Vegetable uttapam with tomato chutney

Method

1. Ahead (Saturday morning; skip the batter steps if this week's batter is already in the fridge): rinse 280 g idli rice in a sieve 3 times, until the water runs almost clear. Soak it in a bowl with plenty of water. In a second bowl, rinse 70 g urad dal with ½ tsp fenugreek seeds and soak them too. Leave both on the bench for 5–6 hours.
2. Ahead: drain the urad dal and fenugreek. Grind them in the large mixer jar with 140 ml (about ½ cup) cold water, in 30-second bursts, for 3–4 minutes in total. Stop when it is smooth, pale and fluffy, like whipped cream. Scrape it into a large mixing bowl.
3. Ahead: drain the rice and grind it in the same jar with 240 ml (about 1 cup) cold water, in 30-second bursts, for 4–5 minutes. Stop when a drop rubbed between your fingers feels like fine semolina. Pour it into the dal, add most of the 1¾ tsp salt (keep a pinch for the chutney) and mix with a clean hand for 1 minute. It should be thick but pourable, like pancake batter. Add a splash more water only if it is stiff.
4. Ahead (overnight): check the bowl is no more than half full, as the batter rises. Cover loosely and leave it in a warm spot for 8–12 hours. In an Australian winter, put it in the oven with only the light on (oven off). It is ready when it has risen, looks bubbly and smells pleasantly sour.
5. Ahead: stir the risen batter gently, spoon it into jars and put them straight in the fridge. It keeps 5 days. From now on, keep the batter in the fridge between uses.
6. The night before: finely chop 100 g (~½ medium) onion and 280 g (~2½ medium) tomatoes. Keep a third of the onion and two thirds of the tomato for the chutney. Grate 80 g (~1 medium) carrot, chop 8 g coriander and very finely chop ¾ green chilli. Box the toppings in the fridge.
7. Chutney: heat a third of the 1½ tbsp oil in the frying pan on medium heat for 1 minute. Add 1½ dried chilli, the chutney onion and tomato and the pinch of salt. Cook 5–6 minutes, stirring, until the tomato is soft and mushy. Cool 2 minutes, then blend in the small mixer jar for 20 seconds until smooth.
8. Take the batter out of the fridge 10–15 minutes before cooking and stir gently. Leave it thick for uttapam.
9. Heat the tawa on medium heat for 2–3 minutes, until a few drops of water sizzle. Wipe with a few drops of oil on a paper towel.
10. Pour one ladle of batter and spread it only slightly, to a thick round about 12 cm across. Scatter onion, carrot, tomato and coriander on top and press in lightly with the spatula. Add chilli only to the adults' ones.
11. Drizzle a little oil around the edge, cover and cook on medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes, until the top looks set and the underside is golden.
12. Flip and cook 1–2 minutes more, until the vegetables are lightly browned. Serve hot with the tomato chutney.

Tips

• Uttapam is a good way to use the last of the week's batter when it has turned a little sour.

Make it easier

• Weekend: Soak and grind idli/dosa batter (Saturday). Soak rice and dal separately for 5–6 h, grind, mix with salt, ferment overnight.
• The night before: Chop onion and tomato and grate carrot for uttapam; box them in the fridge.

Keeping and freezing

• Fridge: keeps 1 day in a lidded box. Cool it within an hour of cooking.
• Freezer: does not freeze well; eat within the fridge time.

Good to know

• Toddlers: take their portion out before adding chilli or pepper.