TranslateUttappam is the thick, forgiving cousin of the dosa. The same fermented batter is poured in a small circle and left deliberately thick, then topped with chopped onion, tomato, green chilli, coriander and sometimes grated coconut, which is pressed in as it cooks. The result is soft, savoury and substantial — a tiffin that fills you up.
Type
Vegetarian
Meal occasion
Breakfast and evening tiffin
Region
Statewide
Key ingredients
Fermented rice-urad batter, onion, tomato, green chilli, coriander
Slightly sour fermented batter is ladled onto a moderately hot griddle and spread only a little, keeping it thick. Toppings are scattered over the wet surface and gently pressed in, oil is drizzled around the edge, and the uttappam is cooked slowly on a low flame before being flipped briefly.
It is soft and bread-like with a lightly browned base, tangy from the fermentation and sweet from the cooked onion.
Onion uttappam is the default; tomato-onion, mixed vegetable, coconut and podi uttappam are all common. Some tiffin rooms make a mini uttappam set served in threes, and a few use millet batter made with ragi or kambu in the Kongu belt.
Tiffin rooms in Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai and Trichy serve uttappam through breakfast and evening service. It is a good option at smaller roadside eateries because it is cooked slowly and served hot to order.
