South Indian Delight: Crispy Masala Dosa with Coconut Chutney and Sambar
There’s something comforting about diving into the world of South Indian cuisine, especially when it’s a weekend and you have a bit of time to really enjoy the cooking process. Today, I’m sharing with you one of my absolute favorites: Masala Dosa with Coconut Chutney and Sambar. Trust me, this is one meal that’ll satisfy your taste buds and keep you coming back for more.
As someone who loves to experiment with various foods and flavors, I’ve always had a special place in my heart (and my kitchen) for Indian cuisine. The complex blend of spices, the vibrant colors, and the myriad of textures – it’s truly a sensory delight! Masala Dosa is a traditional South Indian dish that combines a crispy, golden crepe made from fermented rice and lentils, with a spiced potato filling. Paired with a tangy and flavorful sambar, and a refreshing coconut chutney, it’s a complete meal in itself.
Why Masala Dosa?
What I love about Masala Dosa is that it’s a perfect blend of healthy and tasty. The dosa batter requires fermentation, which means it’s rich in probiotics, great for your gut health. The potato filling is lightly spiced, giving you just the right amount of warmth and flavor. And the chutney and sambar on the side? They just pull everything together in a beautiful harmony.
The Ritual of Making Dosas
Making Masala Dosa does take a bit of planning, mainly because of the time required for fermentation. But, believe me, it’s worth every minute. It’s become a lovely weekend ritual for me; soaking the rice and dal on a Friday night, grinding the batter on Saturday morning, and then unveiling a perfectly fermented batter by Sunday. The aroma of the batter alone gets me excited!
Perfect Accompaniments
No Masala Dosa is complete without its traditional accompaniments. The Coconut Chutney adds a fresh, cool contrast, while the Sambar provides a tangy, hearty dip that rounds out the meal. The balance of flavors is simply exquisite.
Gathering the Ingredients
Here’s a list of what you’ll need to make this delightful dish:
For the Dosa Batter:
– 1 cup raw rice
– 1/2 cup urad dal (split black lentils)
– 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
– Water, as needed
For the Masala Filling:
– 2 large potatoes (approx. 500g), boiled and mashed
– 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
– 1 green chili, finely chopped
– 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
– 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
– 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
– 10-12 curry leaves
– 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
– 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
– 1 tbsp vegetable oil
– 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
For the Coconut Chutney:
– 1 cup grated fresh coconut
– 1/4 cup roasted chana dal (Bengal gram)
– 1 small green chili
– 1 inch piece of ginger
– Salt, to taste
– Water, as needed
For the Sambar:
– 1/2 cup toor dal (pigeon peas)
– 1 medium onion, chopped
– 1 medium tomato, chopped
– 1 carrot, diced
– 1 small eggplant, diced
– 5-6 okra, chopped
– 2 tbsp sambar powder
– 1 tsp tamarind paste
– Salt, to taste
– 2 tbsp vegetable oil
– 1 tsp mustard seeds
– 1 tsp cumin seeds
– 10-12 curry leaves
– 2 dried red chilies
– 1/4 tsp asafoetida
– 4 cups water
For Garnish:
– Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
– Lemon wedges
Let’s Get Cooking!
Preparing the Dosa Batter:
1. Rinse the raw rice, urad dal, and fenugreek seeds thoroughly. Soak them together in water for at least 4-6 hours.
2. Drain and grind the soaked ingredients into a smooth batter using a little water. The consistency should be similar to pancake batter.
3. Transfer the batter to a large bowl, cover, and let it ferment in a warm place for 8-12 hours or overnight.
Making the Masala Filling:
1. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and let them splutter.
2. Add curry leaves, chopped green chili, and ginger. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Add thinly sliced onions and sauté until they turn golden brown.
4. Add turmeric powder and mashed potatoes. Mix well to combine.
5. Season with salt and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
6. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and set aside.
Preparing the Coconut Chutney:
1. In a blender, combine grated coconut, roasted chana dal, green chili, ginger, and salt.
2. Add a little water and blend to a smooth consistency.
3. Adjust the consistency by adding more water, if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl.
Cooking the Sambar:
1. Rinse and soak toor dal for 30 minutes. Drain and cook with 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker for about 6-8 minutes or until soft.
2. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and let them splutter.
3. Add curry leaves, dried red chilies, and asafoetida. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add chopped onions and sauté until they turn translucent.
