Recipe: Utthappams

Utthappams are traditionally eaten at tea time with batter leftover from breakfast dosas, but now with refrigeration and other techniques, they are eaten for breakfast too.

The ingredients for utthappams are simple - leftover dosa batter and whatever toppings you choose. And a little eno fruit salt if required for aerating the batter. The batter needs to be slightly on the thicker side and slightly sour.

Onions, tomatoes, green chillies and corriander are the traditional toppings for utthappams and can be used in any combination. Since our house has slightly picky eaters: one wont eat raw tomato another doesn't eat raw onions, I normally have all these ingredients chopped but I don't mix them up. I then scatter the appropriate ingredient on the utthappam depending on whom I'm frying it for.

Method:
Bring the batter to room temperature.
Add some eno fruit salt to the batter to aerate it if required.
Heat a little oil in a frying pan.
Pour some batter into the pan and spread into a circle.
Sprinkle the toppings of choice on top of the dosa.

Once the bottom starts to crisp up, you can either flip it over (the toppings will get a bit fried) or cover the pan and steam it slightly (the slightly  raw sweet taste of the toppings remains) so the top is also cooked.

How much you fry the utthappam can also vary depending on personal preference. I like mine crispy like below for tea time and softer as further below for breakfast (and as you may have guessed from the pics below, I :) am the picky eater who doesn't like raw tomatoes)

Serve with chutney.
The picture above is with Green Tomato Chutney and the picture below is with Mummy's White Coconut Chutney and my MIL's Green Tomato Chutney

Utthappams are great for breakfast or an evening snack. But can also be your meal if you like.

Options:
While onions, tomatoes, green chillies and corriander are the traditional toppings for utthappams and can be used in any combination. Grated coconut is also an excellent topping if you like. You can experiment with any vegetables that cook quickly like shredded carrots, chopped bell peppers and pair them with appropriate chutneys or curries.

Grated cheese is also an option for fussy children who may not like the veggie toppings. (but try and avoid overturning the uttappam if this is the option you choose, instead cover the pan and cook till both sides are done.

You can even experiment with cooked minced meat if you like. The only things you need to keep in mind are:
1. the topping should be cooked within the time it takes for the utthappam to fry - so precook the topping if necessary
2. the toppings should not be too heavy, else the utthappam will collapse.

Also refer my previous post on Onion Utthappams