If there’s another dish that defines South India like none other, it is the dosa. Traditionally, it is a crispy, thin savory pancake that can be with or without the humble potato filling or masala. But then, if you consider fancy versions, this Mysore Masala Dosa is one of the most popular ones. It might appear similar to a regular masala dosa. But what sets this Mysore Masala Dosa Recipe apart from its counterpart is the hot red chutney that goes liberally into it. In this recipe of mine, you’ll get to know how to make this chutney too, that makes all the difference in this dish.
Like any other Mysore Masala Dosa, my version is also a crisp and soft dosa spiced with this spicy robust Red Chili Garlic Chutney and served with potato masala filling, also known as the potato palya. I usually serve it with a simple homely sambar, mint-coconut chutney, the leftover red chutney and sometimes a garlic chutney too.
Table of Contents
The classic Mysore Masala Dosa Recipe is quite different than the ones that are available in other cities of India, especially Mumbai and Delhi. I’ve been fortunate enough to have tried this dosa both in Mysore and Bengaluru, and I can say that these are distinct than the others.
The difference actually lies in the batter of the Mysore Masala Dosa. The ones served in Mumbai and other cities apart from South India, are crisp and white like the regular Masala Dosa.
Whereas the authentic Mysore ones are crisp on the outside and have a soft, porous bite as well as texture. These also have a nice golden-brown color to them. All this is due to the addition of cooked rice or poha (flattened rice) in the batter of the Mysore Masala Dosa Recipe.
In my recipe of Mysore Masala Dosa, I have used sona masoori rice to make the batter. The batter is also fermented really well. This is an absolute essential step, not just for making this dosa, but any other dosa too. Unless of course, you are considering using a recipe to make instant dosas.
You can use any regular rice in the batter. I have also made this dosa with a 1:1 proportion of idli rice (parboiled rice) and sona masoori rice, which has worked very well.
How to make Mysore Masala Dosa
- Make the potato palya or stir fry and keep ready.
2. Heat a frying pan or tawa. Spread the dosa batter. If using non-stick pan, then don’t spread oil.
3. Sprinkle some oil on the sides of the dosa. Cover the dosa with a lid and let it cook.
4. When the top side is cooked, spread some more oil, if you prefer, on the dosa. Spread the red chutney on the dosa all around.
5. Top the dosa with the potato palya filling and spread it lightly.
6. Fold the dosa.
7. Serve Mysore Masala Dosa hot with garlic chutney, coconut chutney and sambar.
History of Mysore Masala Dosa
While it is quite obvious from the name of the dish, this special masala dosa belongs to the city of Mysore or Mysuru, Karnataka in South India. However, it just doesn’t stop here. There are quite a few stories related to the origin of the Mysore Masala Dosa.
One of the most popular beliefs is that the original Mysore Masala Dosa recipe is a patent of the Vinayaka Mylari Hotel in Mysore. It is said that the recipe of this special dosa was a secret one from the pages of the restaurant’s proprietor’s grandmother. This particular eatery has been serving this dosa for 88 years now, because of which it is also referred to as the Mylari Dosa.
There’s a typical way as well that the restaurant practices in serving this specific dosa. It always comes to your table with unsalted butter and a non-spicy coconut chutney as accompaniments. Till today, this is considered as one of the iconic places to relish this unique dosa.
According to another common legend, the Mysore Masala Dosa was a creative result from the chefs who worked for the Maharaja of Mysore.
The story states that once there was a lot of leftover food by the end of a festival hosted by the Maharaja. In order to not waste that food, he ordered his cooks to come up with an idea. As a result, they prepared dosas stuffed with the aloo masala laced with the fiery red chutney.
Expert Tips
- You can use sona masoori rice or any other regular rice to make the batter for this recipe. Just avoid using any long-grained rice.
- For a more classic restaurant style taste in the dosa, you can fry it in butter instead of oil. You can even add a dollop or two of butter to the potato filling to make it just like the ones sold on Mumbai streets.
- If you don’t want to make the dosa batter at home, you can even prepare these dosas with store-bought readymade batter. Just make sure that it is fermented well. Also, adjust the salt.
- For a variation, you can some grated cheese or paneer on the aloo stuffing.
- The leftover red chutney can also be used an accompaniment with your regular meals consisting of dal-rice, roti-sabzi, etc. or had with plain dosas, idlis, uttapams, etc.
More Dosa Recipes To Try!
