cd /news/developer-tools/show-hn-how-to-read-a-dosa-menu · home topics developer-tools article
[ARTICLE · art-31247] src=dosadecoder.com ↗ pub= topic=developer-tools verified=true sentiment=· neutral

Show HN: How to Read a Dosa Menu

A developer built a tool that deconstructs dosa menu names into their component choices—batter, texture, smear, filling—to help users understand and order dosas. The tool covers naming conventions from Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad, and invites feedback on accuracy.

read1 min views1 publishedJun 17, 2026

I love dosa, but have a hard time remembbering what all of the terms mean and how they fit together. "Mysore masala paper roast" is just a stack of independent choices: batter, texture, a smear, a filling, and the word dosa. So I built a little tool that treats every dosa name as a formula. You build an order and see what would arrive, or tap a real menu item and watch its formula light up.

I tried to (with Claude's help, obv.) cover naming conventions from Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad. And, full disclosure, I'm an outsider to this cuisine who just loves food, so there's every possibility I've got mistakes in there, and I'm certainly missing some great dosas. Feedback and corrections are very welcome!

Comments URL: [https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48571192](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48571192)

Points: 2

── more in #developer-tools 4 stories · sorted by recency
── more on @claude 3 stories trending now
sponsored brought to you by zahid.host 4,200+ EU-deployed projects
reading about agents? ship yours in a single git push.

Run your AI side-project on zahid.host

EU-based hosting, git-push deploys, automatic HTTPS, no cold starts. Free tier with a custom domain — perfect for shipping the agent you just read about.

$git push zahid main
Live at https://your-agent.zahid.host
Get free account → Pricing
from €0/mo · no card required
LIVE [news/show-hn-how-to-read-…] indexed:0 read:1min 2026-06-17 ·