Idli ? Dosai ? or Uthappam ??
My South Indian mind ( or should I say gut ? ) can’t wrap around choosing just one of these. How could one choose?? I love all of them equally. I grew up eating them every morning for breakfast everyday. You might ask – Weren’t you bored? he he..One can’t be 😀
As a kid – I could just think aloud and it would present itself before me….Magic ain’t it? That’s the magic my Mom weaved – never any excuses, never any complaints ( on the numbers 😀 ). We would just devour everything and reward her with our beaming and satisfied smiles and mouths smeared with chutneys 😀
But Now 😦 I realize how insanely tiring it must have been for her, doling out dosais after dosais, uthappams after uthappams ( idli is easier ). Always accompanied by two different chutneys , a sambhar and that smile. I usually laze and end up making idlis. Only getting up to task when hubby has an endearing request for dosais.
Breaking the norm of our home, I ventured into my kitchen to make Uthappams for dinner. That too because I wanted to make something in a jiffy. Uthappams are mighty filling – just a couple would satiate your hunger.
I also wanted to test my new double burner griddle to check if it made things any easier. Who knows I might make more dosais for the geek. This is the minimalist of the minimalists uthappam. Mind you, my trip to the grocers was pending. What I made was with what I had at hand in my kitchen. I just threw things together to make it. Let’s dig in.
Ingredients :
- Uthappam Ingredients
- Idli Batter – I find Shastha foods batter to be the best in the USA ( other than homemade). And, I make everything with this Idli batter – Idli – when fresh, Dosai – after a day or two, Uthappam – after another day or two , Paniyaram – anytime etc
- Tomato – Store bought or homemade 😉 Add or replace with Onion/Carrot/Peas
- Chillies – Store bought or homemade 😉
- Salt
- Pepper
- Ideally , add Onion, curry leaves, coriander leaves and carrots/peas etc. Saute some channa dal, mustard seeds in oil and add to batter . I have skipped these steps.
Cut your veggies 😀
Heat your griddle. The griddle might look used as I took its pic after making uthappams
Let the griddle heat up a little. Pour out a ladle or two and try making a circle. Sprinkle the tomato, chillies, salt and peper over the batter. drizzle oil on the sides of the uthappam and a little on its surface. You should see steam escaping from those holes like in the pic below. Try lifting it from the sides using a spatula. Its cooked when it comes up easy. Turn it over like you would do an omelette and let cook.
Tadaaa! you are done 😀 Two in the time of One 😀
Eat them as-is or serve them with a chutney, idlipodi and/or sambar.
A full-blown Uthappam for you – 
The additional steps I followed for this.
- Added chillies, onions, tomatoes, grated carrot, green peas, cut curry leaves, cut coriander leaves and salt
- Heat little oil, add channa dal, mustard and cumin seeds. Let splatter and add to the batter
- Mix everything and give them a 10-15 minute rest
- Made it on a cast iron pan
❤ Cooking Is Love Made Edible ❤
EnManadhil 