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Mysore Masala Dosa (With Red Chutney)
Ingredients
ingredients for batter
- 2 cups regular rice
- ½ cup urad dal (skinned and split black gram)
- ½ cup cooked rice or poha (flattened rice)
- ¼ teaspoon methi seeds (fenugreek seeds)
- rock salt (edible and food grade) or sea salt as required
- water as required for grinding the batter
ingredients for the potato palya/filling
- 2 large potatoes – boiled
- ¾ cup chopped onions
- 1 inch ginger (adrak) – chopped
- 1 or 2 garlic (lahsun) – optional
- 12 to 15 curry leaves
- 1 green chili – chopped
- ½ or ⅔ teaspoon black mustard seeds
- ½ or ⅔ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 pinch red chili powder
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ or ½ cup water
- 1 or 2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
- 1 tablespoon oil
- salt as required
ingredients for the red chutney
- 2 tablespoons roasted chana dal (roasted bengal gram)
- 4 to 5 garlic – small to medium-sized
- 2 to 4 dry red chilies – soaked in hot or warm water for 20 to 30 minutes. adjust depending on the type of chillies. for a more spicy taste add 3 to 4 dry red chilies.
- 1 teaspoon seedlees tamarind
- 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut – unsweetened
- ¼ cup onion – roughly chopped
- salt as required
- 3 tablespoons water – to blend or grind, add as needed
Instructions
making batter
- Pick and rinse the rice and urad dal in water for 3-4 times.
- Soak the rice, urad dal and methi seeds in a large bowl in enough water for 4-5 hours.
- In a wet grinder, grind the rice, urad dal, methi seeds and cooked rice or poha with enough water.
- Grind till you get a fluffy and smooth consistency of the batter.
- Take the dosa batter in a large bowl and mix salt.
- Cover the bowl loosely and let the batter ferment for 7-9 hours.
preparing the potato palya or filling
- First boil the potatoes in a steamer or pressure cooker, till they are fully cooked.
- Peel and either just crumble them with your hands or chop them.
- Heat oil in a pan or kadai.
- First fry the mustard seeds till they splutter.
- Now add the chopped onions and saute till they become soft.
- Add the ginger, garlic, green chilies, curry leaves and saute for some 20-30 seconds.
- Now add the turmeric powder, red chili powder and asafoetida.
- Stir for 2-3 seconds and add the potatoes.
- Stir and add water plus salt.
- Cover and simmer the potatoes till the water dries up.
- Lastly add the lemon juice and stir well.
- Add coriander leaves and mix well with the potatoes.
- Keep the potato palya aside.
making red chutney for dosa
- Take all the ingredients in a small blender or chutney grinder.
- Add very little water and grind to a smooth paste.
- Keep aside.
making mysore masala dosa
- On a tava or a flat frying pan spread 1 or 2 tsp oil. If using non stick pan, then don’t spread oil. You won’t be able to spread the dosa batter then.
- Take a medium sized ladle or a big spoon and with circular motions spread the dosa from the center towards the edges on the pan.
- Sprinkle some drops of oil from the top.
- Cover the dosa with a lid.
- Let the base get browned and the top side get cooked completely.
- Spread 1 or 2 tsp of the red chili chutney on top of the dosa.
- Place 2-3 tbsp of the potato stir fry on top of the mysore dosa and spread lightly.
- Fold and serve the mysore masala dosa hot with coconut chutney and sambar.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Mysore Masala Dosa Recipe from the archives was first published in April 2013. It has been updated and republished in March 2024.
I am enjoying this right now without the usual coconut chutney – I made your cucumber pachadi instead, rasam, and a mixed pickle.
Can I freeze the red chutney? As a single person, I don’t want to waste anything but I can’t always use things up in time. LOVE LOVE LOVE your site and recipes!
Hi Jane, yes you can freeze the red chutney for a few weeks. Thanks a lot and nice to know. Happy Cooking!
While preparing batter first grind udad dhal very smooth paste and rice little coarse. Add little sugar after fermentation to get crispy and red colour for dose.
Hi!
The recipe is amazing like your other recipes. Thank you so much, I have learned a lot from you😊.
Just one question, why dosa get sour flavour. Is there any way to restrain the batter to become sour?
Thank you. For dosa batter just does not allow it to ferment more. Over fermented dosa batter becomes sour. In summers ferment for less hours like 6 to 7 hours and in winters ferment for a longer time. Also when you use the batter after fermentation, take as much batter you need for making dosa in a separate container or bowl and keep the remaining batter in the fridge. This way the dosa batter stays good for some more time.
Greeetings,
Many thanks for the wonderful recipes.Detailed explanation.Its your labour of love.In this recipe for red chutney,i wouldnt want to use garlic as we do not eat.Can u suggest a different alternative instead of garlic?Many thanks
thanks radha. garlic helps to balance the spiciness of the red chillies along with roasted chana dal. if you are not using garlic, then i would suggest to increase the quantity of chana dal to 3 tablespoons. use hing instead of garlic to mimic the garlic flavor.
what i would sugest here is to heat 1 teaspoon oil. add 1 pinch of hing and fry. then add onions, dry red chillies, tamarind. mix and switch off the flame. grind with the roasted urad dal with some water to make a thick to medium-thick chutney which is easy to spread on the dosa.
your app is great but right now it’s not working. it seems to be stuck somewhere
shikha, the issue has been resolved. we had some problems yesterday and today. so now only the recipe card issue is being looked into. the rest of the problems with the app have been solved.