Dosa is a kind of pancake made from a fermented batter. Its main ingredients are rice and urad beans. Dosa is part and parcel of the South Indian diet and popular all over the Indian subcontinent. Traditionally, Dosa is served hot along with Sambar and Chutney. It can be consumed with Idli podi as well.

Dosa is indigenous to South India; its exact birthplace in that region is a matter of conjecture. According to food historian K. T. Achaya, dosa (as dosai) was already in use in ancient Tamil country around the 1st century AD, as per references in the Sangam literature. According to P. Thankappan Nair, dosa originated in the Udupi town of present-day Karnataka.
In popular tradition, the origin of dosa is linked to Udupi, probably because of the dish's association with the Udupi restaurants. Also, the original Tamil dosa was softer and thicker. The thinner and crispier version of dosa, which became popular all over India, was first made in present-day Karnataka. A recipe for dosa (as dosaka) can be found in Manasollasa, a 12th century Sanskrit encyclopedia compiled by Someshvara III, who ruled from present-day Karnataka.