Masala Dosa

A masala dosa is made by stuffing a dosa with a lightly cooked filling of potatoes, and spices. It wraps the dosa around potato curry or sabji.

Before it was invented, plain dosa was served with potato curry  without onions in a separate cup. During a shortage of potatoes method was created in which potato was mashed and sautéed with onions together with other spices. This was then placed inside the dosa instead of in a separate cup in order to hide the onions, which are not eaten by orthodox Hindus and Jains. This came to be known as "Masala dosa", from the sautéing of spices (masala) during the preparation of the bhaji.[ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dosa}

There are varieties of dosa available in the hotels. But if you ask me, nothing can beat the old classic, 'Masala Dosa'. Masala Dosai is the favorite for many not only in Tamil Nadu but throughout India and even indeed popular all over the world .Paddy loves it.

  Ingredients

Dosa Batter                       2 cups

Potato Masala

Ghee                                4 tbsp

Coconut chutney

 For Coconut chutney: Grind 6 tbsp of coconut with chutney dhal, ginger, and salt.  Keep aside.

For Dosa Batter:  Masala dosa is made with the same batter and technique as the plain dosa but has stuffing  of chutney and potato curry.  Please see my previous Dosai recipe.

For Potato Masala:

Potatoes                             10 no

Green chilies                        4 no

Jalapeno                             1 no (optional)

Curry leaves                        1 stem

Turmeric powder                 ¼ tsp.

Grated ginger                     1 tsp.

Chopped cilantro                   2tbsp

Salt                                   to taste

Seasonings:

Oil                                   1 tsp.

Cumin seeds                     ¼ tsp.

Method of Potato masala

• Pressure cooks the potatoes. Drain and remove skin and mash it. Set aside.
• Heat a sauce pan over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the cumin seed, when it sputtering, lower the heat add the turmeric, ginger, curry leaves and sauté for one minute.
• Add the potatoes, salt mix well and simmer on low for 2 minutes.
• Mix in the chopped cilantro.
• Now Potato masala is ready for stuffing g. Set aside.
  
  
  

  

  Potato Masala

  
  

To prepare the Masala dosa: 

• Follow my dosa recipe for cooking the dosa  until underside of the dosa has a golden red color.
• Reduce the heat and spread 1 tsp of chutney evently  over the top of the dosa
• Then  spread 2 tbsp of potato  curry over the half of the dosa.
• Roll it like cylinder shape.
• Dribble ½ tsp of ghee mixed oil on top of the dosa and serve immediately. 

Note:

• Some people prefer serving the chutney on the side, but I like it cooked inside the dosa.
• Instead of chutney ,  you can spread Milghai powder (Gun powder) over the top of the dosa.

Masala Dosa

 

Vegetable Uthaappam

 Uthaappams are delicious - plain or with your choice of vegetables. Follow my previous Uthaappam recipe and add your choice of vegetables to the batter just before cooking.
Here I am showing you carrot Uthaappam.
Ingredients:

Idli Batter (See the link)                    2 cups

Oil                                                 4 tsp.

Grated carrots                                 1 cup

Chopped green chilies                      2 tsp

 Chopped Tomatoes                        ¼ cup

Grated ginger                                1 tsp.

Chopped coriander leaves               1 tsp.

Chopped curry leaves                     2 tsp.

Method:

• Mix all chopped & grated vegetables, chilies together and keep aside.
• Heat the griddle, spread the batter gently in a circular form, drizzle 1 tsp. of oil and cook for few seconds and spread the vegetables over it.
• And gently flop to the other side and drizzle oil and cook until it turns brown.
• Serve hot with chutney and Sāmbhar.

Here  some ingredients suggestions:
Hot Chili Uthaappam :  2-4 Jalapenos, 1/4 cup freshly chopped Cilantro, Salt
Tomato and Pea Uthappam:  2 ripe tomotoes chopped, Fresh peas cooked 1/2 cup, Cilantro, Salt
Bellpepper Uthappam: finely chopped bellpepper, 1 ripe tomato chopped, Cilantro, salt.

Vegetable Uthaappam

Plain Uthaappam

Uthaappam is one more South Indian breakfast delicacy. An Uthaappam is much thicker than a dosa, more like an American pancake than a French crepe. You can make it soft or crispy, according to your personal preference.

