The thin pancake known as dosa is one of the most famous Indian dishes. It is made with soaked rice and black gram beans, which are ground into a paste and mixed to create a thick batter, usually left to ferment overnight. The mixture is enriched with a handful of fenugreek seeds, which give dosa its distinctive golden brown color and a delicious, crispy texture.

It is then baked on a hot oiled griddle, pertaining a delicate, thin texture and round shape. Indian dosa is a staple dish in the entire country, but some believe that dosa had originated in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is an ancient dish, whose origins are traced back to the 1st century AD, when it was first mentioned in Tamil literature. 

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. 

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. 

Appam is a popular Indian bowl-shaped pancake made from a batter of rice and coconut milk. Typically consumed for breakfast or dinner, appam is most popular in Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka, and Kerala, where it is culturally linked to the Syrian Christians called the Nasranis, who bake appam on a stone.

According to an American food writer and historian, Gil Marks, the pancake first appeared in the southern tip of India. Although not much is known about the history of appam, some also speculate that it originated from Jewish communities in India.

Today, it is traditionally served with spicy condiments such as coconut milk curry. 

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. 

Visually similar to a pizza, uttapam is a South Indian dish consisting of a batter (based on rice and lentils) that is fried and topped with chopped vegetables such as onions, tomatoes, carrots, and chiles. There is also a version of the dish called mini uttapam, usually served in four pieces per portion, with variable toppings and a number of side dishes.

Traditionally, uttapam is accompanied by sambhar on the side - a rich lentil curry with the addition of onions, coconut, and eggplant.

This Indian crêpe is made with a very thin batter of rice flour, water, and salt. Unlike other Indian dosas which call for much thicker, and fermented batter, this version uses an unfermented and runny batter which is spread and cooked on a hot greased griddle, yielding soft and lacy pancakes.

The batter can alternatively be enhanced with freshly grated coconut or coconut milk. Neer dosa derives its name from the words neer, meaning water in Tulu, and dosa, referring to a traditional Indian thin pancake. These thin pancakes are a quintessential part of the Tulu Nadu region breakfasts, and they are usually served with chutneys, curries, and vegetable sagu dishes.

Malpua is a sweet Indian pancake made by deep-frying a batter of rice flour, thickened milk, and (quite often) cardamom. These pancakes are traditionally prepared for celebrations and festive events, and they are the most popular in winter and during Ramadan and Holi.

After they have been fried, malpuas are typically dipped in sugar syrup. In the past, malpuas were made with barley flour, and nowadays, there are many variations of these small pancakes, so they are often made with mangoes, pineapples, or mashed bananas. 

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.