Masala dosa

• 300 g Rice (idli or parboiled rice, long-grain will do)
  Swaps (2)
• 2 u Onion (thinly sliced)
• 600 g Potato (floury (about 4))
  Swaps (1)
• Salt (to taste)
• 2 u Green Chilli (chopped)
• 6 tablespoons Vegetable Oil (3 for the filling, the rest for cooking the dosas)
• 1 piece Ginger (fresh, about 2 cm, finely chopped)
• 1 handful Coriander (fresh, chopped)
• 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
  Swaps (1)
• 0.5 teaspoons Turmeric
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek (seeds)
• 1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds (black)
• 500 ml Water (cold, for blending and thinning the batter, roughly)
• 100 g Urad dal (skinned and split (white))
• 1 sprig Curry leaves (fresh (about 15 leaves))

Instructions

1. 1

   Wash the rice and urad dal separately, rubbing them between your fingers, until the water runs almost clear. Soak them in two bowls of plenty of cold water, with the fenugreek in with the dal, for at least 5 hours.

2. 2

   Drain the dal and blend it in a jug blender with the fenugreek, adding cold water a little at a time, until you have a very smooth, white, fluffy paste. Transfer to a large bowl.

   8 min

3. 3

   Drain the rice and blend it with water to an almost smooth paste that feels only slightly gritty between your fingers. Add it to the dal with a teaspoon of salt.

   8 min

4. 4

   Mix the two pastes together with your hand for a few seconds (the warmth of your skin helps start the fermentation). The bowl should be no more than half full. Cover loosely and leave overnight in a warm place, 8 to 12 hours, until the batter has risen, is bubbly and smells slightly sour.

5. 5

   The next day, make the filling. Boil the potatoes in their skins in salted water until a knife slides in easily. Peel them and crush with a fork, leaving some chunks.

   25 min

6. 6

   Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add the curry leaves, chilli and ginger and stir for a few seconds. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook gently until soft and translucent, without letting it colour.

   7 min

7. 7

   Stir in the turmeric, potatoes and a splash of water and mix over low heat until everything is an even yellow. Check the salt and finish with the lemon juice and coriander.

   4 min

8. 8

   Stir the fermented batter gently, without beating out the air, and add water if needed: it should have the consistency of thick pouring cream that coats the spoon.

9. 9

   Heat a flat cast-iron or non-stick pan over medium-high heat and grease it with kitchen paper dipped in oil. Pour a ladle of batter into the centre and spread it outwards in a spiral with the base of the ladle to make a thin round. Drizzle a few drops of oil around the edge and cook without turning until the underside is golden and crisp and the edges lift. Before each dosa, sprinkle the pan with a few drops of water and wipe it with the paper to take the edge off the heat.

   30 min

10. 10

    Put two tablespoons of filling in the centre of each dosa, fold or roll it up and serve straight away.