Walnut Free Vegan Vegetable Uttapam
South Indian cooking has a way of turning humble pantry staples into something genuinely spectacular, and this thick, savory pancake is a perfect example. The batter starts with idli rice and urad dal soaked overnight, then fermented until it develops that signature gentle tang — a process that's completely hands-off and deeply rewarding. Once the batter hits a hot cast iron griddle, it transforms into something golden and crisp at the edges, soft and pillowy in the center, with a colorful scatter of tomato, red onion, green bell pepper, and fresh cilantro pressed right into the surface. Every bite delivers a little char from the vegetables and a subtle heat if you go ahead and add that green chili. The whole recipe is built from whole grains, lentils, and fresh produce, so it's naturally free from any tree nuts without any substitutions or workarounds needed — just clean, straightforward ingredients doing exactly what they're supposed to do. Dipped into cool coconut chutney or a bowl of warm sambar, this is the kind of weekend breakfast that makes you feel like you've actually done something right before noon.
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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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