Masala dosa with coconut chutney

Method

1. Ahead (Saturday morning): rinse 280 g idli rice in a sieve 3 times, until the water runs almost clear. Soak it in a bowl with plenty of water. In a second bowl, rinse 70 g urad dal with ½ tsp fenugreek seeds and soak them too. Leave both on the bench for 5–6 hours.
2. Ahead: drain the urad dal and fenugreek. Grind them in the large mixer jar with 140 ml (about ½ cup) cold water, in 30-second bursts, for 3–4 minutes in total. Stop when it is smooth, pale and fluffy, like whipped cream. Scrape it into a large mixing bowl.
3. Ahead: drain the rice and grind it in the same jar with 240 ml (about 1 cup) cold water, in 30-second bursts, for 4–5 minutes. Stop when a drop rubbed between your fingers feels like fine semolina. Pour it into the dal, add half of the 2 tsp salt (the rest goes in the masala and chutney) and mix with a clean hand for 1 minute. It should be thick but pourable, like pancake batter. Add a splash more water only if it is stiff.
4. Ahead (overnight): check the bowl is no more than half full, as the batter rises. Cover loosely and leave it in a warm spot for 8–12 hours. In an Australian winter, put it in the oven with only the light on (oven off). It is ready when it has risen, looks bubbly and smells pleasantly sour.
5. Ahead: stir the risen batter gently, spoon it into jars and put them straight in the fridge. It keeps 5 days. From now on, keep the batter in the fridge between uses.
6. The night before: put 520 g (~3 medium) potatoes, whole and unpeeled, in the pressure cooker with 400 ml (about 1½ cups) water. Cook on high heat to 3 whistles, then let the pressure drop by itself. Peel when cool, break into rough chunks with the masher (not smooth) and keep in the fridge.
7. Morning: thinly slice 160 g (~1 medium) onion. Finely chop 10 g ginger and 2 green chilli, keeping a small piece of each for the chutney.
8. Heat half of the 1½ tbsp oil in the kadai on medium heat for 1 minute. Add 1¼ tsp mustard seeds and wait until they pop, about 30 seconds. Add 1 sprigs curry leaves, the onion and ginger and cook 5 minutes, stirring, until the onion is soft and see-through.
9. Stir in ½ tsp turmeric, the potato, most of the remaining salt and 120 ml (about ½ cup) water. Cook on low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until it holds together loosely. Take out a toddler portion now, then stir the chopped chilli into the rest for 1 minute.
10. Chutney: blend 100 g thawed coconut with the saved ginger and chilli, a pinch of salt and 120 ml (about ½ cup) water in the small mixer jar for 30–40 seconds, until it is a thick, slightly coarse paste.
11. Take the batter out of the fridge 10–15 minutes before cooking and stir gently. Heat the tawa on medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes, until a few drops of water sizzle and vanish in 2–3 seconds. Wipe it with a few drops of oil on a paper towel.
12. Pour one ladle of batter in the centre and spread it in a spiral from the middle outwards with the back of the ladle, until thin. Drizzle a few drops of the remaining oil around the edge.
13. Cook on medium-high heat for 1½–2 minutes, until the underside is golden and the edges lift away from the pan. Do not flip.
14. Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of masala down the middle, fold both sides over and lift it onto a plate. Serve straight away with the chutney.

Tips

• If the first dosa sticks, the tawa is not hot enough or needs another wipe of oil. The first one is often a practice dosa.
• Boil the potatoes the night before; the morning job is then 15 minutes.

Make it easier

• Weekend: Soak and grind idli/dosa batter (Saturday). Soak rice and dal separately for 5–6 h, grind, mix with salt, ferment overnight.
• The night before: Boil the potatoes for the dosa masala tonight.

Keeping and freezing

• Fridge: keeps 2 days in a lidded box. Cool it within an hour of cooking.
• Freezer: does not freeze well; eat within the fridge time.

Good to know

• Asthma: buy frozen grated coconut without sulphites (220–228).
• Toddlers: take their portion out before adding chilli or pepper.