Utthappam with left-over idli batter

I make idli/dosa batter every other week.  And I use the same batter to make idlis and dosas. 

The last time I made the batter, I substituted 1 cup of brown rice for 1 cup of regular rice.  The idlis were unbelievably soft!  I usually am lucky and get soft idlis consistently, but these were the softest idlis ever!  I will post the exact measurements soon.

Anyway, the only downside to this was that the dosas I made with this batter were soft too.  My family loves crispy dosas.  I couldn’t use this batter to make dosas.  And there were only so many days I could make idlis for dinner.  So I ended up making utthappams first and then kuzhi paniyarams later with the left over batter.

Utthappams were not a favorite, when I was growing up.  It was a way for my mom to get rid of really sour dosa batter.  It wasn’t something anyone ever asked her to make, and most of the time, my mom and grandma would be the only ones eating it.

Now though, I make uttappams regularly.  The batter does not get very sour ever in Colorado.  So even though there is no need for me to make these, I do, because I have come to appreciate the taste and my husband loves them too.

 

Here is what you need:

(adjust quantities based on the amount of batter you have left)

• 2 cups left over idli/dosa batter
• 2 tsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 2 tsp. channa dal
• ¼ tsp. hing (asafoetida)
• 2 green chilies, chopped (the ones I had at home were really hot, so I only needed two)
• few curry leaves
• ½ medium onion, diced fine
• 1 carrot, grated
• little bit of salt (remember the idli batter already has salt in it)
• dosai milagai podi (also called gun powder) for sprinkling on top
• oil for making the utthappams

 

 Here is how I made it:

1. Heat oil in a small pan.  Add mustard seeds, channa dal, and hing.
2. When the mustard seeds sputter, turn off the heat and pour this into the idli/dosa batter.  Mix well.
3. Heat a griddle or tawa.
4. Pour a ladle full of batter on the griddle and spread to make a thick dosa/pancake.  This needs to be thicker than the regular dosa/crepe, but not too thick. (see picture)
5. Sprinkle a little bit of the chopped onions, green chilies, curry leaves, and carrots on top.
6. Drizzle oil on the outside.
7. When the edges get slightly browned, flip it over and cook on the other side.
8. After a couple of minutes, flip it back.  Sprinkle some milagai podi/gun powder on top.
9. Flip this over again for 30 seconds.  Remove from heat.
10. Repeat till all the batter is done.

Sever hot with chutney or sambar.  Since this already has the chili powder, you can also eat it just like that.