If you have left over idli batter, this is a breeze to make.

Ingredients for Uthaappam

Idli Batter (look down for  Idli batter recipe) – 4 cup

Oil -                                                        5 tbsp.

For idli Batter:

 Idli rice                                              2 cups

  Urad dal                                           1 cup

 poha                                                 Handful

 For Batter:

• Soak the idli rice,poha and urad dal for about 6 hours, and grind them to a thick batter along with the poha and cooked rice.
•  Let it ferment overnight, or keep in a warm place for about 8-10 hours.

Method:

• Heat the nonstick griddle over medium heat, and add 1 ½ ladleful of batter in the center of the griddle; spread the batter gently, but quickly with the back of the ladle in to a 8” circle.
• Drizzle ½ tsp. of oil on top and around the Uthaappam. Cook for few minutes  until the bottom is reddish gold.
• Flip the Uthaappam and cook for 30 seconds on the other side. Your delicious Uthaappam is ready.
• Serve hot with Coconut chutney and Sāmbhar. 

Plain Uthaappam

Pesarattu (Green gram dal dosa)

Pesarattu, traditional Andhra Pradesh dish is prepared mainly with green gram. In my home, one of the quick and healthy dinner options is Pesarattu dosa. 

Ingredients:

 Par Boiled Rice (idly rice)                1 cup

Moong dhal (Green Gram)                 ¼ cup

Fenugreek                                      ½ tsp.

Grated ginger                                 1 tbsp.

Green Chilies                                 5 no

Asafetida                                    1/4 tsp.

Curry leaves                                 few

Oil                                               2 tbsp

Salt                                             to taste

Preparation;

• Wash and soak the rice and dhal together in hot water for 3 hours (you may have to skip this step, if you are in superfast mode)
• Grind it to a smooth paste along with green chilies, asafetida, ginger, curry leaves and salt.
• Heat the dosa pan, pour the batter and spread it from the center. Pour a tsp. of oil over the edges.
• When one side is cooked well, flip over to the other side. If necessary, add little oil over the edges, and remove when it is fully cooked.
• Serve with coconut chutney and Sāmbhar.

Tips:

• If you like spicier dosa, add   more Green chilies.
• For more flavor, cut some carrot, coriander, mint leaves and mix with batter. Then make dosa as said above. It will give a different taste.

RAVA DOSA

Rava Dosa" is a popular south Indian Dish typically made out of "Bombay Rava”. .

The rava dosa is a quick and easy to cook dish which is made delicious and tastes best with sambha and chutney. Unlike the ordinary dosa, dough does not need to be fermented. For Rava Dosa, the ingredients need to be soaked for just 30 minutes to 1 hour. This is apt for the jiffy tiffin making. My mom makes restaurant type Rava dosa. Paddy loves it.  I tried a lot of times, but failed. He always says that you cannot make like your mom’s dosa. I took the challenge ( a new griddle and after $20) I tried it and I succeed. Here is my Rava dosa recipe: 

Ingredients

 Rava (Shoji, semolina)                  – 1cup

Rice powder                                  – ½ cup

Maida                                           – ¼ cup

Grated ginger                                 – 1tsp

Chopped finely green chillies            – 3no

Chopped finely curry leaves               – 2tbsp

Cumin seed                                     – ¼ tsp

Sour curd                                       - ¼ cup  (buttermilk)

 ghee, butter or oil                          1 tsp

Pepper crushed                                -1/4 tsp

Salt                                              to taste

Method:

• Mix Bombay Rava, Maida, Rice flour, curd and salt together in a bowl.
• Add 3 cups of water to the above mixture. Batter should be very thin. Now keep this mixture aside for 30 minutes.
• Mix the chopped green chilies, cumin seeds and Curry leaves to the flour mixture.
• Take a flat griddle or TAVA and spray oil on it and heat for 1 minute. Sprinkle the batter and apply butter or oil. Leave for it few minutes.
• When dosa turns brown, spray oil on it. Wait until dosa turns crispy. Fold the dosa and serve with Chutney and Sambhar.

