Masala Dosa (Potato-Filled Rice-and-Lentil Crepe) Recipe

This iconic dish is ubiquitous throughout South India.

By
Sohla El-Waylly
Sohla El-Waylly

Sohla El-Waylly is a culinary creator, video host, and CIA graduate whose work can be found on Serious Eats, Bon Appetit, The New York Times, Food52, YouTube, and more.

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Updated April 15, 2025

Why It Works

  • Seasoning the potato-boiling water ensures that the potato masala will be perfectly seasoned throughout.
  • Frying the spices in oil develops their aromatic flavor and infuses the oil.
  • Oil-toasting the cashews and chana dal adds crispy texture to the filling.
  • A touch of sugar balances the flavors of the spice and chili.

These crisp lentil-and-rice crepes filled with spiced potatoes are an iconic Indian dish. Ubiquitous throughout southern India, this is the dish that comes to most people's minds when they think of a "dosa." The hearty potato filling is both spicy and sweet, playing up the crepe's sour tang. Roasted chana dal and cashews run throughout the filling for bites of nutty crunch.

Side view of a plated rolled dosa.

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

May 2018

Recipe Details

Masala Dosa (Potato-Filled Rice-and-Lentil Crepe) Recipe

Prep 10 mins
Cook 80 mins
Active 60 mins
Total 90 mins
Serves 16 servings
Makes 16 10-inch stuffed dosas
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Ingredients

  • 5 medium russet potatoes (about 43 ounces; 1.2 kg), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

  • 1 tablespoon (12 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more for seasoning the filling

  • 2 tablespoons (24 g) sugar, divided

  • 3 tablespoons (42 g) apple cider vinegar, divided

  • 1/2 cup ghee or neutral oil, such as vegetable, peanut, or canola (3 1/2 ounces; 100 g), plus additional ghee for cooking the dosa

  • 1 medium onion (about 9 1/2 ounces; 265 g), thinly sliced

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons (3 g) black mustard seeds

  • 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) cumin seeds

  • 1 tablespoon (15 g) chana dal (yellow lentils)

  • 1 teaspoon (3 g) ground turmeric

  • 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) Kashmiri red chile powder

  • 1 pinch asafetida

  • 1 medium Thai green chile, split (about 5 g)

  • 1/3 cup toasted cashews (1.8 ounces; 50 g)

  • 1/4 bunch cilantro leaves and tender stems (about 1 ounce; 28 g), chopped

  • 1 recipe dosa batter

  • Coconut chutney, for serving

Directions

  1. Add 2 quarts (1.9L) water to large saucepan. Add potatoes, kosher salt, 1 tablespoon (12g) sugar, and 2 tablespoons (28g) vinegar. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain potatoes and transfer to rimmed baking sheet. Spread into even layer, then sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon (14g) vinegar.

  2. In large saucepan, combine ghee (or oil) and onion and cook over medium-high heat until browned, about 10 minutes. Remove onions and set aside, then return ghee to pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and chana dal, cooking until dal is toasted, about 5 minutes. Add turmeric, red chile, asafetida, green chile, and cashews and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add cooked potatoes, remaining 1 tablespoon (12g) sugar, cilantro, browned onions, and 3/4 cup (180ml) water. Simmer until filling ingredients have combined and a light sauce has formed. Add salt to taste.

  3. Cooking the Dosa: Preheat 10-inch cast iron griddle over medium heat. (If your griddle is well seasoned, then no cooking oil will be necessary; if it's not, add 1 teaspoon/5ml neutral oil to the griddle once it's preheated.) Using 1/4-cup measure or 2-ounce ladle, pour batter onto center of griddle. Using bottom of the measuring cup or ladle, spread batter, using circular motions, until it thinly covers entire griddle bottom. Cook until surface of dosa is just set, about 1 minute. Brush or drizzle with 1 tablespoon (15ml) melted ghee. Continue cooking until bottom of dosa is golden brown and edges are crisp, about 4 minutes longer. Top each dosa with 1/2 cup of warm potato masala. Roll each dosa and serve right away with coconut chutney.

    Collage showing stages of making a dosa: dropping batter onto a griddle, smoothing into a round, lifting edges, adding filling, and folding over

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Special Equipment

Round cast iron griddle, rimmed baking sheet, large saucepan

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
256 Calories
12g Fat
33g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 256
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 16%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 16mg 5%
Sodium 496mg 22%
Total Carbohydrate 33g 12%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 57mg 285%
Calcium 34mg 3%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 608mg 13%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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