crispy paper masala dosa

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 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.

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

1. One very important tip is to maintain the temperature of tawa or griddle. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

How to make paper masala dosa

A) soaking lentils and rice

1. In a bowl or pan take 1.5 cups of 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 (husked and split bengal gram) and ¼ teaspoon methi seeds (fenugreek 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.

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 or semolina).

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.

Making potato masala

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 and mix very well.

25. Add the chopped boiled potatoes and salt as per taste.

26. Add ½ cup of 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.

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.

39. Fold 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.

If you like dosas made with fermented batter, then you can check these Dosa varieties:

• Set dosa
• Ragi dosa
• Poha dosa
• Mysore masala dosa

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