This nutritious utthapam recipe is from Shweta, who is the first fellow mom to have contributed a guest recipe for this blog. Shweta has done a food production and patisserie course from Institute of Hotel Management (IHM), Mumbai. She has worked with Kohinoor IHM and Rizvi IHM in Mumbai, and with Shepherd IHM Kalimpong. When I talk to her, I get some nice food and cooking-related tips from her. In this recipe too she has provided some neat tips. Enjoy the recipe. :-)
Sweet Potato Sabzi
If you’re looking for recipes of healthy breakfast or snacks for kids, try this recipe of protein-rich uttapam sprinkled with veggies.
Ingredients
- 1 cup assorted dals Tur dal, dhuli (split moong dal, whole mung dal, dhuli (split) masoor dal, whole masoor dal, dhuli (split) urad dal, whole urad dal, chana dal)
- 1/2 cup sooji
- 2 tbsp whole wheat flour
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 to mato chopped
- 1 capsicum chopped
- 1 carrot grated
- 1-2 tbsp boiled corn kernels
- 1-2 tsp chopped coriander
- Appox. 1/2 cup chopped cabbage
- Oil or ghee as required
- Salt as required
Instructions
- Wash dals (lentils) properly and soak them overnight or for 8 to 10 hours in sufficient water. (Tip: I soak my dosa dals with about less than 1/4 tsp of fenugreek seeds. A South Indian friend from whom I learnt to make dosas told me that the methi balances the doshas,and is a principle of ayurveda.)
- Drain off water and wash the dals. Now grind to a batter with sufficient water. Allow batter to ferment. I avoid adding soda/Eno to my batter as it kills nutrients in food. (Tip: It takes about 6-8 hours in a climate like Mumbai for the batter to ferment. If you want to hasten fermentation, grind batter, cover it and place it in your veranda or terrace, in direct sunlight. Keep a plate below the vessel and add some water in the plate. Remember to do this using steel vessels, since steel is a good conductor of heat.)
- After your batter ferments, add salt, sooji, and wheat flour in it. You can even soak your sooji in water before you mix.
- Heat a tawa and spread the batter evenly on your tawa. Remember to keep the flame low.
- Sprinkle the chopped vegetables on the utthapam. (Tip: When it comes to vegetables, sky is the limit. Any vegetable of your choice would be good enough. Colored bell peppers,boiled broccoli, boiled corn, and just about anything you like. A friend of mine adds palak puree to the batter. I once tried beetroot and it worked. My son, Shantanu really liked it.)
- Spread a little ghee or oil around your utthapam. Flip over and let the veg side cook well.
- Serve hot with chutney or any accompaniment of your choice. (Shantanu loves this with a little cheese spread.)