Before you go ahead and judge me by saying, omg another dosa recipe, who needs that? let me confirm that its actually for my benefit than yours because i really had to have a fool proof recipe on record since my life was wasted searching the internet for chutney and masala recipes. I don't make my own dosa batter, let me make that very clear, and am very happy with the results the ready made dosa batter gives me.
I also suck at making a normal sambar and an even simpler chutney which is why I like to serve dosa with chicken curry (for dinner that is) and idli with fish curry. Have you tried the combo? Its divine, really it is! But on some very rare occasions, I feel like going all out and the Mysore Masala Dosa was an after effect of one of those days.
I have fond memories of Mysore masala dosa and I don't think i have had any as good as the ones from Sangeetha restaurant in Nungabakkam, Chennai. My hostel was just around the corner from the restaurant and on Sundays, usually after a hang over from hitting the clubs the previous night, we would all wake up by around 11 or 12 and conveniently miss breakfast at the hostel (which would be upma or something uninteresting like that). With rumbling tummies we would then start discussing brunch/lunch options. Ideally it would be Crescent hotel which we would want to go to, for their yummy Prawn biryani (which btw if you haven't tried, YOU SHOULD!), but mostly we would all be broke and so Sangeetha Vegetarian restaurant would be our next best choice. And the Mysore masala dosa there is perhaps one of the best i have ever had. Let me assure you, this is no where close to what they serve, but it was good enough to shut me up about Mysore masala dosa for a while.
I would suggest you make all the items a day ahead so you dont ruin the whole assembling process. My dosa making skills are not so good and mostly the first 2 or 3 dosas always get dumped. Either the heat is not right or the spreading is not correct or something usually goes wrong. I also like my dosas crispy and so this time I was determined to make them right so I could take a few pics, which is no easy feat. One, because there are not many ways to make a dosa look appealing and two, they don't really stay crisp for that long. So this was the best I could do :)
For a recipe for perfect dosa batter, check out this informative post by Sala here
If it's idli's you are looking for then Nags has summed it up pretty well in her post here
I, on the other hand, use the store bought batter for both idli and dosa. I always freeze the batter the day i pick it up and it stays for a really long time. I thaw it at room temperature and use it as desired. I usually make idlis the day I open it. I mix a tsp of baking soda to the batter and leave it for about an hour. This has fetched me really really soft idli's. I then thin down the batter with some water for using it in dosas, or if I'm up to it I separate them in the beginning itself and use them accordingly. But really, if you are up to making your own batter, follow the above mentioned links like the Bible :)
Mysore masala dosa
Dosa batter- around 1 cup
Ghee- enough to drizzle
For the filling
Idli podi/ mulaga podi- here & here (I buy mine from the store. Yes, I am a disgrace to the food blogger community)
Onion chutney
Red onion- 1 medium, roughly chopped
Garlic- 4 to 5 pods, peeled and roughly chopped
Chilli powder- 1 tsp
Tamarind paste- 1 tsp
Salt- to taste
Oil- 1 tbsp
Heat oil in a pan and add the onions and some salt
Sauté on medium heat till they become a light brown in colour.
Add the chilli powder and continue to cook for a minute or so.
Remove from heat and leave aside to cool for a while.
Add the cooled mix, garlic and tamarind paste and blend to a smooth consistency.
Resist the urge to add water, but if absolutely necessary, add a tsp or so and increase gradually.
You can do the above without cooking the onions by pulse all the ingredients in a blender. I find it a bit too overpowering and so I cook the onions.
Potato masala
Potaoes- 2 medium, quartered and pre cooked
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves- a sprig
Asafoetida- a generous pinch
Onion- 1 medium, thinly sliced
Ginger- 1.2 inch piece, thinly sliced (optional)
Green chillies- 2, slit
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Salt- to taste
Break down the pre-cooked potatoes using a fork, but don't mash it up. Keep aside.
In a kadai heat the oil and temper mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida.
To this add the onion, ginger and green chillies and cook till the onions wilt and turn a light brown colour.
Add the turmeric powder and cook for a minute or two after which you dump in the potato and give a good stir, making sure the potatoes are well mixed with the masala.
Check for salt, add a dash of water to prevent it from drying out and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes after which you can transfer the masala to a serving plate and keep ready.
Accompaniment
Coconut chutney (recipe adapted from here)
Shallots- 1 small, roughly chopped
Ginger- 1/2 inch piece, peeled and roughly chopped
Chilli powder- 3/4th tsp
Water- 2 tbsp, adjust accordingly
Salt- to taste
Oil- 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves- a sprig
Grind together the coconut, shallots, ginger, chilli powder and salt with the water in a blender till you get a smooth paste.
In a saucepan, heat the oil and splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves.
Keep the heat to medium and pour in the coconut paste mix along with about a 1/4 cup of water.
Cook, stirring continuously, till you see the steam coming from the spatula when lifted off the chutney.
make sure the chutney doesn't boil.
Also adjust water according to taste. I like mine a wee bit thick, so i reduced the water.
Assembling
Keep a non-stick dosa tawa over medium heat.
When ready, add a ladle full of dosa batter and spread it in a circle.
Drizzle a spoon full of ghee over the spread out batter and along the side, lightly dabbing it into the batter. Wait for the dosa to slightly cook.
Spread a spoon of the onion chutney, sprinkle some idli podi and cook till the dosa slightly crisps.
Finally top one half of the dosa with a generous serving of the potato masala, fold over and cook for a minute or two after which you can transfer to a serving plate.
have them warm with a side of the chutney or sambar.
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