Dosa is the South Indian fermented crepe made mainly from rice and black gram.
A dosa batter is typically prepared by soaking rice and urad dal, grinding them with water, and allowing the mixture to ferment. The batter is then spread thinly on a hot, lightly greased griddle. Depending on the recipe, the finished dosa can be soft and flexible or thin and crisp.
Dosas are commonly served with sambar, coconut chutney, or other savory accompaniments. Masala dosa adds a spiced potato filling, but plain dosa is the basic form. Regional recipes vary in the grain ratios, fermentation time, and thickness.
Dosa is different from idli, even though the two foods often use similar fermented batter ingredients. Idli batter is steamed in molds, while dosa batter is spread and cooked on a griddle. Pesarattu is another South Indian crepe, but it is primarily made from green gram rather than the classic rice-and-black-gram combination.