Masala Dosa

Today is Valentine's Day! Is it any diffierent from any other day? Not for us.I believe that we should appreciate our loved ones everyday of the year and not just on Valentine's day.Is getting a special gift on Valentine's day love?Love for me is offering to do the dishes and clean up at night when I am tired. Love for me is watching my son when he wakes up at night crying. That for me is LOVE.

When I first met my husband, one of the first questions he asked was if I knew how to make masala dosa & butter chicken.He was pleasantly surprised when I made both for him during one of his visits. The rest as they say is HISTORY! He got more than what he bargained for!

Here is the recipe for My Masala Dosa.

Servings:4

Ingredients:

For the dosa batter:

Rice: 1 1/2cups
Urad dal : 1/2 cup
Chana dal : 1 tbsp
Methi ( fenugreek)seeds :1 tsp
Salt to taste

For the stuffing ( bhaji):
Potatoes : 3 medium 
Onion: 1 big, chopped small.

Green peas:2 tbsp (optional)

Green chillies: 2 slit lengthwise
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Urad dal: 1/2 tsp
Chana dal: 1/2 tsp
Jeera(cumin): 1/4 tsp
Haldi( turmeric powder):1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Oil: 1 tbsp
Cilantro ( coriander leaves) 5-6 sprigs
Salt to taste

For the red chutney:

Grated fresh coconut: 1 cup
Green chilli: 1
Red chilli ( dry): 2
Ginger: 1/4 inch
Tamarind: marble sized
Chana dal: 1 tsp
Garlic: 2 big cloves
Oil: 2 drops for sautéing
Salt to taste

For the green chutney:

Cilantro: 1 bunch
Mint leaves : 1bunch
Garlic: 3 small cloves
Ginger: 1 inch
Green chilies: 2 medium
Lemon juice: from 1 lemon
Salt to taste.

Method:

The dosa batter:
Soak the rice, urad dal, Chana dal and methi in water for 5-6 hours ( or overnight). Then grind it to a fine paste. Let it ferment for for 8 hours( or overnight). Add salt just before taking the dosa. 

The stuffing( bhaji):
Boil potatoes till tender. When cooled, peel and dice it into 1cm cubes and keep aside.

Heat a kadai/ sauté pan on medium heat. Add oil,temper mustard seeds. The add curry leaves, jeera,chana dal, urad dal one after the other and sauté till urad dal turns a little golden brown. Now add the slit green chillies and the chopped onions. Sauté until onions turn transparent. Now add haldi and sauté for 1 more min.Add fresh green peas and saute until tender. Add the diced potatoes and sauté for 2-3 mins. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro leaves.

Red chutney:
Sauté garlic in one drop of oil. Then separately sauté chana dal in one drop of oil until golden brown. When cooled, grind it together with grated coconut, green chilli, red chili, ginger,tamarind, salt and water into a thick paste.

Green chutney:
Grind together all ingredients under green chutney into a fine paste.

The Masala Dosa:

Heat the skillet/tawa/griddle on medium-high flame. When the skillet is hot, sprinkle cold water. Take a ladle of dosa batter and go in concentric circles from the center to the periphery of the skillet.

When the dosa is slightly done lightly smear oil along the edges and the center of the dosa. Wait for it to turn crispy. Once this happens, smear the red chutney at the center of the dosa and place a tbsp of the potato bhaji.

Now fold the dosa into a roll as shown in the picture.

Serve hot with green chutney and if needed/ available sambar.

Cooking made easy:

Whenever I prepare dosa batters, I grind enough for two times. I store it in an airtight container in the fridge. The batter remains fresh in the fridge for upto 1 week. When ready to use just throw the water that separates at the top. Now dilute the batter to the required consistency using fresh water. This technique ensures that the batter is not sour.

Tip for healthy living:

Try not to skip breakfast. Eating breakfast has several health benefits. It kick-starts and boosts the metabolism. In fact, it is said that breakfast should be the heaviest meal of the day. It prevents you from getting hungry and binge eating later on in the day.

Food for thought:

Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like an ordinary man and dinner like a pauper.( unknown).