Masala Dosa (Potato-Filled Rice-and-Lentil Crepe)

These crisp lentil-and-rice crepes filled with spiced potatoes are an iconic Indian dish. Ubiquitous throughout southern India, this is the dish that comes to most people's minds when they think of a "dosa." The hearty potato filling is both spicy and sweet, playing up the crepe's sour tang. Roasted chana dal and cashews run throughout the filling for bites of nutty crunch.

NY Dosas' Pondicherry Dosa from 'New York a la Cart'

Until picking up Alexandra Penfold and Siobhan Wallace's new cookbook, New York a la Cart, I didn't know the first thing about making dosas at home. I didn't even know you could make dosas at home. The tangy, ethereally light and crisp oversize Indian pancakes seem like the kind of dish unwise to attempt on a tiny stove, in a tiny kitchen with little practice at spreading gloppy, sticky batter. But with a little practice, dosas pretty darn close to what you'd be served at food cart NY Dosas can ...

Steamed Indian Lentil and Rice Cakes (Idlis)

Soft and light, these steamed rice and lentil cakes are a delicious alternative to the usual eggs for breakfast.

Poha Chivda (Indian Flattened Rice Snack)

Easy to make and easier to eat, this flattened rice snack is an Indian pantry staple. It's light and packed with flavor, making it a great, wholesome substitute for chips and dips.

Paratha (Flaky South Asian Flatbread)

Crispy, chewy, buttery, and comprised of innumerable flaky layers, the paratha is a flatbread that can complement any dish and be eaten at any meal.

Bhakri (Indian Unleavened Rice Bread)

Where there's a curry, there's usually a rice or roti preparation that's used to soak in or scoop up the flavorful sauce; in India's rice belt, bhakri, or rice bread, is common. Because it's unleavened, it can be made in just a matter of minutes—a few ingredients kneaded together, a little heat, and it's done.

Nigerian Masa (Fermented Rice Cake Balls)

Crunchy fermented rice cakes that can be served sweet or savory.

Savory Chiroti

A savory version of chiroti, the traditionally sweet deep-fried snack that's eaten during the Diwali holiday.

Fodni Bhaat (Indian Fried Rice)

Fodni Bhaat is a quick and easy rice dish that can be made in a hurry. It's doubles up as both a lunch and breakfast dish and is a great way to use up leftover white rice from last night's dinner.

How to Make Tahdig (Persian Crunchy Rice)

How to achieve the delicious, buttery, golden, crunchy layer formed at the very bottom of a traditional Persian-style steamed rice pot.