All of the optional condiments for serving are available at most Indian grocery stores.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 12

　　2 cups rava/sooji (or semolina or Cream of Wheat, if you can’t find it)

　　3 cups rice flour

　　1/4 cup maida (fine wheat flour)

　　1/2 cup cumin seeds

　　1 tablespoon ajwain (also called carom)

　　1 tablespoon salt

　　6 cups water

　　2 pounds potatoes, peeled

　　1 cup olive oil

　　1 tablespoon mustard seeds

　　1/2 white onion, finely diced

　　2 teaspoons ground turmeric

　　5 curry leaves, minced

　　Handful cilantro, minced

　　1 carrot, julienned or finely diced

　　3 red bell peppers, julienned or finely diced

　　Coconut chutney, for serving (optional)

　　Mint-cilantro chutney, for serving (optional)

　　Sambar, for serving (optional)

　　

Step 1

Combine the rava/sooji, rice flour, maida, cumin seeds, ajwain, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and the water in a large stockpot and mix well until it forms a thin batter. Cover the pot and leave it outside in a warm place for 2 hours to ferment.

　　

Step 2

While the batter is fermenting, boil the potatoes in a saucepan with enough water to cover them until they are soft. Using a fork, crush them lightly, but don’t mash or purée them; leave some cubed chunks.

　　

Step 3

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and cook for 2 minutes. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the potato chunks, the turmeric, curry leaves, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and stir to combine. Taste and readjust seasonings with more salt, if needed, and turn down the heat to low.

　　

Step 4

Heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining olive oil in a large nonstick pan or griddle over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Using a ladle, transfer a small circle of batter to the middle of the pan. Use the bottom of the ladle to gently spread the batter into a larger circle, swirling it in a clockwise circle. Add a second ladleful of batter around the first circle and spread the batter once more so that you have a crepelike round the size of the pan. After 3 minutes, the crepe should become crispy and ightly golden in color on the bottom. At this point, scrape off the top, uncooked layer of the batter with a spatula, leaving only the crispy part on the pan. (You can transfer the uncooked layer to the bowl of batter.) Working quickly, so that the dosa oesn’t overcook, add a pile of the crispy potatoes just to one side of the center of the dosa, and top with a sprinkle of the cilantro, a bit of carrot, and a bit of red bell pepper. Use a long spatula, or two spatulas, one on each side, to fold the dosa in a half-moon shape and transfer it to a plate. Repeat the same process with the remaining batter and fillings, adding more oil to the pan before cooking each dosa. Serve with the chutneys and sambar.

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