Sweet Potato Masala Dosa or Dosai is a popular South Indian breakfast recipe. This easy dosa recipe is nutritious, vegan, gluten-free, and very filling.
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The famous Indian crepe
I am yet to come across an Indian who dislikes dosa! Dosa is an Indian crepe made using soaked, ground, and then fermented rice and lentils.
The basic dosa is a simple, no-fuss recipe. You soak the rice and lentils, then grind and ferment it overnight. Prepare thin crepes with that fermented batter and serve.
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Dosa is an extremely popular South Indian delicacy served mostly for breakfast or as a snack. It is served in Indian restaurants and is a popular type of street food in India.
There are many types of dosa batter that one can make. Here are some on the blog that you can try:
Masala + Dosa
One of the most popular varieties is called Masala Dosa. Here the dosa is stuffed with a spiced mashed potato stuffing and served with an assortment of chutneys and sambhar.
This type of dosa is more filling because of the stuffing. The potato stuffing recipe also differs from home to home. But whatever the recipe, masala dosa is DELICIOUS!
This classic dish is a family favorite. We also order Masala Dosa whenever we see it on the menu of any restaurant. I have also been making it at home since forever!
We enjoy this South Indian delicacy for breakfast, snacks, or even as lunch or dinner! Basically, we can eat Masala Dosai any time of the day!
Why sweet potatoes
This time around, I wanted to experiment with it and decided to use sweet potatoes instead of potatoes to make the stuffing for this classic Indian recipe.
It's not that they are a better choice than potatoes. In fact, both sweet and regular potatoes provide a good amount of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and energizing carbs.
However, sweet potatoes have more fiber and are slightly lower on the glycemic index than white potatoes.
Sweet Potato is very nutritious because it contains antioxidants, anti-inflammatory nutrients, and blood sugar-regulating nutrients. It's good to add it to your diet.
Plus, it is such an easy, hassle-free vegetable to cook with. It cooks easily and blends in with other ingredients smoothly.
This sweet potato filling is truly a welcome change. It's a great way to include this root vegetable into the diet of fussy eaters like me!
I have started to enjoy cooking with sweet potatoes and have made Sweet Potato Masala Puri, Chole Sweet Potato Tikki Chaat, Puran Poli With Sweet Potato, and Quinoa Sweet Potato Idli.
Why make this
Here are some reasons to make this delicious Indian sweet potato recipe:
- It's vegan, gluten-free and healthy
- Easy to make and tasty
- Very satiating
- Great way to add sweet potatoes to the diet
- Can be served for breakfast or as a snack
Ingredients needed
Sweet potato - This Indian recipe calls for cooked sweet potatoes. There are many ways you can cook it. I usually wash it and then prick it all over with a fork.
Then I microwave it for 5 minutes. If I feel it's still not fully cooked, I keep it for 30 seconds more.
The way to check if sweet potato is done is to pierce it with a butter knife. If it goes in smoothly, it's done. Else keep it for 30 seconds or a minute.
Dosa Batter - You can use the traditional batter or use alternate batters like Quinoa Dosa batter, Wheat Rava Dosa batter, Rava Dosa batter, or Carrot Oats Dosa batter.
If you don't wish to make the batter at home, you can also use the ready batter available in Indian grocery stores. Just check if salt needs to be added before making.
Herbs and spices - mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, curry leaves, cilantro, green chillies, turmeric powder, and ginger give the sweet potato mixture a nice flavor.
Onions and garlic - They are optional. But I like the flavor so I always add them. You can totally skip adding these two ingredients.
Besides these ingredients, you will also need a good quality skillet or tawa to make the dosa. I use this one and I absolutely love it. Cast iron tawa is also a great option.
I like to keep my dosa pan separate and use it only when I make dosas.
Here's how to make it
Before we begin making Sweet Potato Masala Dosai, you need to have two things ready. First, keep the dosa batter ready.
Secondly, cook the sweet potato ahead of time. Wash it and then prick it all over with a fork. Then microwave it for 5 minutes. Peel and mash it with a fork. Set it aside for now.
Keep it aside for now.
- Heat oil
in a pan. Temper mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Then add and fry urad dal and chana dal along with minced green chillies and curry leaves. - Saute till the lentils turns golden brown. Keep flame on medium.
- Add ginger and garlic to the pan. Continue to saute till the raw smell of garlic goes away.
- Next add the chopped onions, some of the cilantro along with salt. Saute till they turn translucent.
- Add the mashed sweet potato along with turmeric powder and give it a good mix. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Make sure the mixture is not watery.
- Check the seasonings and adjust as needed. Lastly garnish it with cilantro, mix and take it off the flame.
- Heat a skillet/tawa on medium flame. Pour a dollop of dosa batter and spread it like a pancake but thinner. Drizzle oil around the edges.
