Uttapam

It is exciting to be part of Santa Clara district teaching Indian cooking class. It is my pleasure to be on the district list as the instructor, and I am happy to spread my love and knowledge of Indian cuisine to the community.

Few months back, I conducted 'Dosa Making Workshop'. My goal was to show the participants how to make a good dosa batter and to make perfectly crisp dosas. Participants also learned to make coconut chutney. sambar, and delicious onion and potato masala to go with dosas. It was a hands-on class where participants made and practiced dosas to perfection. Indeed. it was super fun, and I am excited to teach this class again on October 10th. Here is the link to the workshop: Dosa Making Workshop

While we were practicing dosas, participants had questions related to Uttapam. So what is Uttapam? I would say it is a thick cousin of dosa. :) It is a gluten-free pancake made with the fermented batter of rice and white lentils. With the topping of your choice, this can be a great 'Make your own Uttapam' party food! While I am a dosa fan but my husband enjoys Uttapam, and with the same batter I am able to satisfy different taste buds.

Ingredients:
Dosa Batter/Uttapam batter
1 part white lentils
3 parts rice floor
Water
Oil or butter for frying
Toppings of your choice

To make Uttapam batter:

• Wash and soak white lentil/urad dal in 3 cups of water overnight or for 6 to 8 hours. In a separate bowl, mix rice flour with 4 part of water to make a smooth batter. Cover and let it rest for same time as lentils. After 6 to 8 hours, remove water from lentils and grind to form a smooth paste. Mix the paste in rice flour batter. Mix well for 4-5 minutes. Cover and let the batter ferment in a warm place like oven or outside depending on the climatic conditions. The batter will ferment from anywhere from 8 hours to 18 hours. Do not leave the batter to ferment for more than 24 hours. After that batter should always be refrigerated to avoid growth of fungus.
• Mix salt to the batter and the batter is ready to make dosas or uttapam.
• Use a cast iron skillet or a non stick skillet. Heat it up well.
• Pour 1/2 cup batter on the skillet and spread it lightly depending upon the thickness of your desire. Add toppings of your choice. Add few drops of oil or ghee or butter and fry on both sides.
• Serve.

Here is step-by-step pictorial recipe:

Onion Chilli Uttapam

Mini Uttapams made with variety of toppings.

Onion Tomato Uttapam

Onion Uttapam

Cheese Uttapam

Cheese Chilli Uttapam

Podi Uttapam

Schezwan Masala Uttapam

Masala Uttapam

Enjoy your Uttapam Party!

Comments are welcome, but please do not post comments with advertisement or outside links.

 

Kara Masala Dosa

We love dosas...yes so many varieties and so much fun!! Dosa party has always been one of our favorite ways of entertaining. Once the batter is ready and topping laid out, it is so easy to prepare dosas of one's choice. Check out my Dosa Party series for more recipes.

While we wee in India, Cafe Madras was our favorite South Indian restaurant. Idli, rasam wada, curry wada, and the best dosas every. Now that we are in the Bay area Madras cafe is once again our favorite South Indian restaurant. As soon as we enter Madras cafe, the aroma of food reminds us of Mumbai. No other restaurant in the Bay Area has made me so nostalgic. We are almost addicted to that place :)

Almost a year back one of my South Indian friends introduced me to Kara Masala Dosa at Madras Cafe. It was a regular masala dosa with spicy chilli and garlic paste and as soon as I took a bite, I knew I would make this at home. Ever since, I make sure to order this spicy dosa at Madras cafe. The chilli garlic paste in this recipe is my recipe of Schezwan Sauce. This is one of the versatile sauce that I use in endless dishes not just for Indo-Chinese cooking.

To make Schezwan Sauce (Spicy Chilli Garlic Sauce):
Dry red chillies (deseed and devein them well) 6-7 large or around a cup of small ones.
Garlic (pealed) 5-6 cloves
Oil 1/2 cup
Vinegar 1 tsp (optional)
Salt to taste

• Deseed and devein dry red chillies and keep them aside. Heat oil in a frying pan till it is luck warm. oil should not be very hot or smoking. Soak the red chillies in the lukewarm oil for 3-4 hours. In a blender, coarsely grind all ingredients together. 
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use as needed.