5. Add chopped tomatoes, carrots, eggplant, and okra. Cook for 5-6 minutes until they start to soften.
6. Add cooked toor dal, sambar powder, tamarind paste, salt, and 2 cups of water. Mix well.
7. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are cooked through and the sambar thickens.
8. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
Cooking the Dosas:
1. Heat a non-stick skillet or tawa over medium heat. Lightly grease it with oil.
2. Pour a ladleful of fermented dosa batter onto the hot skillet and spread it in a circular motion to form a thin pancake.
3. Drizzle a few drops of oil around the edges of the dosa and cook until the bottom turns golden and crisp (about 2-3 minutes).
4. Place a portion of the masala filling in the center of the dosa, fold it over, and serve hot.
Serving:
1. Serve the crispy masala dosa hot with coconut chutney and sambar on the side.
2. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and lemon wedges, if desired.
Final Thoughts
Cooking and enjoying Masala Dosa is a wonderful way to spend time with family and loved ones. The combination of flavors in this iconic South Indian dish will surely leave you feeling satisfied and delighted. Give it a try this weekend, and let me know how it turns out for you! Happy cooking!
Ingredients
For the Dosa Batter:
– 1 cup raw rice
– 1/2 cup urad dal (split black lentils)
– 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
– Water, as needed
For the Masala Filling:
– 2 large potatoes (approx. 500g), boiled and mashed
– 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
– 1 green chili, finely chopped
– 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
– 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
– 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
– 10-12 curry leaves
– 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
– 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
– 1 tbsp vegetable oil
– 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
For the Coconut Chutney:
– 1 cup grated fresh coconut
– 1/4 cup roasted chana dal (Bengal gram)
– 1 small green chili
– 1 inch piece of ginger
– Salt, to taste
– Water, as needed
For the Sambar:
– 1/2 cup toor dal (pigeon peas)
– 1 medium onion, chopped
– 1 medium tomato, chopped
– 1 carrot, diced
– 1 small eggplant, diced
– 5-6 okra, chopped
– 2 tbsp sambar powder
– 1 tsp tamarind paste
– Salt, to taste
– 2 tbsp vegetable oil
– 1 tsp mustard seeds
– 1 tsp cumin seeds
– 10-12 curry leaves
– 2 dried red chilies
– 1/4 tsp asafoetida
– 4 cups water
For Garnish:
– Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
– Lemon wedges
Method
Method:
Preparing the Dosa Batter:
1. Rinse the raw rice, urad dal, and fenugreek seeds thoroughly. Soak them together in water for at least 4-6 hours.
2. Drain and grind the soaked ingredients into a smooth batter using a little water. The consistency should be similar to pancake batter.
3. Transfer the batter to a large bowl, cover, and let it ferment in a warm place for 8-12 hours or overnight.
Making the Masala Filling:
1. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and let them splutter.
2. Add curry leaves, chopped green chili, and ginger. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Add thinly sliced onions and sauté until they turn golden brown.
4. Add turmeric powder and mashed potatoes. Mix well to combine.
5. Season with salt and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
6. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and set aside.
Preparing the Coconut Chutney:
1. In a blender, combine grated coconut, roasted chana dal, green chili, ginger, and salt.
2. Add a little water and blend to a smooth consistency.
3. Adjust the consistency by adding more water, if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl.
Cooking the Sambar:
1. Rinse and soak toor dal for 30 minutes. Drain and cook with 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker for about 6-8 minutes or until soft.
2. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and let them splutter.
3. Add curry leaves, dried red chilies, and asafoetida. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add chopped onions and sauté until they turn translucent.
5. Add chopped tomatoes, carrots, eggplant, and okra. Cook for 5-6 minutes until they start to soften.
6. Add cooked toor dal, sambar powder, tamarind paste, salt, and 2 cups of water. Mix well.
7. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are cooked through and the sambar thickens.
8. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
Cooking the Dosas:
1. Heat a non-stick skillet or tawa over medium heat. Lightly grease it with oil.
2. Pour a ladleful of fermented dosa batter onto the hot skillet and spread it in a circular motion to form a thin pancake.
3. Drizzle a few drops of oil around the edges of the dosa and cook until the bottom turns golden and crisp (about 2-3 minutes).
4. Place a portion of the masala filling in the center of the dosa, fold it over, and serve hot.
Serving:
1. Serve the crispy masala dosa hot with coconut chutney and sambar on the side.
2. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and lemon wedges, if desired. Enjoy your South Indian delight!
