Uttapam with spiced coconut chutney

Looking for healthier breakfast options?

My father grew up in Chennai, in the south of India, so growing up we ate a lot of south Indian food. Every other day we eat south Indian breakfast — dosa, idlis, upma or uttapams. My favourite alternates between dosas and uttapams. My mother taught me her uttapam recipe years ago, before I went to college. I’ve adapted the recipe to make it healthier.

The best part of this recipe is it’s super satisfying , quick to make and very simple! You can also easily switch out the vegetables to any alternatives of your choice. I am also sharing you a recipe of a simple spiced coconut chutney to go along with it. I also love pairing the uttapams with a classic Indian green chutney or a hot sauce to give it an extra kick.

This recipe can very easily be made vegan by substituting the yogurt with coconut yogurt.

Uttapams with spiced coconut chutney

Uttapam

Uttapam mise en place

Servings — 25 mini uttapams

Ingredients

Semolina — 1/2 cup

White oats quick cooking — 1/3 cup

Ground flax seeds — 1 tsp

Filtered water (for flax egg) — 1 tbsp

Filtered water (for batter) — 2/3 cup + 1/4 cup

Yogurt — 1/2 cup (~100 g)

Sea salt — 1/2 tsp

Tomato small dice — 40 g

Onion thin slice — 20g

Spring onions/chives — 5 g

Coriander — 3 g

Indian green chilli finely copped - 1 pc

1. Add 1 tsp of ground flaxseed to 1 tbsp of filtered water to make a flax egg. Refrigerate for ten mins.

2. Add semolina, quick oats, water, flax egg, and salt in a mixing bowl.

3. Add all vegetables, herbs, yogurt & water. Stir and combine well.

4. Lightly brush a non-stick pan with any flavourless oil (e.g. grapeseed, sunflower oil) and heat it on a stove.

5. On medium heat, add a little batter to the pan. You can use a mini pancake pan or simply pour the batter onto a regular non stick pan. Note: each of the pancakes I made are ~7 cm wide and 0.5 cm deep.

6. Once one side is cooked, you should be able to easily flip it to the other side to cook. You should be able to tell it's ready as it becomes slightly brown.

The uttapams can be enjoyed the best while served hot!

Spiced coconut chutney

Spiced coconut chutney mise en place

Servings — 1 cup

Ingredients

Grated coconut — 160 g

Ginger — 30 g

Coriander — 15 g

Salt — 1 tsp (or to taste)

Indian green chilli — 3 to 6 pieces depending on spice level

Roasted split bengal gram/split chana dal — 80 g

(It’s important that it is roasted)

Curry leaves - 12 leaves

Filtered water - 1 tbsp

Sunflower oil — 1 tsp

White split lentil/urad dal — 6 g

Black mustard seeds — 1/8 tsp

Asafoetida — 1/8 tsp

1. In a mixer, grind grated coconut, ginger, coriander, salt, green chilli, roasted split bengal gram (chana dal), half of the curry leaves, and water till a smooth texture is achieved.

2. Time to make the tadka! Tadka, is a cooking technique often used in Indian cooking, where you heat your spices in oil/ghee to release and further enhance the flavours/aroma of the spices. Heat a small pan with 1 tsp of oil. Once hot, add white split lentil (urad dal), remaining curry leaves, black mustard seeds & asafoetida.  You will know the hot is oil enough when it starts sizzling. Gently stir until the urad dal is brown, immediately turn off the heat and remove the pan from the stove.

3. Place your coconut mixture in a bowl and pour your tadka over the mixture.

And you’re done! Make sure to serve hot! Let me know if you make the recipe and tag @dulcedemirchi! Bon appétit!  

Spiced coconut chutney