To make potato masala: (to make 8-10 masala Dosas)
4 large boiled potatoes
1 large chopped onion
4 tsp. oil
1 tbsp. urad dal/white lentil
1 tbso. mustard seeds
1-2 chopped green chillies
Few curry leaves
Pinch of turmeric
Pinch of asoefoetida 
Salt to taste
Chopped cilantro

• To start with 4 large potatoes, boiled, pealed and cut into small pieces.
•  Heat 3-4 tsp. oil in a pan. Fry 1 tbsp. urad dal/white lentil, 1 tbsp. mustard seeds, few chopped green chillies or dry red chillies, curry leaves, pinch of turmeric and pinch of asoefoetida.
• Add 1 large chopped onion. Add a pinch of salt and saute till it turns soft.
• Add boiled, chopped potatoes, salt and turmeric if needed.
• Mix well. Add 2-3 tbsp water. Cover and let the flavors blend well.
• Add chopped cilantro and you are ready to make Masala Dosa!

To make Kara Masala Dosa

• Spread Dosa batter onto hot griddles. Add few drops of oil or butter. 
• When dosa is about to be cooked, spread a tbsp. of chilli garlic on the dosa.
• Add 3-4 tbsp. of Potato masala in the center of the dosa. Sprinkle some chopped onions over it. fold the dosa from the sides.
• Serve Kara Masala Dosa with Sambar and Coconut chutney.

Here is my well fermented easy to make dosa batter.

Click here to check the recipe of dosa batter.

Spread Dosa batter onto hot griddles. Add few drops of oil or butter. 

When dosa is about to be cooked, spread a tbsp. of chilli garlic on the dosa.

Add 3-4 tbsp. of Potato masala in the center of the dosa. Sprinkle some chopped onions over it. fold the dosa from the sides.

Serve Kara Masala Dosa with Sambar and Coconut chutney.

Enjoy Spicy Kara Masala Dosa!!

Jini Dosa

The World Cup cricket fever is everywhere and it makes me home sick and nostalgic. I miss my country, miss my hometown, and miss my friends and family a lot. Just like football is to America, Cricket is to India. Getting together to watch cricket matches and celebrating the victory with loud shouts of cheer and bursting crackers.Oh yes, I definitely missed all that in the last India vs Pakistan match.

When I miss home, I watch YouTube videos of Bollywood songs, festival in India, or people on streets of Mumbai. The crowd, the street food, the honking of cars and auto rickshaws, bring back the best memories of home. 

Few Months ago I stumbled upon the video of my favorite street food joint :) Anand stall at Vile Parle just opposite Mithibai College. This place is super famous for Wada Pav, Veggie Grilled Sandwich, and Dosas. And to wash this all down there is a tiny Arrey Milk Booth where we enjoy chilled Energy or Lassi. Yum Yum!! As soon as I watched this video, I had to make Jini Dosa at home. I can't say I replicated the street food taste (because it is never the same), but I did enjoy it a lot!

Here is the video:

Here are few of my DOSA recipes:

Click here for the recipe of Spring Dosa

Click here for the recipe of Chinese Dosa

Click here for the recipe of Mysore Masala/Pav Bhaji Dosa

Click here for the recipe of Plain Dosa

Click here for the recipe of Masala Dosa

Jini Dosa is a wonderful addition to my dosa party. With the same veggies and chutneys used as the filling, this dosa is magical...just like Jini from the Aladdin's lamp. I don't exactly know why this Dosa is named Jini. Probably you can try it and let me know your interpretation of the name given to this dosa: Jini Dosa :)

Ingredients: 

Dosa batter

Amul butter or oil

6 tomatoes

2 medium onions

2 beetroot

2 carrots

1 bunch cilantro

1 bell pepper

1/4 small cabbage

5-6 dry red chillies

8-10 cloves garlic

2-3 green chillies

2 tbsp roasted chana dal/dalia dal

Amul Cheese

Tomato Ketchup

2-3 tbsp. chilli powder

2-3 tbsp. garam masala powder

Salt

To make Jini Dosa start by preparing chutneys:

Tomato-Garlic chutney:

Heat 1 tsp. oil in a pan. Add 5-6 dry red chillies and 4 chopped tomatoes. Cook till tomatoes are tender. Let it cool. Grind with 4-5 cloves of garlic to form a smooth paste. Add salt to taste.

