Makes: About 1 dozen
Time: About 1 day, mostly unattended
Some dosas served at restaurants are a sight to behold: paper-thin, golden-brown crêpes rolled into tubes as long as the table is wide. While it’s hard to duplicate that show-stopping size in your own kitchen, the rest is totally doable as long as you’re up for a bit of a project (soaking and grinding lentils and rice and leaving the batter to ferment overnight). Serve these alongside chutneys, stews, or your favorite Indian vegetable dish or fill them with any of the fillings for Aloo Paratha. I’ve included a recipe below for simple curried potatoes, which is a perfect match.
1. Put the rice in one large bowl and the lentils, fenugreek, and cumin seeds in another. Cover each with a few inches of water and soak for 6 to 8 hours (overnight is fine). Drain and rinse, keeping the rice and lentils separate.
2. Drain any excess water from the lentil mixture and grind it in a food processor, adding water a few tablespoons at a time to get the machine going, until it’s smooth and a bit fluffy. Transfer to a large bowl, being careful not to deflate the mixture too much. Drain the rice and purée it in the food processor, once again adding water a few tablespoons at a time to get the machine going. Add the rice to the bowl with the ground lentils, again trying not to deflate the mixture. Add the salt and carefully stir to combine. Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let the batter ferment in a warm place overnight.
3. Once the batter has fermented (it should have increased in volume and appear slightly frothy), stir in enough water to make it pourable, about the consistency of thin pancake batter.
4. Heat the oven to 200°F. Put a large skillet or griddle (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add a drizzle of oil and spread it around (a halved onion is an effective and tasty tool for this if you plan to use onion for the dosa filling). Ladle about ⅓ cup batter into the center of the pan; with the ladle, swirl the batter in concentric circles so that it covers the pan in a very thin layer, as if you were making a crêpe. Add a few drips of oil around the edges of the dosa and a few more right on top. Cook until the bottom is golden brown, about 1 minute; for a crisper dosa, flip and cook on the second side for another minute.
5. Fold the dosa in half with a spatula or carefully roll it into a loose tube with your finger (this is easier and less dangerous once it’s out of the pan). Transfer the dosa to the oven on a baking sheet to keep it warm while you cook the rest, adding a drizzle of oil to the skillet before you pour the batter each time. Serve with chutney, curried vegetables, or any condiment or filling that you like.
SHORTCUT DOSAS These have a less complex flavor than the real thing but are still delicious and infinitely faster: For the batter, combine 1 cup chickpea flour, 1 cup lentil flour, ½ cup all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds, and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds. (If you can’t find lentil flour, use 1½ cups chickpea flour and 1 cup all-purpose.) Stir in enough water to make a loose and pourable batter; cook as directed.
POTATO MASALA DOSAS A traditional filling with great flavor and texture: Before you make the dosas, cube 2 pounds waxy yellow potatoes, like Yukon Gold or fingerling, and boil until tender. Drain and set aside. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter or ghee and use it to toast 1 teaspoon each of mustard seeds and cumin seeds until fragrant. Add 1 tablespoon finely grated or minced fresh ginger to the pan along with 1 thinly sliced onion, 1 to 2 minced jalapeños, and ½ teaspoon salt. Sauté until the vegetables are soft, then add the potatoes and ½ teaspoon turmeric. Cook, stirring and mashing gently to incorporate into a thick stew; if you like, add up to ½ cup hot water, 2 tablespoons at a time, and simmer until it reaches the desired consistency. Serve alongside the dosas or use it to fill the dosas.