A thick South Indian savory pancake made from fermented rice and lentil batter, topped with onions, tomatoes, and chilies. Unlike its thin cousin the dosa, uttapam is soft, fluffy, and loaded with toppings.
Ingredients
2 cups rice
1 cup urad dal (split black lentils)
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
2 green chilies, finely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Coconut chutney for serving
Sambar for serving
Instructions
1Soak the rice, urad dal, and fenugreek seeds separately in water for four hours, then grind them together into a smooth thick batter and ferment overnight in a warm place.
2Stir salt into the fermented batter which should have risen and become airy, then heat a cast-iron tawa or non-stick griddle over medium heat and lightly grease it with oil.
3Pour a ladleful of batter onto the hot griddle and spread it into a thick circle about six inches wide, keeping it much thicker than you would for a regular dosa.
4Immediately scatter chopped onions, tomatoes, green chilies, and coriander over the top of the wet batter and press them gently into the surface with a spatula.
5Drizzle oil around the edges and cook for three to four minutes until the bottom is golden and crispy, then carefully flip and cook the topping side for two more minutes before serving with coconut chutney and sambar.
Did You Know?
Uttapam is sometimes called the Indian pizza because of its round shape and generous vegetable toppings, but it predates Italian pizza by several centuries.