Chettinad Egg Dosa

Name: Chettinad Egg Dosa
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: chettinad
Ingredients: 1.5 cup parboiled rice (for dosa batter); 0.5 cup urad dal (for dosa batter); 0.5 tsp fenugreek seeds (for dosa batter); 0 water (for grinding); 0.5 tsp salt (for batter); 2 tbsp oil (divided, for cooking dosa and masala); 2 pcs onion (medium, finely chopped); 2 pcs green chili (finely chopped); 8 pcs curry leaves (roughly chopped); 1 inch ginger (finely chopped); 4 pcs garlic (cloves, finely chopped); 0.5 tsp fennel seeds; 0.5 tsp black pepper (coarsely crushed); 1 pinch cumin powder; 1 pinch red chili powder; 1 pinch turmeric powder; 2 tbsp coriander leaves (finely chopped); 4 pcs egg

RATING

4.5/5(68)

TASTE SCORE

8/10

A crisp dosa topped with egg and a punchy Chettinad-style masala makes a satisfying South Indian meal. Pepper, fennel, curry leaves, onion, and chili give every bite plenty of warmth and flavor.

PREP

20m

COOK

25m

SERVES

1 PIECE

501 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 9 STEPS

prep · ~6 min
Soak the rice and dal.
1.Rinse parboiled rice well until the water runs mostly clear.
2.Rinse urad dal and fenugreek seeds together.
3.Soak the rice in plenty of water in one bowl for 6 hours.
4.Soak the urad dal and fenugreek seeds in another bowl for 6 hours.
TIPA long soak helps the batter grind smooth and ferment better.
mix · ~15 min
Grind the dosa batter.
1.Drain the soaked urad dal and fenugreek seeds.
2.Grind them with water for grinding to a light, fluffy batter.
3.Drain the soaked rice and grind it separately with water for grinding to a smooth, slightly grainy batter.
4.Mix both batters together in a large bowl and stir in salt.
rest · ~480 min
Ferment the batter.
Cover the bowl loosely and leave the batter in a warm place for 8 hours, or until it turns airy and slightly risen.
TIPThe batter should smell mildly tangy and look bubbly, not sharp or over-sour.
saute · ~7 min
Make the Chettinad masala.
1.Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan over medium heat.
2.Add fennel seeds and let them sizzle for 10 seconds.
3.Add onion, green chili, curry leaves, ginger, and garlic; cook until the onion softens and turns light golden, 5 to 6 minutes.
4.Add black pepper, cumin powder, red chili powder, and turmeric powder; cook for 30 seconds.
5.Turn off the heat and mix in coriander leaves.
TIPKeep the pepper slightly coarse so the dosa gets that classic Chettinad kick.
fry · ~2 min
Spread the first dosa.
Heat a dosa tawa until medium-hot. Pour a ladle of batter and spread it in a thin circle. Drizzle a little of the remaining oil around the edges and cook until the base starts turning crisp.
TIPIf the tawa is too hot, the batter will not spread evenly.
assemble · ~2 min
Add the egg and masala topping.
1.Crack 1 egg directly over the half-cooked dosa.
2.Spread the egg gently with the back of a spoon to cover the surface.
3.Scatter one-fourth of the Chettinad masala over the egg layer.
4.Press lightly so the topping sticks as the egg sets.
fry · ~3 min
Cook until crisp and set.
Cook the dosa on medium heat until the egg is set and the underside is deep golden and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Fold and remove to a plate.
fry · ~12 min
Repeat with the remaining batter and eggs.
Make 3 more dosas the same way, using the remaining batter, oil, eggs, and masala.
serve
Serve the dosas hot.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Ferment the batter in a large bowl with headroom so it can rise without spilling.
2
If the batter feels too thick after fermentation, loosen it with a little water so it spreads thinly on the tawa.
3
Wipe the tawa lightly between dosas if bits of cooked egg remain; this helps the next dosa spread evenly.
4
Cook the onion masala only to light golden, not dark brown, so the fennel and pepper stay balanced.
5
Spread the cracked egg quickly while the dosa is still moist on top, so it bonds instead of sliding off.
6
Keep the heat at medium once the egg goes on; high heat can burn the base before the egg fully sets.
7
For best texture, serve immediately after folding, when the bottom is crisp and the egg layer is just set.