Uttapam are South Indian Breakfast pancakes made with lentils, rice, onions, herbs & spices. These are a very common breakfast in south Indian homes and are mostly eaten with a chutney, sambar or podi.
Traditionally uttapam were made with slightly sour batter that is left over after making dosa on the previous days. The vegetable toppings balance the sourness of the batter and tastes good.
To make uttapam, lentils, rice, poha or methi seeds are soaked first. Then ground to batter and fermented overnight. This batter is used to make uttapam.
These are topped with different veggies like onions, tomatoes, carrots, green chilies & coriander leaves.
Uttapam are crisp on the bottom with soft fluffy texture on top. The slightly roasted veggies compliment them with a nice aroma.
Many times I make different kinds of uttapam as a quick fix to our meal.
In this post I have also shared how to make different healthy uttapams using millets and multi grains. I have shared the traditional uttapam in the recipe card and step by step photos.
Tips to make fluffy uttapam
Here are the general tips for all or any kind of uttapams.
- Bring the uttapam batter to consistency by adding water as needed. The batter must be thick yet of pouring consistency. Too thin batter will make your uttapams flat and not fluffy. Too thick batter will not cook the uttapams from inside.
- Grease the pan well if using a pan other than regular non-stick. If using cast iron pan it is always good to grease immediately after a wash. Then rinse back before using and then grease again. Rubbing a sliced onion also helps in preventing the batter from sticking.
- Onions, chilies & coriander leaves are the most common topping for uttapam. However you can also use carrots, tomatoes and bell peppers. You can also just skip all of these and just use some idli podi or peanut podi.
- Cooking: I prefer to cook any kind of uttapams on both the sides as it ensures the uttapam is cooked well inside.
More South Indian breakfast recipes,
Upma
Poori
Medu Vada
Rava idli
Masala dosa
Variations
These are the proportions I have tried with the following variations.
Millet uttapam: ¾ cup pearl millet (bajra), ½ cup rice, ½ cup urad dal and 2 tbsps poha or ¼ tsp methi seeds. Rinse and soak the dal & methi separately. Rinse and soak bajra and half cup rice. If using poha rinse and soak just for 15 mins.
Blend dal & methi or poha until fluffy and frothy. Then blend the rest until smooth and mix together. Ferment until the batter rises. This makes about 6 to 8 uttapams depending on the rise and the dal.
Oats uttapam: 2 cups fermented regular dosa batter (1:4, dal:rice) mixed together with ½ cup powdered oats (quick or rolled) & water as needed. This makes about 4 uttapams.
Ragi uttapam: 2 cups fermented regular dosa batter (1:3 or 1:4, dal:rice ratio) mixed together with 1 cup ragi flour & water as needed. Even sprouted ragi flour works well here. This makes about 4 uttapams.
Instant suji uttapam: ¾ cup suji or rava, 3 tbsps curd or yogurt, ¾ cup + 2 tbsps water, salt and veggies for topping. Mix together the rava, curd and salt. Rest until you chop the toppings like onions, carrots, chilies, bell pepper etc.
Serving suggestions
These uttapam can be served with
tomato chutney
coconut chutney
peanut chutney
tiffin sambar
Uttapam recipe
Uttapam recipe (Uthappam recipe)
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
Ingredients for uttapam batter
- ¼ cup urad dal
- ½ tbsp chana dal (optional) bengal gram
- 1 cup raw rice
- ¼ tsp methi seeds (fenugreek seeds)
- 2 tbsp thick poha (or flattened rice)
- salt (non-iodized salt) or pink salt as needed
Ingredients for topping
- 2 tbsp oil or butter
- 1 medium onion chopped or sliced
- 1 small tomato (optional) small firm ripe deseeded and chopped
- 1 to 2 tbsp carrot grated
- 2 green chilies chopped
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves chopped
How to make the recipe
Preparation for batter
- Add dal and methi seeds to a bowl and rinse several times and soak them for 4 to 5 hours.
