Uttapam

Before You Start

Day-old batter is better than fresh here.

Press the toppings in or they fall off.

Thirty seconds on the second side, no more.

Cooking Uttapam

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1. Soak the rice in cold water, and the urad dal with the fenugreek in a separate bowl, for 5 hours.

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2. Grind the dal to a light fluffy paste, then the rice to a slightly grainy one, and mix them with the salt.

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3. Cover and leave in a warm place for 10 hours, until risen and smelling sour.

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4. Stir the batter down and loosen with the water to the thickness of double cream.

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5. Heat a heavy frying pan over a medium heat and brush with sesame oil.

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6. Pour a ladle of batter into a thick round about 15 cm across. Do not spread it thin.

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7. Scatter onion, tomato, chilli and coriander over the wet surface and press them in with the back of a spoon.

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8. Drizzle a teaspoon of oil round the edge and cook 4 minutes, until the underside is golden and the top has set.

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9. Flip and cook 30 seconds only.

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10. Repeat with the rest of the batter, serving each one as it comes off the pan.

    Mark done

Related guides: Prep, cook and total time · Choosing rice.

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Why It Works

Uttapam wants batter a day past its best — slightly sour and slightly thicker than dosa batter, which is exactly what a dosa cook throws away. Put the toppings on the raw upper surface and press them in with the back of a spoon; scattered on loose, they fall off at the flip. One flip only, and thirty seconds on the second side.

Storage and Reheating

The batter keeps 4 days refrigerated and improves. Cooked uttapam does not keep.

Swaps and Variations

• Dried chilli flakes can stand in for the green chillies. Heat varies a great deal between chillies and between jars, so start with a small pinch and add more to taste.

What to Serve Alongside

• Coconut chutney
• Sambar
• Tomato chutney

Still Wondering?

Nutrition per Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.

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