Ingredients:

  • 1.5 cups Fine Semolina (Rava/Sooji)
  • 1 cup Plain Yogurt (Curd)
  • ½ cup + 2 Tbsp warm Water
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated Ginger
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • ¾ teaspoon Baking Soda (or Eno fruit salt)
  • ½ medium Red Onion, finely chopped
  • 1 small Tomato, finely chopped (seeds removed)
  • 1–2 Green Chillies, finely chopped (to taste)
  • ¼ cup Fresh Coriander, chopped
  • Oil or Ghee (as needed for cooking)

Instructions:

  1. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the semolina and salt.
  2. Add Wet Ingredients: Stir in the yogurt, grated ginger, and warm water. Start with the lower amount of water, reserving the rest for later adjustment.
  3. Mix Thoroughly: Whisk until a smooth, thick batter forms (it should be thicker than pancake batter). There should be no dry lumps of semolina.
  4. Rest the Batter: Cover the bowl and allow the batter to rest at room temperature for a minimum of 20 minutes. This allows the rava to absorb the liquid and soften.
  5. Prepare Toppings: While the batter rests, finely chop all topping vegetables (onion, tomato, chillies, coriander). Keep them separate.
  6. Adjust Consistency & Activate Leavening: After resting, check the batter. If it's too thick, add the remaining reserved water until it pours slightly. Just before cooking, whisk in the baking soda (or Eno). The batter should immediately become slightly foamy.
  7. Heat the Tawa: Place a non-stick tawa or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, reduce the heat slightly to medium.
  8. Grease the Pan: Apply a teaspoon of oil or ghee to the tawa and spread it evenly.
  9. Pour the Batter: Ladle 1 to 1.5 scoops of the batter onto the centre of the hot tawa. Do not spread it thinly; gently nudge the edges to form a thick, circular pancake, roughly 1 cm thick (about 4–5 inches in diameter).
  10. Apply Toppings: Immediately sprinkle a generous amount of the chopped onions, tomatoes, chillies, and coriander onto the surface of the wet batter.
  11. Press Toppings: Use the back of the spatula to gently press the vegetables into the batter so they stick firm.
  12. Cook First Side: Drizzle a little oil or ghee around the edges and onto the toppings. Cook for 3–4 minutes until the base is deeply golden brown and the edges look set and crisp.
  13. Flip and Finish: Carefully flip the uttapam. Cook the topping side for another 1–2 minutes, pressing gently to ensure the vegetables are slightly cooked and the pancake is cooked through.
  14. Serve Hot: Remove the uttapam and repeat with the remaining batter, greasing the pan as needed.