Uttapam is far lesser known than the Idli and Dosa as a breakfast option, but for the discerning it is always their first choice. What is there in an Uttapam which motivates a particular section of people to opt for it over Idli and Dosa? It is cooking vegetables and spices on top of the batter which does the trick. Idli is sans vegetables and even the Masala version of a Dosa gets only a stuffing of precooked “aloo bhaji” spread in the center. The visual impact of an Uttapam is almost like that of a Pizza, but they both are very different in their core ingredient and style of cooking.
Those who enjoy Uttapam, claim that Uttapam gives you a simultaneous experience of having three different dishes: Its crispy outer layer relates to that of Dosa; its insides are all soft like an Idli and its cooked toppings give you a feel of pizza.
Mini Uttapams have also become very popular, usually four to a portion, they vary in their toppings and sometimes offering of sides. Usually Uttapam is served with a side of Sambar and a helping of coconut chutney. However, it is not unusual to get tomato chutney, spicy green chilli and mint chutney and “gun powder” as sides. Enjoy!
PS: Uttapam is also spelled as Utthapam to ensure that sound of ‘h’ which is natural to its pronunciation in Tamil is not missed.