To make Cilantro-Garlic chutney
Grind 1 cup cilantro with 3-4 cloves of garlic, 2-3 green chillies, and 2 tbsp. roasted chana dal/dalia dal with some water. Add salt to taste.

Other ingredients for stuffing: 
Cheese, tomato ketchup, chopped veggies.
1 cup chopped cabbage, 1 cup chopped bell pepper, 1 cup grated beetroot, 1 cup grated carrot, 1 cup chopped cilantro, 1 cup chopped tomatoes, and 1 cup chopped onions.

To make Jini Dosa

• Spread dosa batter on the medium hot griddle.
• Add 1 tbsp each of all chopped veggies.
• Add 1 tsp of tomato ketchup, 1 tsp, cilantro chutney, 1 tsp. tomato-garlic chutney.
• Add 1/2 tsp. chilli powder and 1/2 tsp garam masala powder. Mix well. let the veggies cook for a minute. Spread the mixture evenly on the dosa. (Since I used a non-stick griddle, to avoid getting scratched, I gently removed the dosa on a chopping board). Cut into 4 pieces using a knife or a pizza cutter. Add grated cheese and roll each piece. Serve with variety of chutneys.
• Preparing individual dosa filling on the dosa can be difficult and tricky.
• You could make a big batch of filling using all chopped veggies, chutneys, and spices in a pan. Spread the filling over the dosa on the griddle. Cut into pieces and sprinkle grated cheese. Roll each pieces and serve with chutneys.

Enjoy Magical Jini Dosa!

Here is step-by-step pictorial recipe:

To make Jini Dosa start by preparing chutneys:

Tomato-Garlic chutney:

Heat 1 tsp. oil in a pan. Add 5-6 dry red chillies and 4 chopped tomatoes. Cook till tomatoes are tender. Let it cool. Grind with 4-5 cloves of garlic to form a smooth paste. Add salt to taste.

To make Cilantro-Garlic chutney

Grind 1 cup cilantro with 3-4 cloves of garlic, 2-3 green chillies, and 2 tbsp. roasted chana dal/dalia dal with some water. Add salt to taste.

Other ingredients for stuffing: 

Cheese, tomato ketchup, chopped veggies.

1 cup chopped cabbage, 1 cup chopped bell pepper, 1 cup grated beetroot, 1 cup grated carrot, 1 cup chopped cilantro, 1 cup chopped tomatoes, and 1 cup chopped onions.

2 tbsp. Chilli powder and 2 tbsp. Garam masala powder

Utterly Butterly Delicous...AMUL!! 

Yes, Mumbai Dosa cannot taste good without Amul Butter :)

Spread dosa batter on the medium hot griddle.

Add 1 tbsp each of all chopped veggies.

Add 1 tsp of tomato ketchup, 1 tsp, cilantro chutney, 1 tsp. tomato-garlic chutney.

Add 1/2 tsp. chilli powder and 1/2 tsp garam masala powder. Mix well. let the veggies cook for a minute. Spread the mixture evenly on the dosa. (Since I used a non-stick griddle, to avoid getting scratched, I gently removed the dosa on a chopping board). Cut into 4 pieces. Add grated cheese and roll each piece. Serve with variety of chutneys.

Preparing individual dosa filling on the dosa can be difficult and tricky.

You could make a big batch of filling using all chopped veggies, chutneys, and spices in a pan. Spread the filling over the dosa on the griddle. Cut into pieces and sprinkle grated cheese. Roll each pieces and serve with chutneys.

Make it soon & enjoy this Magical Jini Dosa!