Chicken Free Vegan Vegetable Uttapam
South Indian uttapam is one of those dishes that feels both deeply comforting and genuinely exciting to make from scratch. The batter starts with soaked idli rice and urad dal, fermented overnight until it develops that signature gentle tang — a process that's completely hands-off and absolutely worth the wait. Once the batter is ready, a ladleful hits a hot griddle and gets blanketed with fresh tomato, red onion, green bell pepper, cilantro, and cumin seeds, all pressed in so they caramelize and char slightly at the edges when flipped. The result is a thick, savory pancake with crispy, golden edges and a soft, pillowy center loaded with bright vegetable flavor. Every ingredient here is entirely plant-based, so there's no need to swap or substitute a thing — this is the real deal, naturally free of any animal products. Serve it hot with coconut chutney or a bowl of sambar on the side and you've got a meal that feels like a proper restaurant experience at home.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the batter
- 2 cups idli rice or parboiled rice
- ½ cup urad dal (split black lentils, hulled)
- ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 tsp salt
For the toppings
- 1 medium tomato, finely diced
- 1 small red onion, finely diced
- ½ green bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 green chili, finely sliced (optional)
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
For cooking
- 3–4 tbsp neutral oil, divided (for cooking)
For serving
- coconut chutney, for serving (optional)
- sambar, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the idli rice, urad dal, and fenugreek seeds in a large bowl. Cover with cold water by at least 2 inches and soak for 6–8 hours or overnight.
- 2
Drain the soaked rice and lentils, reserving about 1 cup of the soaking water. Transfer to a blender and blend, adding the reserved soaking water a little at a time, until the batter is smooth and pourable — it should be slightly thicker than a crepe batter but thinner than a pancake batter, with a consistency similar to heavy cream. You may need up to 1 cup of water total.
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