South Indian Fermented Rice and Potato Masala Dosa (4 Servings)

Rinse one cup regular rice, one cup idli rice, half a cup urad dal, two tablespoons toor dal and two tablespoons chana dal. Soak in clean water for 4–5 hours. Rinse one-quarter cup poha shortly before grinding.

Drain the soaked ingredients. Grind both rices with the poha until mostly smooth with a little texture; move to a large bowl. Begin with roughly 400ml water shared between grinding batches, adding more only if needed.

Grind the urad, toor and chana dals smooth and fluffy using a little of the remaining water; combine with rice batter.

Cover the batter in an oversized clean container and let it ferment for roughly 7–8 hours until risen. Because fermentation varies with temperature, refrigerate once ready until cooking; discard if mold or abnormal foul odors appear.

Gently mix half a teaspoon salt and a quarter teaspoon sugar into the fermented batter. Add only enough extra water to make it pourable and spreadable.

Soak the extra tablespoon each of chana and urad dal for 20–30 minutes, then drain. Heat two teaspoons oil; sauté half a teaspoon each of mustard and cumin seeds with the soaked dals for around two minutes.

Add a pinch of hing, half a teaspoon ginger paste, two chopped green chilies, 5–6 curry leaves and one cup onion; cook four to five minutes until softened.

Add two cups cooked mashed potato, half a teaspoon turmeric, half a teaspoon salt and two tablespoons cilantro. Cook two to three minutes, divide into four. Add one or two tablespoons water only if too dry.

Heat a flat griddle, reduce to medium, spread a quarter of the batter thinly for each dosa. Drizzle one teaspoon oil around each edge and cook roughly three to four minutes until crisp and golden; normally no flip is needed.

Place one quarter of the potato filling on each dosa, fold and serve. Repeat for four dosas total.

Refrigerate cooked dosas and filling within two hours; use leftovers within 3–4 days and reheat to a core temperature of 74°C.