Perfect Hotel style Uttapam recipe

Uttapam recipe – learn how to make a perfect golden roast, crisp, and fluffy hotel-style uthappam. It is a South Indian thick savory pancake made with fermented rice and lentil batter known as Dosa batter and topped with different vegetables.

Uttapam also called Uttappa or Oothapam, is a popular breakfast item in all the states of South India. It is served in most tiffin centers, roadside small eateries, and hotels in South India.

Being a South Indian, idli-dosa batter is always stocked in the fridge. It is a savior for quick-fix breakfast, lunch, or dinner. With this one batter, many varieties of dosas can be made. We make dosas, paniyaram, masala dosa, set dosa, and uttapam with dosa batter.

Today I’m sharing the Uttapam recipe made with dosa batter.

Difference between Uttapam and Dosa

Uttapam is a variation of dosa and both are made from Dosa batter, but there are a few differences;

1. Uttapam is thicker, fluffy, and softer compared to thin and crispy dosas.

2. Uttapam has different toppings (chopped tomato, onion, chilies, carrot, corn, or coconut) whereas dosa does not.

3. As uttapam is thick, it takes more time to cook and has to cook on both sides.

About Uttapam recipe

I’m sharing the uttapam recipe with the dosa batter. The dosa batter with flowing consistency is poured over the hot dosa pan and then topped with vegetables (onion, tomato, carrot, capsicum), green chilies, and herbs (curry leaves, coriander leaves, mint leaves). A generous amount of oil/ghee/butter is drizzled and the uttapam is cooked on both sides until the outer layer is crisp whereas the inner layers are spongy and soft.

At home, we make a large batch of dosa batter which lasts for 2-3 days. On the first day, it’s dosas for breakfast, on the second day it’s gunta ponganalu and on the third day, it’s uttapam. The sour taste from the old batter enhances the taste of uttapams.

I usually make uttapam with just dosa batter or with a combination of dosa and idli batter. You can mix little idli batter if you have any leftover. This a secret which many hotels and restaurants follow too.

When I do not have idli batter, I add Rava or semolina to the dosa batter which gives a body to the uttapams.

The slightly charred taste of vegetables blends very well with the taste of uttapam. Try this no-fail uttapam recipe once and it will become your favorite.

Reasons to make

This easy recipe makes the best uttapams that are light and fluffy.

If you have dosa batter, can make uttapams instantly.

Filling and nutritious breakfast.

You can pack it in a tiffin box, picnic, or travel as they remain soft for a few hours.

They are versatile – can make them with or without toppings.

Does not need any special ingredients or techniques.

Perfect for kids.

Vegetarian and Vegan.

Made with lentils, it is a good source of protein.

Vegetable toppings add fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Variety of Uttapams

During my childhood, I remember only two varieties of uttapam – classic plain uttapam and onion tomato uttapam. Now, there are many varieties of uttapams;

Onion Uttapam: The name itself says that the star ingredient in this uttapam are onions.

Onion Tomato Uttapam: Topping is a mix of onions, tomatoes, green chilies, and coriander leaves/cliantro.

Mixed Vegetable Uttapam: Here the term mixed vegetable is used for a mix of onion, tomato, green chilies, bell peppers, cliantro or mint leaves, and carrot.

Podi/Spice powder/Gun powder Uttapam: After the uttapam is cooked, sprinkle a bit of idli podi, koora karam, or gun powder on top of the uttapam. The spice powder adds a fantastic taste.

Cheese Uttapam: This one is perfect for kids. After the uttapam is cooked, add grated cheese on the top. Cover the pan and let the cheese melt. I prefer mozzarella cheese, but you can use any cheese available in the fridge.

Pro Tips

Make sure the dosa batter is well fermented. Fermentation is the key for spongy, porous, and lite uttapams. I request you to check the detailed dosa batter and idli batter with tips to ferment batter in a cold and dry place.

Slice or roughly chop the onions and crush gently to separate the layers.

Ensure that the pan is hot enough before you pour the dosa batter. If the pan is not hot, the bottom of the uttapam will be white in color and it wont have porous and fluffy texture.

As uttapams are thick, cook well on both sides.

Cook over medium flame for crisp and golden results. If you like more crispy results, cook on slow flame for a few more minutes.

Do not skip cooking soda. It aerates the batter and uttapas will puff up slightly. Without it, the uttapam will be a flat thick dosa without a spongy texture. You can try with and without soda and stick to the one you liked.

Consistency of the uttapam batter. It should be thick but flowing consistency. When poured on the hot tawa, the batter should spread on its own. Do not make the batter thin, the uttapams will not rise and fall flat.

If you prefer slightly thin uttapam then pour the batter and give it a single swirl.

Cook the toppings to your liking – for caramelized cook for more time and to retain crunch of veggies, cook for less time.

How to make the dosa pan nonstick: Heat the tawa over medium flame. When it is hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil in the middle and rub a sliced onion all over the tawa.

Ingredients

Dosa batter: Homemade dosa batter is my preferred choice to make uttapams. Sometimes I mix leftover idli batter in the ratio of 1: 1/4 (dosa batter: idli batter).

In case you do not have the batter, you can use store-bought packaged dosa batter.

Rava: You can use upma/bombay rava or fine/chiroti rava.

Toppings: You can use vegetables, herbs, and spices of your choice. The options are onions, tomatoes, green chilies, coriander leaves, mint leaves, sweet corn, grated carrot, beetroot, cumin seeds, and grated fresh coconut.

If you are making it for kids, can skip green chilies.

Fat: You can use oil, ghee, olive oil, or butter to cook the uttapams.

Salt: Add according to your taste.

Cooking Soda: It reacts with the fermented batter and adds a porous and spongy texture.

How to make Hotel style Uttapam

Take dosa batter in a bowl. Add semolina and sugar. Mix well and keep aside for 10-15 mins. Add salt, if needed.

Add 1/4 tsp cooking soda and give a good mix.

Semolina absorbs water. If the batter is thick, add a few tablespoons of water and adjust the consistency. The batter should be thick but pourable consistency.

Chop the veggies and keep them ready.

Heat the dosa pan/tawa over high flame. When hot add 1 tablespoon of oil in the middle and rub a half cut onion all over the pan.

Turn the flame to medium and pour two scoops of dosa batter in the centre of the hot pan.

To make thick uttapam, let the batter spread on its own. For thin uttapam, swirl the batter once.

You will start seeing air bubbles form in the middle and the sides.

Lower the heat to low and spread the toppings all over the uttapam.

Pour oil over the topping and around the edges.

The top batter will cook and start to look dry. Turn the flame to medium, carefully pickup the uttapam with a thin silicone spatula or stainless steel turner and flip it over.

Cook for 1 to 2 minutes as the veggies start to caramelize. Regulate the flame from medium to low to prevent toppings from burning.

Flip again.

Uttapam is ready. Transfer it to a plate and serve with chutney or sambar.

Serving Suggestions

Uttapams are best served with sambar and chutney. I have shared tiffin sambar and a few dips/chutneys. Do check them;

Tiffin Sambar

Coriander Coconut chutney

Peanut Coconut chutney

Peanut chutney

Fried Gram chutney

Spicy Peanut chutney

If you’ve tried this Hotel style Uttapam recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! Feedback and suggestions are highly appreciated. Also, please share the recipes with your friends and family members.

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