Masala Dosa
With over one billion residents, and hundreds of different languages and cultures – India is a diverse country to say the least. This is why so many traditional Indian dishes have countless variations, as each culture alters the meal to what is most easily available in the region, the
dominant taste preferences, religious food requirements, and more.
Dosas are certainly no exception. Despite originating in South India, a love for dosas has reached all corners of the subcontinent and have since manifested into different creative forms.
As mentioned in our previous article about dosas, there are three main categories of the dish – Masala Dosa, Rava Dosa, and Mysore Dosa. Within each type of dosa comes even more variations to the meal that has its own taste profile and health benefits.
Let’s start off with the different types of:
What are the ingredients of a classic Masala Dosa? What consists of a Masala Dosa filling
recipe?
The filling of a classic Masala Dosa consists of vegetables, starch, and at times meat. The special part about Masala Dosas is that it is filled with potato (aloo) masala, which complements the spices well. There are countless spices in your regular Masala Dosa. In fact, the word “Masala” directly translates to “spices”, too. These spices include cumin, ginger, curry leaves, chana dal, turmeric, and green chilli, which are mixed in with the boiled potatoes.
Meanwhile, the batter is made from black gram and rice flour, and can take hours to prepare. However, if you are making dosas at home, many Indian grocery stores provide ready made batter for you to work with.
Alternatively, check out Indian restaurants in your local area to order a warm, succulent dosa right to your
doorstep!
As mentioned, the countless different regions and cultures in India have led to a variety of Masala Dosas. In fact, two dosas in Bengaluru provide all the calories you need for one day! That being said, this is certainly not the case for most types of dosa recipes around India.
1. Mysore Masala Dosa
You may be confused when you first hear of a Mysore Masala Dosa, because Mysore is a separate kind of dosa
altogether from Masala Dosas. However, the Mysore Masala Dosa is a delightful combination of the two
categories. Though the texture and appearance is extremely close to a regular Masala Dosa, the difference
lies in the red garlic chutney that is spread on top of the dosa. After the dosa wrap is slightly cooked, the red
chutney is added to create a delectable spice that makes the Mysore Masala Dosa stand out against its brethren.
2. Garlic Cheese Masala Dosa
Who needs a boring pizza when you can have a creamy, garlic cheese dosa full of all of your favorite Indian spices to bring the dish to life! Made with the same recipe as a regular Masala Dosa, the magic ingredient is just a bit of cheese.If you are vegan, try out some dairy-free cheese in your dosa instead. The great thing about dosas is that you can easily adjust the ingredients to your personal diet and and taste preferences.
3. Chana Masala Dosa
Several Indian restaurants come up with their own signature dosas as well because they want to cater to as many preferences and people as possible. One such variation that may be at your local South Indian diner is
Chana Masala Dosa. Chana directly translates to “chickpeas” and so Chana Masala is a mix of chickpeas with an array of spices together in an aromatic curry. Since chickpeas are so healthy, as it is naturally low in fat
yet rich in vitamins and minerals, the Channa Masala adds an extra nutritious kick to the already fit Masala Dosa!
Looking for more variations of Masala Dosa? Check out the menu of any of these Indian restaurants in Montreal for inspiration on all that you could eat. From Chili Paneer Masala Dosa to Coriander, and even a six-foot long Masala Dosa for you to share with all of your friends, you are bound to find a special variation of this dish that will always have you coming back for more.
Is Masala Dosa a Junk Food? Is Masala Dosa Healthy?
Masala Dosa can be very healthy if you want it to be! Though cardiologist Dr. Devi Shetty states that Masala Dosa is a junk food because of its high calorie intake, the dish can be quite nutritious as well depending on what ingredients are used. For example, if the batter is made from brown rice and whole urad then you will definitely get the fibre and protein you need for a filling, nutritious meal. In other cases, dosas can actually help
promote weight loss as it induces feelings of fullness and thus prevents overeating. Therefore, the health intake of Masala Dosa really depends on the types of ingredients chosen.
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