Crispy Masala Dosa

Soak the batter ingredients

1. Rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear. Put rice in a bowl and cover with plenty of water.
2. In a separate bowl, rinse the urad dal (and chana dal if using). Add fenugreek seeds and cover with plenty of water.
3. Soak both bowls for 4 to 6 hours.

Blend the batter

1. Drain the dal bowl. Add dal and fenugreek to a blender with 1/2 cup water to start. Blend until very smooth, fluffy, and creamy, adding water as needed. Think thick smoothie texture.
2. Drain the rice. Blend rice with about 3/4 cup water, adding more as needed, until mostly smooth. A tiny bit of grit is okay.
3. Combine the rice and dal batters in a large bowl. Mix well using your hand or a sturdy spoon. Add salt and mix again. The batter should fall off your hand in ribbons, not plop like paste.

Ferment

1. Cover the bowl loosely (you want it to breathe). Leave at room temperature for 8 to 14 hours, until the batter looks risen and bubbly and smells pleasantly tangy. Warmer kitchens ferment faster, cooler kitchens take longer.
2. After fermenting, stir the batter. If it is very thick, thin with water a little at a time until it pours easily, like thick crepe batter. Taste and adjust salt.

Make the potato masala

1. Put the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Salt the water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until fork-tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and lightly mash, leaving some chunks.
2. Heat oil or ghee in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them pop.
3. Add curry leaves (careful, they may sputter), then add onion and sliced chile if using. Cook until soft and lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Add ginger, turmeric, chana dal if using, and salt. Stir 30 seconds.
5. Add the potatoes and a splash of water to help everything come together. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, then turn off heat. Stir in lemon juice and cilantro. Taste and adjust salt and lemon.

Blend the coconut chutney

1. Add coconut, yogurt, lime juice, garlic (if using), and salt to a blender. Blend until creamy, adding water as needed to reach a spoonable consistency.
2. Pour into a bowl.

Temper the chutney

1. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them pop.
2. Add curry leaves and dried red chile if using. Cook 10 to 15 seconds.
3. Pour the hot tempering over the chutney and stir.

Cook the dosas

1. Heat a cast iron griddle or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When a few drops of water sizzle and evaporate quickly, you are ready.
2. Lightly oil the surface, then wipe with a folded paper towel so there is just a thin sheen. Too much oil can make the batter slide and stop it from spreading.
3. Pour about 1/3 cup batter in the center. Quickly use the bottom of the ladle to spread it outward in a spiral into a thin circle.
4. Drizzle 1 to 2 teaspoons oil or ghee around the edges and a little over the top.
5. Cook until the surface looks mostly dry with tiny holes, the edges lift, and the bottom is deep golden, 2 to 4 minutes.
6. For a classic masala dosa, add a line of potato filling down the center. Fold the dosa over like a book or roll it up. Serve immediately with chutney. If you have sambar, that is the full experience.
7. Between dosas, reheat the pan for 15 to 30 seconds if needed, then re-oil lightly. Adjust heat as you go so the batter sizzles on contact but does not burn before it crisps.

My quick fixes

• Batter too thick: add water 1 tablespoon at a time. You want it pourable.
• Batter too thin: stir in a spoonful of rice flour, rest 10 minutes, then try again.
• Dosa pale: increase heat slightly and use a touch more oil or ghee.
• Sticking: let it cook longer before lifting, and make sure the pan is hot and lightly greased.