Lazy Sunday: Mallika Basu’s South Indian Uttapams

This week we’ve been celebrating all things hot, spicy and gloriously Indian for National Curry Week. Mallika Basu, the top food writer and cookbook author who champions delicious Indian food, has shared her recipe of Uttapams to really mix up your Sunday brunch scene. Uttapams are one of South India’s fermented rice and lentil delights, naturally gluten and wheat free, they are incredibly moreish as a brunch staple, topped with gingered onions and tomatoes to pack a tasty punch.

Makes 8 large pancakes or 20 small blinis:

Ingredients For The Uttapam
150gm Basmati rice
50gm Urid dal (skinless mungo beans)
1.5 cups water
3 tbsp Greek-style yoghurt
1 tsp baking soda
Oil (sunflower oil spray works well)
1 tsp salt

Ingredients For The Topping
2 medium onions
2 medium tomatoes
1 tbsp grated ginger
Handful fresh coriander
Half tsp chilli powder
2 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

Method:

* Wash the rice and lentils thoroughly in a sieve until the water runs clear, then drain and leave to soak in a cup of water for between 1-4 hours.

* When you’re ready to cook, first make the topping. Slice the onions and tomatoes and roughly chop the coriander. Bring the oil to heat on high and sauté the onion and ginger in it until golden, and then gently toss in the tomatoes until warm and just beginning to disintegrate. Turn the heat off.

* Now, put the rice and lentils, with the water they are in into your blender. Add the yoghurt and salt and whizz on the highest setting until you get a smooth batter. Next, mix in the soda. The texture should be of pancake consistency.

* To assemble the pancakes, bring a frying pan (or blini pan) to heat with a good spray of oil. Warm to medium and spoon in about a small ladleful of the batter, then quickly cover for a couple of seconds. Take the cover off, little holes should have appeared on the surface. Now flip it over carefully for another five seconds. If you are using a blini pan or a small egg pan, you don't need to cover the pan.