Rava Dosa

Adai (Dhal Dosai)

Ingredients:

Boiled rice                     2 cups

Urdh dhal                      ¼ cup

Bengal gram                  ½ cup

Toovar dhal                  ¼ cup

Moong dhal                   ¼ cup

Red chillies                    7 no

Ginger grated                 2 tbsp

Curry leaves                  2 stem

Hing                              ½ tsp

Salt                               as required

Oil

Method:

• Soak rice and dhals together for 5 hours. Soak red chilies separately.
• Drain it and grind it with ginger, red chilies, curry leaves, Hing and salt together.
• Grind it slightly coarsely.
• Heat the griddle and pour 2 ladle of batter and spread in a circular motion.
• Spread 2 tsp of oil around the dosa and cook both sides.
• Serve with sambhar and Chutney

Adai/Dhal Dosai

Paper roast Dosa

Paper Roast dosa is all time favorite in our home.. When I was in Cochin, I tried to make a crispy dosa a lot of times, but failed ... A chef from Dosa Corner visited our ladies club and he showed to make more than 50 types of dosas. He gave me the secret tips to make crispy dosas.

Dosa Tips:

• To make a very good restaurant type dosa, you will need a very good griddle especially nonstick griddles.(12” griddle). Use this only for making dosa.
• Spread out the batter really thin .
• Never use the gingili oil (Nalla ennai). Use Ghee mixed with cooking oil.
• Always clean the griddle with wet cloth before make every dosa.
• You need wide spatula
• In-between sprinkle ghee over the dosa.
• Take out the dosa from the griddle when that turns out crispy.

Plain Paper Roast Dosa:
Ingredients:

Idli Rice (Boiled Rice)                              4 cups

Urud Dal                                               1 cup

Fenugreek seeds                                    3/4 tsp

Tuvar dhal                                             1 tbsp

Salt                                                      to taste

Method to prepare Batter

• Wash and clean the rice and dhal and soak separately for 6 hours.
• Grind the dhals with methi and rice for 30 to 40 minutes.
• Mix the dough with hand only. Do not use Spatulas. This is good for fermentation.
• Leave it for fermentation (In winter, Pre heat the oven 275F and switch off and place the batter and leave it for overnight).
• Next day takeout the dough and add salt and mix it with hand.
• Batter is ready.

Plain Roast:

• Heat the dosa griddle/ tawa. Simmer the stove. Pour  2 ladle of  batter in the middle of the griddle and spread it in circular way(Spread the batter as thin as possible) Consistency is important.
• Spread 1 tsp of  ghee around the dosa. and cook both side.
• Take out the dosa from the griddle when it turns crispy.
• Serve with Chutney, Sāmbhar and Mullagha podi

Azhagharkovil Dosa

Azhaghar Kovil (Thirumalirum solai) temple is located  in Madurai city (Tamilnadu). Azhaghar means charming and beautiful  person. The other name of the perumal  called as Kalazhaghar, Sundarrajan, Malirumsolai Nambi. 

Azhagharkovil is very famous for authentic  prasadams like  Akkaravadisal and Kovil Dosai. This Dosai is deep fried in pure ghee.

Well...I have given here a home-style variation of  Dosa

Azhaghar Kovil Dosai:


Ingredients:
Raw rice -                                                        3 cups
Black gram/black urad dal  (WITH SKIN)             1 cup
Black Pepper                                                   1 tbsp
jeera                                                             1 tsp
Curry leaves -                                                 2 stem finely chopped
Asafoetida                                                     1 spoon
Ginger grated -                                               1 tbsp
Dry ginger powder -                                         1 tsp
Salt                                                               to taste
Ghee mixed with oil                                      1/4 cup
Fruit salt (ENO)-                                              1/4 tsp

Method:

•  Soak the black urad dhal and rice speartely for 5 to 6 hours. Grind with rice and black urdh dal (with skin) into thick and coarse batter.
•  Add salt, Fruit salt to this. Allow it to ferment for  5-7 hours.
• Dry Grind the pepper and jeera coarsely.
•  Add pepper jeera mixture , chopped curry leaves, ginger,and Salt to the batter.
• Mix them thoroughly.
• Heat the griddle. Smear ghee and make a thick dosa and cover and cook it. Run few more spoons of ghee over it. Cook till  like adai
•  Serve with chunteny.