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Mysore Masala Dosa: homage to Woody's

April  6, 2012
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  • Makes 3-4 dosa
Author Notes

After a too-brief trip to Bangalore in January, I've been missing India like crazy. On my first day arriving, my coworkers and I went to Woody's, well known for their dosa and ridiculously good south indian coffee. Bangalore is known for the masala dosa, but the mysore masala dosa, which adds a spicy red paste, blew me away. I'm sure this can't measure up to Woody's, but this is my best try--an homage to the amazing dosa and coffee I can't stop thinking about!

I also included curd rice--an amazing tangy-salty yogurty rice that's served on the side. I fell in love with the texture and flavor of curd rice and would eat straight bowls of it in Bangalore. I never say it served with dosa, so this might be sacrilege, but I'm willing to take that risk... —JessicaBakes

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Mysore masala dosa
  • 2 large potatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed lightly
  • 1 green chile, chopped
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 2 tablespoons ghee (or oil)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon tumeric
  • Pinch cayenne
  • 1/4 cup dried unsweeted coconut
  • 1 tablespoon chana dal
  • 1 teaspoon jaggery
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind
  • 1 tablespoon poha (called beaten or flattened rice)
  • 1 cup uncooked rice
  • Curd rice
  • 2 tablespoons ghee (or oil if you don't have ghee)
  • 2 cups cooked white rice, at room temp
  • 1 cup yogurt--nice and tangy!
  • 6 curry leaves
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
  • 3 small dried red chiles
  • coriander leaves (or seeds, or even powder) to garnish
Directions
  1. Start by making the dosa batter: soak the rice in water for 3 hours. Separately, soak the fenugreek seeds, 1/3 c. urad dal and poha in water for 3 hours. Drain both and process in a food processer or blender until completely smooth. Add water only if needed--the batter should be thick but smooth! Set aside in a covered bowl for at least 3 hours to allow the batter to ferment. Once fermented, add the salt and mix well.
  2. Make the masala filling: heat the ghee in a pan, add the mustard and cumin seeds until they sputter. Add onion and green chile, cook until soft. Add the potato and allow to cook with the rest of the ingredients for about 10 minutes. Set aside.
  3. Make the mysore paste: Heat oil in a pan. Add the chana dal, remaining 1 tbsp of urad dal, garlic and red chiles. Cook for about 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the coconut and tamarind. Cook for another minute. Add a large pinch of salt and the jaggery. Remove from heat and let cool. After about 30 minutes (probably while you're making the curd rice!), grind all of the ingredients to a smooth paste. Add water slowly only as needed.
  4. Make the curd rice: heat the ghee in a small pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the curry leaves, mustard seeds and chiles (if you are using coriander seeds, add a pinch at this stage). Cook until the chiles are almost black, then set aside. Mix the yogurt, rice and salt until well combined. Top with the toasted spice mixture and coriander leaves. Set aside, keep the mixture at room temperature (or you can cool it in the fridge--up to you!)
  5. Assemble: heat a large, flat pan or griddle (a crepe pan would be good too!). You'll know it's ready when you drop water on it and it quickly dances across the pan and steams off quickly. Lightly grease with oil or butter, then bring 1-2 ladlefulls of dosa batter into the pan and quickly spread it with the ladle in circles. Once the dosa starts to cook, brush a little oil along the edges. Cook until the dosa turns brown and crispy and the sides lift off the pan. Take off the heat quickly, spread with the mysore paste, then top with the potato masala. You can roll or fold your dosa (but do it quick before it gets too crispy). Continue until you're out of batter, then serve with the curd rice on the side.

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