Dosa's are "crispy, savory pancakes that are a staple food in South India" made from drained rice, fenugreek seeds, and urad daal, also known as black lentils. 

Lentils (Lens culinaris) are one of the major food commodities In India, exporting annually 1.1 - 1.5 million pounds, accounting for 1/6th of the world's total lentil production. Lentils are predominantly grown In Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, two humid subtropical climate regions in central India. The history of lentils In India can be traced all the way back to 2000 BC as lentils made their way eastward. There are four classifications of lentils: black, green, red/yellow, and specialty. In Hindi, these would be urad, moong, and masoor respectively 

What makes lentils such a staple crop is its ability to both grow off of limited water as well as Its nutritional content. Compared to cows, a kilogram of lentils require only a tenth the amount of water to grow. This makes lentils suitable for growing on a mass scale In a country like India, which comprises of 17 distinct and unique Köppen Climate Zones. Nutritionally, lentils consist of 20-30% protein as well as fiber, micronutrients, and vitamins. These micronutrients are especially good for preventing diabetes, colon cancer, and obesity.

Lentils as a major food commodity makes perfect sense, considering the pure size of the Indian population. India is the second most populated country in the world with 1.27 billion according to India's census data. However, nearly 14% of the population (189 million people) are malnourished. Additionally, 77 million people In India have diabetes as well. Lentils are a major part of India's food culture and their high production rate combined with their nutritional value can help with reducing these numbers as well as being supplementary to other popular Indian dishes, preserving the rich cultural history of Indian cuisine.      

Lays India's Magic Masala chips are a wildly popular and unique snack in India. One of my own personal favorites due to its uniqueness and spice levels, these chips are comprised of chili, cumin, garlic, and coriander. 

Spices can arguably be considered the defining and distinctive characteristic of Indian cuisine, with India producing 75 of 109 recognized world spices. The history between India, spices, and trade can be traced all the way back to the 13th century with Portuguese explorer Vasco de Gama's discovery of India. As time progressed, other countries such as the Netherlands and Britain saw the value of controlling India's spice market to further internal revenue. The spice market in India is one of India's most profitable, raking in more than three billion USD in 2020. 

As a food commodity, spices in India hold value in a medicinal context. Religously, spices and their medicinal properties can be found in the ancient Sanskrit texts of the Arthashastra and the Susruth Samhitha,  which note the use of spices in preventing leprosy and being used in surgery.  In modern society, spices have been even more recognized for their health benefits. 

Indian spices are integral in ayurvedic medicine, an ancient Indian medicinal system  One such Indian spice, Bharwan Karela, is used in ayurvedic medicine to help with diabetes which Is common In the modern population of of India. Ayruvedic practices also suggest combining spices with other food commodities such as ghee, In which It Is suggested to eat a ghee-spice mixture at least once a day alongside a meal.