Dairy Free Vegan Masala Dosa
Masala dosa is one of those dishes that feels almost magical the first time you make it — a paper-thin, lacquer-crisp crepe wrapped around a warmly spiced, golden potato filling. The batter is built entirely from soaked rice and urad dal that ferment overnight, developing a subtle tang that gives the dosa its signature depth and crunch without a drop of butter or ghee in sight. The potato masala gets its soul from mustard seeds popping in hot oil, fresh curry leaves, green chiles, and turmeric, all folded into roughly crushed Yukon Golds for a filling that's hearty but never heavy. Alongside it, a blender coconut chutney gets finished with a quick tempering of mustard seeds and dried red chile, adding a cool, fragrant counterpoint to the crispy dosa. Every component here is naturally plant-based, so there's no need to swap or substitute anything — the recipe is already built that way from the ground up. The technique takes a little patience between the soaking and fermenting steps, but the actual cooking is fast and deeply satisfying once your pan is hot and your batter is ready. Serve them straight off the skillet while they're still crackling, because a dosa waits for no one.
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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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