Garden Uttapam

South Indian food has always been one of my favorites! Since I am from north India, this cuisine was always prepared on special occasions or weekends! This is visible on my blog as well as I keep sharing south Indian food recipes frequently.

When I was a kid, our neighbors and good family friends were from Karnataka, India and used to prepare such delicious south Indian meals, I still remember the wonderful aromatic flavors. It is a very fond memory! 🌸🌱 Uttapam is one such very tasty memory! I love uttapam because of its variable nature. Its like pizza, just add your favorite toppings and enjoy!

I love art, and I wanted to create something artistic today. As I did not have time for my paint brushes this time, I created my favorite season ‘Spring’ on my uttapam with vegetable flora as toppings. Served with refreshing coconut and peanut chutneys, this is a perfect summer brunch and healthy too! The vegetables are steamed before adding as toppings and onion is caramelized in little oil to soften to make flowers! Uttapam batter is very easy to make. Its similar to Dosa (rice+lentil crepe) batter. Recipe is as follows:

Ingredients:

Dosa Batter:

Rice- 4 cups

Urad dal- 1 cup

Methi seeds (fenugreek)- 1 tsp

Wash and soak rice, urad dal and methi seeds in water for 6-8 hrs or overnight. Then rinse and grind to a fine paste. Now cover and keep in a warm place for 6-8 hrs (or more) for fermentation. The batter should rise and become fluffy. Add water for flowing consistency (not too thin) and salt and uttapams are ready to make!

Veggies:

Green beans- 6-8 (sliced vertically from center)

Carrot- 1 (cut 2 inch long thin pieces)

Onion- 1/2 (thin sliced)

Sweet corn- 1/2 cup

Bell pepper(red/green/yellow)- 1/2 cup (sliced into 2 inch long pieces)

Tomato- 1 (diced)

Salt- to taste

Black pepper- to taste

Oil- for making Uttapams

Method to make Garden Uttapam:

1. Steam all the veggies except onion and tomato for 8 min either in steamer or microwave in a little water.

2. In a small pan, add 1 tbsp oil and add the onions to caramelize. Saute onion for 1-2 min until they become soft so that flowers can be made easily.

3. Heat a not-stick tawa (flat griddle) or dosa tawa. Lower the heat and add 1 ladle full of uttapam batter. Let it spread a bit on its own.

4. Now first add tomatoes around the circumference of the uttapam.

5. Add green beans and make flowers with onions.

6. Add corns, carrots and bell peppers for additional flora look.

7. Bring out your creative juices and get artsy! Its your uttapam, style it your way! :)

8. Sprinkle a little salt and bell pepper on top and add oil on sides and middle of the uttapam.

9. Cover it with a lit and cook on med-low heat for 5 min.

10. Take out and enjoy with chutneys or Sambhar!

Peanut chutney:

Peanuts- 1/2 cup

Roasted chana- 1/4 cup

Oil- 1 tbsp

Curry leaves- 6-7

Green chilli- 1

Salt- to taste

Water 1/2 cup (add more according to consistency)

Peanut chutney method:

1. In a pan, heat 1 tbsp.

2. Add curry leaves and peanuts to it. Let peanuts become brown then remove the pan.

3. Blend roasted peanuts & curry leaves with roasted chana, green chilli, salt and water. Add more water to make it smooth. Chutney is ready.

Coconut chutney:

Fresh coconut- 1 cup

Roasted chana- 1/4 cup

Fresh Coriander - 1/2 cup

Green chilli- 2

Curd- 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds- 1 tsp

Oil- 1 tbsp

Salt- to taste

Water 1/2 cup (add more according to consistency)

Coconut chutney method:

1. In a blender, add coconut, roasted chana, coriander, chilli, salt and curd.

2. Grind it with water to adjust consistency.

3. Add tempering- heat oil and mustard seeds and pour on chutney

4. Chutney is ready!

This dish creates such positive summer vibes! Beauty inside out! 🌼