- When you see the base has become golden, and the edges separate from the pan, flip it to the other side.
- Add a spoonful of the sweet potato mixture in the center, spread it and let it cook for a minute.
- Fold and close the dosa. Take it off the skillet. Repeat the steps to make as many as you need.
in a 
. Temper mustard seeds
and cumin seeds
. Then add and fry urad dal
and chana dal along with minced green chillies and curry leaves. 
/tawa
Serving suggestions
Serve this South Indian masala dosai with coconut chutney/sambhar for breakfast or as a snack. I also like to enjoy it with some molagapodi on the side.
We also enjoy these stuffed pancakes/crepes for lunch and dinners! You can serve any side dish with this Indian Sweet Potato Masala Dosa recipe.
Just one thing - you will need to make lots of it because these are addictive and delicious! No one is going to stop at one!
In case you plan to make it ahead of time, keep the dosa and the stuffing separate. Heat before serving. Just remember, they will not be crispy but soft, yet tasty.
Tips, recommendations, and suggestions
The stuffing mixture is customizable. You can add more veggies like carrots, cauliflower, spinach, paneer, green peas, bell pepper, tofu, etc to it.
Smear butter all over the exposed side of the dosa before adding the sweet potato mixture. You can also smear it with green chutney, thecha, or spicy Andhra chutney.
The most obvious tip is that you can swap sweet potato with regular potato and make the traditional Masala Dosai. The rest of the recipe remains the same.
You can prepare the sweet potato stuffing and the dosa batter ahead of time and store them in the fridge. Bring them to room temperature and then use them as needed.
This stuffing can also be used in other recipes like paratha, Frankie, wraps, sandwiches, crepes, waffles, and/or pancakes. You can use this stuffing if you want to eat Rava or Wheat Masala Dosa.
Make fresh masala dosai when needed. If you make and keep them, they will get soft and soggy. You can also serve the dosa and the stuffing separately.
How to make them crispy
Always keep the flame low to medium when making dosa. There is no need to grease the pan if it's nonstick. Grease it only if using a cast iron tawa.
Pour the batter, spread the batter from the center as thin as possible in a circular way. Then drizzle oil or ghee around it.
The longer you cook it, it will turn crispy and it will be easy to flip them. If you flip the dosa too soon, it may break or will be soft. Low flame is key here.
Reasons for not getting crispy dosa
This can happen if the batter was not well fermented or if the batter is not of the right pouring consistency.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of rice flour to the batter if it's too thin and add 1-2 tablespoons of water if it is too thick.
How to store it
Transfer the dosai batter and sweet potato masala stuffing separately to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 5-6 days. You can also freeze the leftover batter.
What to do with leftovers
You can make other South Indian breakfast recipes like Paniyaram or Dosa Waffles with leftover dosa batter. Leftover sweet potato mixture can be used in many recipes like:
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Masala Dosa with Sweet Potato
Equipment
Ingredients
To make the stuffing
- 1 sweet potato
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon urad dal
- 1 tablespoon chana dal
- 2 green chillies (minced)
- 5 curry leaves
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ cup cilantro
- Salt
To prepare the masala dosa
Instructions
To make the stuffing
- Wash the sweet potato and then prick it all over with a fork. Then microwave it for 5 minutes. Check if it's cooked and peel and mash it with a fork. Set it aside for now.
- Heat oil in a pan. Temper mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Then add and fry urad dal and chana dal along with minced green chillies and curry leaves. Saute till the lentils turns golden brown. So this over a medium flame.
- Add ginger and garlic paste to the pan. Continue to saute till the raw smell of garlic goes away.
- Next add the chopped onions, part of the cilantro along with salt. Saute till they turn translucent.
- Add the mashed sweet potato along with turmeric powder and give it a good mix. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Make sure the mixture is not watery. Check the seasonings and adjust as needed.
- Lastly garnish it with cilantro, mix and take it off the flame.
To prepare the masala dosa
- Heat a skillet/tawa over a medium flame. Pour a dollop of dosa batter and spread it like a pancake but thinner.
- Drizzle oil around the edges. When you see the base has become golden, and the edges separate from the pan, flip it to the other side.
- Add a spoonful of the sweet potato mixture in the center, spread it and let it cook for a minute. Fold and close the dosa. Take it off the skillet. Repeat the steps to make as many as you need.
Notes
Nutrition
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Your dosa look incredible! They remind me of a french crepe (in appearance). Those fillings sound extraordinary!
I have never had a masala with sweet potato filling! But it looks fantastic, I'm going to have to make it soon.
How is your paining project going?
Your photos are gorgeous! I love dosa too, but have never made them at home. This recipe sounds easy and delicious. I love sweet potato. Can't wait to try!
I love dosa! This looks so delicious!