Recipe
🥙 LUNCH
Masala Dosa
A crisp, golden fermented rice-and-lentil crepe wrapped around spiced potato, South India's iconic anytime meal.
Indian · medium · serves 4
prep 30 min · cook 20 min
~608 cal · 11g protein · 114g carbs · 11g fat · 6g fiber · 3g sugars · 2g sat fat (estimated, per serving)
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The masala dosa is one of South India's greatest gifts to the world, a large, crisp, paper-thin crepe made from a naturally batter of rice and urad dal. Golden and lacy, it is eaten for breakfast, lunch, or a light dinner across the region and far beyond.
Inside is folded a filling of soft potato tempered with mustard seeds, turmeric, , and onion, its gentle spicing a foil to the tangy, crisp crepe. It comes with coconut chutney and a bowl of sambar, the -and-lentil stew, for dipping and drizzling. It is naturally vegan and gluten-free.
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Make it yours
✓ Naturally vegetarian, vegan and gluten-, dairy-, egg-, nut- and pork-free. No swaps needed.
Toggle a diet and the ingredients rewrite themselves with regional substitutes.
🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
🐖 Pork-Free
Dietary labels are a cooking guide, not allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we count coconut as a tree nut, following FDA labeling), fish, and shellfish; we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, read the label on every product you use, and note that a kitchen can cross-contaminate in ways a recipe cannot control.
Ingredients
US
Metric
Serves 4
2 cups dosa rice
1/2 cup urad dal (split black gram)
1/2 tsp seeds (methi)
4 potatoes, boiled
1 onion, sliced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 sprig
Hard to find? a shredded makrut lime leaf, about one for every five or six curry leaves - the closest match for tempering, since both release their oils instantly in hot fat; expect a sharper citrus-peel note. For a long simmer a bay leaf works better
2 green chilies
3 tbsp oil
Instructions
1
Soak the rice, dal, and fenugreek seeds (the dal and methi together) separately, grind to a smooth batter, and leave to ferment overnight until bubbly.
✎ Chef’s note
The pinch of fenugreek soaked with the dal aids the ferment and lends the crepe its faint golden colour and aroma. Give the batter a proper warm overnight ferment; the tang and the crisp lacy texture both depend on it, so do not rush this step.
2
Make the filling: temper mustard seeds, curry leaves, chili, and turmeric in oil, add the onion and ginger, then the crushed potato; season.
3
Spread a ladle of batter thin on a hot griddle and drizzle with oil until crisp and golden underneath.
4
Place potato filling on one side, fold over, and serve with chutney and sambar.
South Indian tiffin tradition.
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🌏 While it simmers, know your destination
📍
Tamil Nadu (Chennai). Tamil Nadu, home to Chennai, cooks South India's rice-and-lentil classics, crisp dosa, idli, and fiery Chettinad meat curries. Tamarind, curry leaves, and vegetarian temple food define its table.
🗺️
India. India is less a single cuisine than a subcontinent of them, where every state cooks differently, coconut-rich curries in the south, tandoor breads and rich gravies in the north, vegetarian thalis in the west. A vast spice vocabulary and deep vegetarian traditions make it one of the world's most varied tables.
🌍
Asia. Fermentation is the thread that runs the whole way across: soy sauce and miso, Korean doenjang and kimchi, Southeast Asian fish sauces, the soured batter behind an idli. Chilli is the newcomer among them, arriving only after 1500 with Portuguese and Spanish traders, which makes the heat in Sichuan, Thai and Korean cooking far younger than the fermenting underneath it.
The story behind this dish is up top, worth a read while the pot works.
More from India
Punjabi Chole (Chickpea Masala)Chickpeas simmered dark and tangy with tea-infused water, ginger, and a toasted spice blend.
Kerala Ishtu (Coconut Vegetable Stew)A gentle, fragrant stew of potatoes and vegetables in coconut milk with ginger, green chili, and curry leaves.
Pav BhajiMumbai’s beach-stall classic: a buttery mashed vegetable curry with toasted buns, lime, and raw onion.
Browse all India recipes →
Good to know
You’ll need: Griddle or flat pan.
Storing it: Best fresh and hot. Keep batter covered in the fridge for up to a day, and rewarm cooked ones in a dry pan.
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Frequently asked questions
What is Masala Dosa?
A crisp, golden fermented rice-and-lentil crepe wrapped around spiced potato, South India's iconic anytime meal.
Where does Masala Dosa come from?
Masala Dosa is a Indian dish from Tamil Nadu (Chennai), India.
Can Masala Dosa be made vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free?
This Masala Dosa recipe includes substitution suggestions for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, and pork-free versions, including several at once such as gluten-free and dairy-free together. Treat them as a starting guide rather than a guarantee, and see the allergen note below.
Is Masala Dosa safe for people with food allergies?
Our dietary labels and substitutions are a cooking guide, not medical or allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we count coconut as a tree nut, following FDA labeling), fish, and shellfish, but we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, always read the label on every product you use, and remember a home or commercial kitchen can cross-contaminate ingredients in ways a recipe cannot control.
How long does Masala Dosa take to make?
About 50 minutes total (30 minutes prep, 20 minutes cooking), serving 4.
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