Planet pancake

Go global on Pancake Day with Cassie Best’s recipes

Sweet potato masala dosa with coconut raita

Dosas are thin savoury pancakes, traditionally made from fermented rice and lentils that have been ground to a paste and mixed with water. This vegetarian dish originates in southern India, where it’s often eaten for breakfast and served with chutney, sambar (lentil & tamarind stew) or a spiced potato filling, which transforms it into a masala dosa. Getting a crispy paper-thin texture at home is tricky, but I get good results by combining gram (chickpea) flour and plain flour.

SERVES 4 PREP 40 MINS PLUS 24 HRS CHILLING COOK 50 MINS EASY V

For the dosa

100g/4oz gram flour
100g/4oz plain flour
200ml/7fl oz milk

For the masala filling

4 sweet potatoes (about 750g/1lb 10oz), peeled and chopped into small cubes
3 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil
2 tsp each black mustard seeds, fennel seeds, and cumin seeds
1 fat red chilli, chopped (deseeded if you don’t like it too hot)
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped small bunch coriander, stalks only, finely chopped (save the leaves for the raita)
2 tbsp fresh or dried curry leaves
1 tsp each ground turmeric and ground coriander Indian chutneys and pickles, to serve

For the raita

200g/7oz fresh coconut, coarsely grated
125g pot coconut yogurt (I used CoYo) small bunch coriander, leaves only, finely chopped (reserve a few leaves to serve)
zest 1 lime, juice of ½, the other ½ cut into wedges to serve