Mysore Masala Dosa

Ingredients

• For Dosa:
• Raw Rice - 1 cup
• Par boiled rice - 1 cup
• Urad dal - 3/4 cup
• Chana dal - fistful
• Tur dal - fistful
• Methi seeds - 1 tsp
• Poha - 1/4 cup
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• For Potato Masala:
• Potatoes - 2, large, boiled, peeled and cubed
• Onion - 1, large, sliced
• Green chilies - 2-3, slit
• Ginger - 1", finely minced
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 1 1/2 tbsps
• Coriander leaves - 2 tbsps, finely chopped for garnish
• For tempering of Potato Masala:
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Urad dal - 1 1/2 tsps
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig
• For Red Chutney:
• Red chilies - 4-5
• Roasted gram dal - 1/4 cup (dalia/putnala pappu)
• Onion - 1 tbsp, finely chopped (optional)
• Coconut - 1/4 cup, fresh and grated
• Garlic - 1 large clove (optional)
• Tamarind - 1 1/2 tsps
• Salt to taste
• Sugar - 1/4 tsp (optional)
• Oil - 1 tsp

Method

1. To make the dosa batter, soak rice, parboiled rice, urad dal, chana dal, tur dal and methi seeds in a large bowl with enough water for 6-7 hours. Soak the poha or flattened rice in one third cup of water for at least half an hour before grinding the dosa batter.
2. Drain the water from the soaked rice-dal mixture and grind along with soaked poha, in batches, adding little water while grinding. It should be a smooth paste, neither too thick or runny. Add enough water to make a smooth batter. Add a tsp of sugar and mix well.
3. Ferment the dosa batter overnight or at least 8-10 hours. It will rise on fermentation. At the time of preparing dosas, add salt to taste to the dosa batter and mix well.
4. To make potato masala, heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and as they begin to splutter, add urad dal and allow the dal to turn red. Add curry leaves, green chilies and ginger and mix for a few seconds. Add the sliced onions and saute for 6 mts on low to medium flame.
5. Add the turmeric powder and mix. Add the boiled potato cubes and mix well. Lightly crush a few potato cubes with a ladle. Sprinkle1/4 cup of water, place lid and cook for 5-6 mts on low flame. Remove lid and mix well. Adjust salt, add lemon juce and coriander leaves and mix. Turn off flame and remove to a bowl.
6. To make red chutney, heat a small pan and dry roast the red chilis for 3 mts on low flame. Remove. If using garlic, saute garlic in a little oil till lightly red and remove. Grind the roasted red chilies, roasted garlic, dalia (roasted gram dal), onion pieces, grated coconut, tamarind, sugar and salt to a fine paste. Remove to a bowl, add a tsp of oil and mix well.
7. To make the dosas, heat a non stick dosa pan on high for 20 secs. Do the water sizzle test. If you sprinkle little water on the hot pan, the droplets should sizzle. Reduce flame to low and pour 2 ladles full of dosa batter. In sweeping circular motion, use the back of the ladle to spread it in thick concentric circles. Usually Mysore masala dosa has a thick, spongy interior, hence the dosa should be spread thick. (I like my dosa on a slightly thinner side so I made thinner dosas)
8. Drizzle oil along the edges of the dosa, drizzle melted butter or ghee all over the dosa. Cook the dosa on medium flame till the base begins to brown. Just before removing the dosa, smear a heaped tsp of red chutney all over the dosa. Place a ladle full of potato masala on one half side of the dosa, fold the dosa over the potato filling and remove to a serving plate. Prepare dosas with rest of the dosa batter.
9. Serve Mysore masala dosa warm with sambar and coconut chutney.