Uttapam recipe of Tamil Nadu

Uttapam is a popular South Indian dish that resembles a savory pancake made from 
fermented rice and lentil batter. It's a delicious and healthy option for breakfast or a light meal. Here's a basic recipe for making traditional Uttapam:

Ingredients:

1 cup idli rice (parboiled rice) or regular rice
1/4 cup urad dal (split black gram)
1/4 cup chana dal (split Bengali gram)
1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1/4 cup finely chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup finely chopped bell peppers (capsicum)
2-3 green chilies, finely chopped (adjust to your spice preference)
1/4 cup grated carrot (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (coriander leaves)
Salt to taste
Cooking oil or ghee (clarified butter) for cooking
Instructions:

Wash the rice, urad dal, and chana dal separately and soak them in water for about 4-6 hours.

After soaking, drain the water and grind the rice and dal separately to a smooth batter using a wet grinder or a high-power blender. Use minimal water while grinding. The consistency of the batter should be like pancake batter, slightly thicker than dosa batter Mix both batters together in a large bowl.

Add salt to the batter and mix well. Allow the batter to ferment overnight or for at least 8 hours. Keep the batter in a warm place to aid the fermentation process.

Once the batter is fermented, mix it gently. If it's too thick, you can add a little water to achieve the desired consistency.

Heat a non-stick or cast-iron skillet (tawa) on medium heat. Grease it lightly with oil or ghee.

Pour a ladleful of batter onto the skillet and spread it in a circular motion to form a thick pancake. Uttapam is typically thicker than dosa.

Sprinkle some chopped onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, green chilies, grated carrots, and cilantro over the uttapam. Press the toppings gently into the batter.

Drizzle a little oil or ghee around the edges of the uttapam and on the toppings.

Cover the skillet with a lid and let the uttapam cook on low to medium heat for a few minutes until the bottom turns golden brown and the top surface cooks.

Flip the uttapam and cook the other side for a couple of minutes, or until it is cooked through and slightly crisp.

Remove the uttapam from the skillet and serve hot with coconut chutney, sambar, or any chutney of your choice.

Repeat the process with the remaining batter to make more uttapams.

Enjoy your delicious homemade uttapam with your favorite accompaniments! You can also customize the toppings as per your taste and preference.