- In another bowl, rinse rice and soak it well for 4 to 5 hours.
- Soak poha in a small bowl at least 30 mins before blending.
- Drain the water from the dal and rinse it.
- Add it to a mixer jar along with poha, little water as needed to make a thick batter.
- Blend until the batter turns thick and frothy.
- Drain water from the rice and add it to the blender along with little water.
- Blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and mix in salt.
- If the weather is too hot then avoid adding salt at now. Add it after fermentation.
- The batter must be of thick consistency.
- Cover and rest in a warm place overnight or until the batter rises a bit.
- Do not over ferment else the batter turns sour.
Preparation for uttapam
- Wash and chop the veggies needs. Also finely chop coriander leaves.
- Grease a griddle pan or tawa. Heat it well.
- Bring the batter to consistency by adding little water if very thick. Check the salt and add a bit more as we are using the veggies.
Making onion uttapam
- Pour the batter on the hot pan. If needed spread very little.
- Lower the heat and sprinkle the toppings. Sprinkle oil towards the edges and over the onions.
- When the base is firm, flip it and cook on the other side until it is cooked well. Cook on a medium flame.
- Cook the toppings as desired. Set aside and make the next one.
- Serve onion uttapam with chutney or sambar or sprinkle podi.
NUTRITION (estimation only)
If you are a beginner or new to Indian cooking, I highly suggest you to check the supporting step by step photos for best results. Step by step photos with description available below after the recipe card.
Making batter
- Add dal and methi seeds to a bowl. If using poha then add it to a different bowl and set aside. Add rice to another large bowl.
2.Rinse the dal and soak it. Rinse the rice and soak it. If using poha, rinse and soak it just 30 mins before grinding.
3. Drain the dal and add it to a blender along with non-iodized salt. Pour water just to cover the dal. If using poha, add the soaked poha to the blender.
4.Blend to a smooth and frothy batter.
5. I set the batter to a different bowl and added rice along with some water.
6. Make a smooth and thick batter.
7. Mix both the batters.
8. Cover and set aside to ferment for overnight or until the batter rises.
9. I do not over ferment the batter otherwise the uttapams will turn sour.
Preparation for uttapam recipe
10.The consistency of the batter must be same as that of dosa. You can take some batter to a bowl and add water to bring it to the consistency.
11. Keep the veggies ready for topping. You can use onions, deseeded firm and ripe tomatoes, grated carrots, chopped green chili and coriander leaves. Please note that using tomatoes may make the uttapam more sour. In the step by step pics i have not used tomatoes.
What you see in the first picture was made sometime ago when the batter was not sour. Add very little salt to the topping and mix.
12. Grease your tawa well.
How to make uttapam
13. When it is hot enough, pour a ladle full of batter.
14. Do not spread the batter too much, uthappam has to be made thick. If the batter doesn’t spread on its own, then you may lightly spread a bit.
15. Lower the flame.
16. Sprinkle toppings as desired. Add oil around the edges and allow to cook on a low flame until the base cooks well and firms up.
17. Sprinkle little oil over the onions and flip it.
18. Cook until the onions are done. The color of the uthappam depends on the ratio of ingredients used for batter & the temperature of the batter. Usually batter straight away from fridge does not yield golden uthappam.
19. Make sure it is cooked well from inside.
Serve uttapam with chutney or Tiffin sambar.
You can also sprinkle podi and enjoy. I used Idli podi.
Jenny says
This was my first time making uttapam, and the pancakes got better as I progressed through. I started off making them too thin. Towards the end I was more careful about not spreading out the batter and they turned out fluffed up and perfect. Flavor was too good :o) I will be making this again. I served these sprinkled with your pappula podi. Yum!
swasthi says
Thank you Jenny!
Glad you liked the uttapams & the pappu podi.
