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Indian kitchen

Masala Dosa

A crackling golden crepe wrapped around spiced potato, and easily the best reason to own a heavy frying pan. Real dosa batter ferments overnight, so this one leans on the shop-bought tub without apology.

Total time
18 min
Serves
2
Effort
Medium

What you need

Written for 2 — nudge the counter and the numbers follow.

Cooking for
2 people

0 of 10 in the basket.

How you make it

  1. Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high, add the mustard seeds and wait for them to pop, about 30 seconds, then add the curry leaves and stand back.

  2. Add the onion and chilli and fry 3 minutes, stir in the turmeric for 20 seconds, then fold in the crushed potato with the salt and 2 tbsp water and cook 3 minutes until it holds together.

  3. Squeeze over the lemon, take the filling off the heat and keep it warm.

  4. Heat a heavy non-stick or cast iron pan over medium until a drop of water skitters, wipe it with oil, then pour a ladle of batter in the middle and spread it outward in a spiral to a thin circle.

  5. Drizzle a teaspoon of oil around the rim and cook 2 to 3 minutes without turning, until the underside is crisp and rust brown and the edges lift by themselves.

  6. Spoon a line of potato down the centre, fold the dosa over it and slide it out. Repeat with the remaining batter.

  7. Serve immediately, because a dosa waits for nobody.

Read all that and thought “absolutely not”?

Completely fair. Masala Dosa is sitting in the Indian kitchen right now, it costs nothing, and it will never arrive.

Order it instead

Spice layered on spice until the room smells incredible.