Lactose Free Vegan Masala Dosa
Masala dosa is one of those dishes that feels like a true labor of love — and the results are absolutely worth it. The batter starts with soaked rice and urad dal that ferment overnight into something wonderfully tangy, producing those signature crisp, lacy crepes that shatter at the edges and stay just tender enough in the center. The filling is a warmly spiced potato masala loaded with mustard seeds, curry leaves, fresh ginger, and green chiles, all folded inside the golden dosa for a satisfying bite every time. Everything here is built entirely from whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and plant-based oils, so there's no dairy to worry about at any stage — no ghee, no butter, no cream hiding anywhere in the recipe. The coconut chutney alongside is bright and cooling, tempered with a quick sizzle of mustard seeds and dried red chile that makes it taste far more complex than the short ingredient list suggests. This is the kind of recipe that rewards patience — the overnight soak and ferment do most of the heavy lifting — and once you've nailed the batter spread, you'll want to make these on repeat.
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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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