Instant Sooji/ Semolina Uttapam/Uttapa / Healthy Breakfast / Kids Lunch Box Recipe

Sooji Uttapa serves as one of the quick and delicious breakfast options. It is a thick pancake made from Rava or Sooji batter with tasty topping . It is slightly crispy on the outside and edges and soft and fluffy inside. Uttapa is generally made from Rice and Urad dal which needs soaking , grinding and fermentation. Sooji Uttapa on the other hand is instant as it does not require any grinding . It can be served as a healthy and filling breakfast or can be taken as tea time snacks. My son enjoys it in his lunch box.

Sooji Uttapam is a zatpat and easy recipe on which even bachelors and beginners in cooking can try hands on. In this Sooji or coarse semolina and little Besan is soaked in buttermilk and thick pancakes are made from this batter. Addition of Besan or chick pea flour helps in binding the pancakes. This uttapa does not have any raising agent like Soda in it. The pancakes are topped with finely chopped and spiced veggies. I add finely chopped Onions, Tomatoes, Green Chiles and fresh Coriander leaves. You can also add finely grated carrots or finely chopped bell peppers too if you wish to. Preferably use non stick pan to make the pan cakes as it requires less oil .

Ingredients:

• 1 cup - Sooji / Coarse Semolina /Rava
• 3 tbsp - Besan / Chick pea flour 
• 1/2 cup - plain Butter Milk 
• 1 large Onion, finely chopped
•  1 large Tomato ,finely diced 
• 2 Green Chilies , finely chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
• Salt as per taste.
• 1tsp Oil + for shallow frying

Method:

1. Take Sooji and Besan in a large bowl. 

   
2.  Gradually add plain butter milk and mix well with a spoon to form a smooth pancake batter (consistency slightly thicker than dosa batter) . If you do not have buttermilk , can add 2-3 tbsp curd and some water to make the batter. There should be no lumps in the batter. Add salt and 1 tsp of oil and mix well and keep aside for 15-20 minutes. If you are in a hurry and cannot wait for soaking time, then make the batter using warm buttermilk, this will fasten the soaking of sooji.

   

   3.  Mean while finely chop the veggies and sprinkle salt on them. I like the Onion flavor more in the Uttapa so I use them a bit more than the other veggies.

 

4.  After 20 minutes check the batter for consistency and add little water (The batter becomes thick gradually, as the Sooji absorbs moisture from the batter). Over a medium flame, heat a non-stick tawa or griddle. Drizzle few drops of Oil over it. Now reduce the flame to low and pour a ladle full of batter and spread it into a circle with the help of ladle .

   5.  Now top the Uttapa with chopped Onions, Tomatoes, Chilies and Coriander. Spread the veggies evenly and gently press them with the ladle , so that they stick to the pan cake and do not fall when we flip it. There is a variation to this step. You can add the veggies to the batter first and then make the pan cake. I prefer to add the veggies afterwards for 2 reasons, one that it looks more appealing and secondly we get the option to top the Uttapa with veggies of our preference (specially for the fussy eaters).

  
 6.  Drizzle few drops of oil around the edge with help of spoon and cover the Uttapa with a lid. Cook on medium heat until color of top surface changes from white to off white and bottom side turns light brown. It will hardly take 2 minutes for this. Now flip it gently and cook the other side for 1 minute or so.

   7.   Tranfer the Uttapa to a plate . Prepare the remaining Uttapas following the above method. Serve hot with Tomato ketchup or any chutney of your choice.