4 Dosa Varieties
Ranked From the Best To the Worst

A traditional southern Indian dish known as masala dosa is popular throughout the country, made from a batter of soaked rice and lentils that is baked into a thin pancake and usually stuffed with potatoes, onions, and mustard seeds. The dish is often garnished with grated coconut and chopped coriander. With its huge popularity, there are also some variations of the dish, such as mysore masala dosa, rava masala dosa, onion masala dosa, and paper masala dosa. It is usually consumed as a quick snack or as a part of any meal of the day. Masala dosa has even made the list of 10 foods to try before you die, complied by the Huffington Post, alongside famous dishes such as Beijing duck, moussaka, and BBQ ribs.Expand

Paper dosa is a traditional pancake originating from Tamil Nadu. These wafer-thin crispy pancakes are usually made with a combination of basmati rice, urad dal (black grams), fenugreek seeds, ghee, and salt. The rice is processed into a thick paste and soaked in water. The urad dal is also soaked in water, and both are left to soak overnight. The next day, urad dal is drained, mixed with fenugreek, and processed into a paste. The two pastes are mixed together, left to stand overnight, and seasoned with salt. The batter is then fried in a skillet over medium heat until dry, and some ghee is spread in the center and on the sides. The dosa is cooked until golden brown and crisp. It's rolled up and served hot with sambar and coconut chutney.Expand

Pesara dosa (also called pesara attu or mung bean dosa) is India's national dish and one of the most popular breakfast foods in Andhra and Rajasthan. Dosa is the world's thinnest griddlecake, a paper-thin pancake made with an earthy batter that is left to ferment and rise for eight to ten hours. It has a bubbly texture and a unique, complex, toasted, and buttery flavor. Pesara dosa is made with ground mung bean and batter, resulting in a unique flatbread that is healthy and quick to prepare. Additionally, ginger, cumin seeds, onions, and green chiles may be added to enhance the flavors. Served either hot or cold, pesara dosa is usually accompanied with upma and a side dish of various chutneys, such as ginger, tamarind, or coconut chutney.Expand

Rava dosa is one of the most popular variations of dosa - the South Indian pancake. Rava denotes the semolina batter used to make this variety of dosa and it can be identified by its crisp and netted texture. The only consistent factor in a rava dosa is the pancake, as the fillings vary in different regions. More than a dozen different fillings can be found within a single city. The most preferred rava dosa filling are semi-fried onions, served with a choice of coconut chutney and sambar. Dosa has been a breakfast choice in South India for more than 2000 years and has evolved as a readily available meal choice for the entire Indian subcontinent.Expand