If you are a fan of masala dosa, you must have often wondered whether paper masala dosa, also known as the firm version of masala dosa can beat your favorite dish. If yes, then here is something that could excite you and help you choose which one to order! In this article, we will be discussing five facts about paper masala dosa vs masala dosa. So let’s get started!
Introduction to Paper Masala Dosa And Masala Dosa
Coming from the states of South India, both masala dosa and paper dosa are enjoyed all around the globe.
Masala dosa is one of the many variants of dosas. It is a dosa that is filled with mashed potatoes inside and is served on a banana leaf along with tomato chutney, coriander chutney, coconut chutney, and sambar. Masala dosa can be eaten as both breakfast and dinner.
If we talk about paper masala dosa, it is almost similar to masala dosa. However, the only thing that makes it a bit different is that its dosa crust is thinner and crispier than masala dosa.
Many diet-conscious individuals prefer eating paper masala dosa because it has fewer calories than masala dosa.
By the way, do you know the difference between curry vs masala?
Same Dosa Batter For Both Dishes
When we do the comparison of paper masala dosa vs masala dosa, one clear thing is that these both are different types of dosas. However, they are made with the same ingredients, and they taste very similar. Both masala dosa and paper masala dosas are prepared with the same batter of rice, urad dal, and water, but paper masala dosas are crispier than masala dosas.
However, the batter of paper masala dosa is made using a little more water so that the dosa comes out to be crispier than masala dosa. Both paper masala dosa and masala dosa have the same stuffing of potato, onion, green peas, and spices. The batter has a creamy consistency and can be flavored with various herbs and spices depending on the individual taste of the eater.
Paper Masala Dosa- Longest Dosa
As the name suggests, paper masala dosa is thin as paper. It is the crispiest and also the longest dosa. It’s the texture and crispiness of these delectable dishes that add up to the comparison of paper masala dosa vs masala dosa.
Paper masala dosa is stretched out several times to achieve the thinnest crust possible. Spreading the dosa batter on a large pan or tawa results in a bigger and a longer dosa.
On the other hand, masala dosa is comparatively smaller in length and is also a bit thicker than paper masala dosa. The stuffing also adds more body to the masala dosa, resulting in a thicker texture.
Wish to know how long a paper masala dosa can be? Check out below.
Serving the Dosas
Both paper masala dosa and masala dosa are served with tomato chutney, sambhar, and coconut chutney. However, they both can also be eaten without any sauces, as they are already filled with mashed potato, which is known to be the masala in both kinds of Masala dosas.
Same Ingredients, Different Preparation Methods
Both masala dosa and paper masala dosa are made from the same list of ingredients. However, when it comes to the main preparation of dosa crust, there are a few changes that one has to keep in mind. Let’s find out how to make paper masala dosa and masala dosa.
Ingredients For Batter
½ cup urad dal
3 tbsp chana dal
3 tbsp poha (soaked in water for 30 mins)
1½ cups raw rice (soaked for 4-5hrs)
1½ cup idli rice (optional)
Salt (optional)
Ingredients For Filling
- Oil
- Boiled potatoes (according to no. of serves)
- ½ tbsp cumin
- ¾ tbsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp chana dal
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- Sliced onion
- 1-2 units of green curry leaves
- Chopped green chilies
- Chopped coriander leaves
Steps To Make Dosa Crust
- Prepare a batter of urad dal, chana dal, poha, and water.
- Prepare another batter of soaked rice and water.
- Mix both the batters together and transfer the batter to a large bowl.
- Cover the bowl and keep it in a warm place for 5-16 hours.
- Heat the pan and brush it with some butter or oil.
- Now put one tbsp of water on the pan and wipe the excess water from the pan using a cloth.
- Pour the desired amount of batter onto the pan.
- Spread the batter evenly on one side of the pan. Cook on both sides until golden brown.
Note- Make sure to drain out the water before putting rice and other dals in the blender.
Steps To Make Dosa Filling
- Take a pan and heat some oil in it. Once the oil is heated, add cumin, mustard seeds, chana dal, and urad dal in it.
- Add some grated ginger and saute all the ingredients for a few minutes.
- Now add sliced onions, green chilies, and curry leaves to the pan.
- Saute until the onions turn golden brown, and add some turmeric and salt to it.
- Now add the boiled potatoes and stir well.
- Cook for 2 mins, and your filling is ready!
Now, all that is left to do is to fill your delicious potato filling inside the dosa fold, and your masala dosa is ready to serve!
Still confused about the methods? Here’s a full video of how to make masala dosa at home with Chef Smita Deo:
What’s Different For Paper Masala Dosa Crust?
If you wish to make paper masala dosa instead of a normal one, all you have to do is add some more water to your batter so that it is not as thick as the one for normal masala dosa.
Another thing that you need to make sure of is to pour a lesser amount of batter on the pan so that your dosa crust turns out to be lighter and crispier.
Check out this video to get an instant recipe for paper masala dosa.
Paper Masala Dosa Vs Masala Dosa: Which One is Better?
In our opinion, masala dosas are better than normal dosas because they are crispy and have different tastes. However, if you like your dosas to be extra thin or crispy, then go ahead with paper masala dosas as well.
Check out our other comparison blog articles on sada dosa vs masala dosa or mysore dosa vs masala dosa.
Thanks for reading!
