Celery Free Vegan Masala Dosa
Masala dosa is one of those dishes that feels almost magical — a paper-thin, lacey-edged crepe wrapped around a warmly spiced potato filling, served with a bright, cooling coconut chutney on the side. The batter is built from just rice, urad dal, fenugreek seeds, and salt, fermented overnight until it develops that signature faint tang that makes every dosa taste alive. The potato masala gets its depth from mustard seeds popping in hot oil, fresh curry leaves, green chiles, ginger, and turmeric, all folded into roughly crushed Yukon Golds for a filling that's chunky, fragrant, and deeply satisfying. Every component here is naturally free from celery and celery-derived ingredients, so there's no need to scrutinize labels or swap anything out — the recipe just works as written. The coconut chutney comes together quickly in a blender and gets finished with a tempered oil poured right over the top, adding a smoky, aromatic punch that ties the whole plate together. Getting the dosa itself right is genuinely rewarding — spreading the batter in a quick spiral and watching it turn golden and crisp at the edges is one of those kitchen moments that never gets old. This is weekend cooking at its most satisfying, the kind of meal that impresses everyone at the table without requiring anything fussy or hard to find.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the dosa batter
- 2 cups long-grain white rice
- ½ cup urad dal (split black lentils)
- ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 tsp salt
For the potato masala
- 1 ½ lb yukon gold potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 3 tbsp neutral oil (such as canola or sunflower), divided
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 10 fresh curry leaves
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 green chiles (such as serrano or thai), thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
For cooking
- 2–3 tbsp neutral oil, for cooking the dosas
For the coconut chutney
- 1 cup fresh or frozen grated coconut (or unsweetened desiccated coconut)
- 1 green chile, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, roughly chopped
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 5 fresh curry leaves
- 1 dried red chile
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the rice and urad dal separately under cold water until the water runs clear. Combine them in a large bowl with the fenugreek seeds and cover with cold water by at least 2 inches. Soak for 6–8 hours or overnight at room temperature.
- 2
Drain the soaked rice and dal. Working in two batches if needed, blend the rice with just enough fresh cold water (start with 1/2 cup per batch) until the batter is smooth but with a very slight graininess — it should pour like thick cream. Blend the dal and fenugreek separately until completely smooth and airy, adding water a tablespoon at a time. Combine both in the large bowl, stir in the salt, and mix well. Cover and let the batter ferment at room temperature for 8 hours, until it has risen slightly and smells faintly tangy. (In a cold kitchen, place the covered bowl in an oven with just the light on.)
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