicious recipes.
Regards….
Manali
thanks manali. glad to know that your family liked the paper masala dosa. most welcome and wish you all the best.