Dosas are a South Indian staple consisting of a rice and lentil crepe accompanied by sides, usually a couple of types of chutney. Masala dosa is a popular breakfast option in India, and it’s not hard to see why. The flavourful potato filling is just the thing to put a spring in your step first thing in the morning.
Tips
- Asafetida is a gum from a varietal of giant fennel that has been dried and ground into a powder. When raw, it has an unpleasantly strong flavour and smell, yet when cooked it mellows and gives a garlicky essence to dishes.
- Chana dal is the split kernel of a variety of chickpea known as desi or bengal gram. Ground up in the chutney, it lends a slightly earthy flavour while absorbing some of the water to ensure the chutney is not too soupy. It can be found already roasted at some grocery stores and Indian food markets.
Masala Dosa with Coconut Chutney
Ingredients
- 1 cup (250 mL) chopped fresh coconut meat
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 serrano chili, trimmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped
- 1/2 in (1.25 cm) piece of peeled fresh ginger
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) roasted chana dal (optional; see Tip)
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) water
- 2 tsp (10 mL) grapeseed oil
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) black mustard seeds
- Pinch of asafetida (see Tip next page)
- 4 small curry leaves
- Quick chickpea dosa
- 1 cup (250 mL) chickpea flour
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) rice flour
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground fenugreek or ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda
- 1 3/4 cups (435 mL) water
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) ghee (clarified butter), melted
- 4 medium yellow potatoes
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) ghee, melted
- 1 tsp (5 mL) black mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) cumin seeds
- 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp (5 mL) minced garlic
- 12 small curry leaves
- 1 or 2 serrano chilies, trimmed, seeded, and chopped
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground turmeric
- Pinch of asafetida (see Tip next page)
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) water
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) frozen green peas
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories401
- protein10g
- fat15g
- saturated fat9g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates63g
- sugars8g
- fibre11g
- sodium352mg
Directions
01
Start by making coconut chutney. In blender, combine coconut, cilantro, chili, ginger, chana dal (if using), salt, sugar, and water until a textured paste forms. Transfer to serving bowl.
02
In small frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds, taking care as they will crackle and pop. After about 5 seconds, remove pan from heat and stir in asafetida and curry leaves. Pour over chutney and stir well to incorporate. If not using right away, chutney may be refrigerated until ready to serve.
03
To make chickpea dosa, place flours, fenugreek or cumin, baking soda, water, and ghee in large bowl and whisk to thoroughly combine.
04
Heat large, well-seasoned cast iron pan over high heat. Brush hot pan with a little ghee and pour in 1/4 cup (60 mL) batter, swirling to evenly coat bottom of pan with batter. Cook until lightly golden brown and crisp on bottom side, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer dosa to plate and repeat with remaining batter. Set 4 dosas aside to use for this recipe and reserve the rest to enjoy another time.
05
To prepare curry potato filling, start by steaming potatoes. Set steamer basket in medium saucepan filled with about 2 in (5 cm) water. Set potatoes in steamer basket, cover saucepan with lid, and place over medium-high heat. Once water comes to a boil, steam potatoes until paring knife can go through a potato with only a little resistance, about 15 minutes. Keep an eye on water level in saucepan, and top it up as needed to ensure it doesnu2019t boil dry. Transfer potatoes to plate and let sit at room temperature until cool enough to handle. Peel and chop into bite-sized pieces.
06
In large frying pan, heat ghee over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds, taking care as they will crackle and pop. After 10 seconds, stir in shallots and sauteu0301 until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, curry leaves, chilies, turmeric, and asafetida. Stir together mixture for 30 seconds before folding in chopped potatoes. Add water and peas and continue to cook, stirring often, until liquid has evaporated. Gently fold in chopped cilantro and remove frying pan from heat.
07
To serve, place dosa on serving plates. Divide curry potato filling on half of each plated dosa. Fold or roll dosas over filling. Serve with coconut chutney on the side.
