Rava Masala Dosa

Rava dosa is the quick cousin of the fermented dosa: a thin batter of fine rava, rice flour and maida with curd that is rested for just 20 minutes and poured on a hot tawa into a lacy, crisp web. The batter is very thin, so the technique is different from regular dosa; you pour it from a height rather than spreading it. Filled with a mildly spiced potato masala, it becomes a satisfying breakfast or evening meal. Practise a couple of dosas for the pour and the first few may break, but the rest come out crisp.

Method

1. Mix rava, rice flour, maida, curd, salt, cumin, pepper, green chilli and coriander. Add water gradually to make a very thin, watery batter. Rest for 20 minutes.
2. For the masala, heat oil and add mustard seeds. Add curry leaves, onion and ginger-chilli paste and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes.
3. Add turmeric, salt and the potatoes with 1/4 cup water. Mash lightly, cook for 3 minutes and finish with coriander and lemon juice.
4. Heat a wide tawa on medium-high until a drop of water sizzles instantly. Stir the batter well, as the rava settles quickly.
5. Pour a ladle of batter from a height, starting at the edge and moving in circles to form a lacy web. Fill gaps with a little batter.
6. Drizzle oil around the edges and cook on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until crisp and golden.
7. Add a spoon of potato masala in the centre, fold and serve hot.

What to serve it with

Serve hot with coconut chutney, sambhar and tomato-onion chutney.

Storage

Cook dosas fresh. The potato masala can be refrigerated for 1 day; the batter keeps for a few hours and may need a little extra water.

Variations

• Make onion rava dosa by sprinkling chopped onion on the batter.
• Skip the masala for a plain crisp rava dosa.
• Add 1 tbsp chopped cashews to the batter for a restaurant-style rava dosa.

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Recipe by Chef Purna Shah. More videos on YouTube and Instagram.