Planet pancake

Go global on Pancake Day with Cassie Best’s recipes

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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