READ THIS NEXT
SEE MORE »
Fruity Tofu with Sweet Potato Wedges
Make no mistake, meaty grilled tofu, sweet flame-licked salsa, and chunks of crispy sweet potato make for a meal prepared in the great outdoors that puts the yum in plant-based eating. A master’s touch Perfect spuds: Crispy potatoes on the grill are a revelation. But it’s best to give them a head start on the stovetop, so the potatoes heat through before the exteriors grill to a burnt crisp. Flavourful tofu: Giving tofu a 90-degree turn on the grill halfway through cooking each side will produce a nice crosshatch pattern that makes you look like a grill master. Plus, those overlapping grill marks give tofu even better flavour.
Tex-Mex Taco Pizza
Combine pizza and taco night by firing up the grill. Sweet flame-licked onions, melty cheese, fiery salsa, hearty beans, and crispy flatbread crust all marry well in a no-fuss pizza that comes together fast enough to work within the confines of the weekday time crunch. Set up a work area near the grill so you have all your toppings within easy reach and ready to go. You can also use large Middle Eastern-style pitas for your base. Using store-bought pizza dough? If you want to go more traditional and use pizza dough, you can certainly stick with the grill. Stretch or roll pizza dough (about 1 lb/450 g) to roughly 1/2 in (1.25 cm) thick. It need not be perfectly round or square; it just has to be even thickness. Preheat grill to medium using indirect heat (for a gas grill, leave one burner off; for a charcoal grill, shovel coals onto one side of the grill) and lightly oil grill grates. Brush one side of dough with oil, then place on grill in an area not directly over the heat, oil side down. Once dough is lightly charred and just barely set, about 1 to 2 minutes, use pizza peel or big, flat spatula to transfer it to a work surface, grilled side up. Apply toppings and return pizza to indirect heat. Close grill lid, and heat until edges of crust are crispy and cheese has melted, 5 to 7 minutes.
Beet Falafel Burgers with Dilly Tahini Sauce
If a falafel and burger had a love child, this would be it. The result of this hybrid is a vibrantly coloured, complex-flavoured veggie burger you’ll flip over. You can also serve them between toasted hamburger buns with toppings such as sliced cucumber, sliced tomato, and arugula. Holding it together Many plant-based burgers are crumbly and weak, risking a patty that ends up between the grill grates instead of intact on your plate. Keep your burgers together by forming patties no larger than 1 in (2.5 cm) thick, which ensures a nice, even crust on the outside and a thoroughly warmed-through centre, then chilling the patties before grilling. You can also consider using a burger mould, which gives you denser, equally sized patties that cook evenly. Be sure your grill grates are well greased. Deep freeze You can freeze uncooked falafel burgers on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or plate and then transfer frozen patties to an airtight container. When ready, just thaw and cook as instructed. Falafel cooking options To bake: Arrange falafel on parchment-lined baking sheet and brush lightly with oil; bake at 375 F (190 C) for 25 minutes, or until crispy on the outside and heated through. To pan fry: Heat large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add 1 Tbsp oil (15 mL) for each 2 burgers in the pan, swirl to coat pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until underside is browned. Then flip carefully and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.
Grilled French Toast with Vanilla Scented Yogurt
Bet you’ve never considered making breakfast or Sunday brunch on the grill. Consider cooking your egg-soaked bread over flames as a way to coax even more flavour out of brag-worthy French toast. You can also use slices of brioche bread and whatever fruit happens to be in season. Of course, nobody could fault you for topping it all off with a drizzle of maple syrup. If you want it dairy free, you can use dairy alternatives such as oat milk and coconut yogurt. Not so fresh Somewhat stale bread is key to great French toast. You want it to be 2 to 3 days old. What if your bread isn’t aged enough? You can speed up the process by slicing bread and then placing it on a pan in 350 F (180 C) oven for about 10 minutes, or until it firms up. Make sure it’s sliced nice and thick to prevent the egg mixture-to-bread ratio being too heavy in favour of egg, resulting in soggy French toast.