Sneha says
Hi Swasthi,
I made the uttapam batter 2 days ago. They turned out good. I want to make millet uttapam. How much millet flour can I add to this?
swasthi says
Hi Sneha,
I am so sorry. I guess I am late in replying. You can add 1/4 cup millet flour to 2 cups of fermented batter.
prabha says
very good presentation, accurate step by step direction leaving little room for mistake a very good job well done thank you.
swasthi says
Hi Prabha,
You are welcome. Thank you so much!
Sujata says
I like your recipes and presentation.
swasthi says
Thanks Sujata
gopika says
a niceeee uttapam!!!
shikha malhotra says
its amazing………..
swasthi says
Thanks Shikha
swasthi says
Hi Zeeba,
Yes you must have over pulsed them.
Zeeba says
Hi Swathi,
This may not be the right place to ask my question. Generally, what should I add in my daughter’s diet on a daily basis to boost her immunity?. I am a non vegetarian and my girl is 3 yrs old. I have just bought manna health mix powder. Will that help?. Please advise.
Thanks a lot
Zeeba
swasthi says
Hi Zeeba
No problem. For immunity i suggest badam milk regularly at bed time. Include lot of fresh fruits and green leafy veggies. You can give her 4 to 5 eggs per week, preferably organic & first born if available. It is said that they are loaded with nutrition. Try to add good amount of nuts, seeds and lentils in her diet. You must be giving her 2 meals, 1 breakfast, 2 snacks, 1 milk serving and 2 fruit servings in a day. You can include nuts and seeds for snack. I do not trust the store bought health mix and have not tried manna anytime. You can even give her ragi porridge or multigrain porridge. Take a look at the toddlers recipes on the menu above, you will find lot of healthy foods for a good growth and weight gain. If feeding meat often. try to avoid farm fed. Hope this helps
Zeeba says
Many thanks for the reply Swathi :). I do get the organic eggs here in Saudi Arabia. So I will buy those for my daughter. You reminded me of the thing I grew up eating, thanks for that. I was reading your post on badam milk powder. So for about a quarter cup of almonds, can you tell me how many strands of saffron and how much cardamom powder I should be adding?…
My daughter actually hates the colour of RAgi malt. So, I make a RAgi and oats porridge with Apple. That’s something she likes to it. Is there a recipe for multigrain porridge powder on your blog?. Search did not return any results….
Once again, thank you Swathi. 🙂
swasthi says
Hi Zeeba,
Firstly regarding the almond milk, there is one badam milk recipe for babies on the blog. I suggest you follow that and not the powder one. I feel the milk made with soaked almonds is really great for the body for building immunity. You will have to soak the almonds for 4 to 6 hours and then blend and cook with milk.
Regarding multigrain porridge, there is no post on the blog yet. But here is a quick suggestion. Wash few kinds of whole grains & lentils well and dry them. Mill or powder them Seperately. Store them seperately.Each day you try with different combinations and arrive at one which is liked by your kid. If you make one particular combo and try, usually kids don’t like due to some or the other reason. After you find one combo is good for her, next time you can use only those and make. Or you can also buy 6 to 7 varieties of organic whole grain and lentil flours. Just a spoon of this and a spoon of that. Again a trial and error should work. This method works good without any wastage of money and effort. You can try with ragi, jowar, brown rice, toor dal, urad dal,, peanuts, green gram etc. Also there is a post on 27 ladoo recipes, try a few of them which do not have refined sugar. Hope this helps
Zeeba says
Thanks a lot Swathi. I will definitely try out your suggestions on making multigrain porridge for my kid. It’s a little difficult to get the flours in this part of the world. And, I am afraid that I might break my mixer blades if I try to make the powders at home. Let me still give it a try by making in small quantities. So normally, the flours that can be considered are – RAgi, green gram, urad dal, rice, wheat, oats and dry fruits (almonds, cashews, walnuts and pistachios). Will these be good enough?.
When I made the dry fruits powder once, it turned out pasty…did I roast less or pulsed more. I wonder what went wrong…