South Indian Uttapam Make Savory Breakfasts Better

Gather the ingredients.

Place 3 cups Sona Masuri or idli rice and 1 cup urad dal in separate bowls. Wash and drain both the rice and urad dal until the water runs clear. 

Add 2 cups water to the bowl with rice and 1 cup water to the bowl with urad dal. In the same bowl as the urad dal, add 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds. Leave to soak for 4 to 6 hours.

Strain the water from the urad dal and fenugreek seeds and add them to a blender.

Add just enough fresh water to allow the urad dal to begin blending, about 1/4 cup. When the batter becomes sticky and thick, stop the blender and add more water until the batter is thick, yet pourable, about 1/2 cup more. Continue to blend.

When the batter becomes smooth and fluffy, empty it into a large bowl. This will be the bowl that you ferment your final batter in, so it will need space to rise up to twice its volume. Set aside. 

Strain the rice and add it to the blender. If you have a small blender, blend in batches, just half or one-third of the rice at a time.

Add 1/4 cup of water and begin blending. Continue to add water as needed, aiming for the same smooth, thick yet pourable, fluffy consistency as the urad dal, about 1/4 cup more.

Once finished, add the rice batter to the bowl with the urad dal batter and mix it thoroughly with a spatula.

Add 1 teaspoon fine salt, cover the bowl, and transfer it to a warm, dry place. Allow to ferment for 8 to 12 hours.

After 8 hours, start checking your batter for readiness. You will know it’s properly fermented if it’s risen considerably (about double in volume) and if it has a slightly sour scent. Once fermented, stir the batter to check that the consistency is light, fluffy, and pourable. If the batter feels too thick, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. 

Heat a large skillet, preferably nonstick, on medium-high and lightly grease it with ghee or vegetable oil.

Using a ladle, pour a portion of batter onto the center of the pan. It should be average in thickness, neither as thin as a dosa or as thick as an American pancake.

While still cooking, sprinkle some of the chopped onions, chillies, and cilantro over top the uttapam.

Drizzle 1 teaspoon ghee or vegetable oil around the circumference of the uttapam to encourage the edges to turn golden brown and crisp. Once this begins to happen, flip the uttapam using a wooden or metal spatula.

Press the uttapam lightly to ensure the toppings stick. Once the toppings begin to brown slightly, the uttapam is ready.

Repeat until you’ve used all the batter or until you’ve made as many uttapams as you want. Transfer to a plate and serve hot with coconut chutney and/or sambar.