Dosa

Both are thin, griddle-cooked batters, but dosa batter is made from fermented rice and lentils rather than wheat flour and eggs. The fermentation is what gives dosa its distinctive tang and light, slightly aerated texture, which a crepe's unfermented batter doesn't have.

Yes — traditional dosa batter is just rice, urad dal, and optionally fenugreek seeds and water, with no dairy or egg. It's naturally vegan by default, not adapted to be.

Dosa originates from South India, particularly the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, where it's traditionally eaten as a breakfast or light meal alongside sambar and chutney.

A plain dosa is the crisp batter on its own, sometimes with a light smear of chutney. A masala dosa adds a filling, most commonly a spiced potato mixture, folded or rolled inside before serving.

Traditional dosa batter is already gluten-free by nature, since it's made entirely from rice and lentils rather than wheat. It's one of the easiest traditional Indian breads to make for a gluten-free kitchen without needing any substitutions.

The most traditional pairings are sambar, a lentil and vegetable stew, and one or more chutneys, most commonly coconut. These aren't part of the dosa itself but are considered essential to a complete dosa meal.