PANEER UTTAPAM/UTHAPAM – soft and fluffy Indian style savory pancakes or dosas with paneer in the batter, perfect for breakfast and a delightful start to any day!
Like I have mentioned in one of my earlier posts, these past few months, I have been rummaging through my store bought and handwritten cookbooks for interesting recipes to tickle my palate! On one such sojourn, I came across this recipe for PANEER UTTAPAM in one of my older handwritten books with no mention of source!
I do not know where I found it but I was so fascinated by the recipe that I promptly wrote it down and now after decades, got to try this unique uttapam.
WHAT IS UTTAPAM?
Uttapams are thick savory rice-lentil south Indian pancakes which Indians normally enjoy mostly for breakfast or even lunch/dinner with some coconut chutney!
The batter varies with a variety of mix of lentils and rice or even just using semolina etc. with or without toppings.
It could be the fermented batter types or instant recipes; no Indian can resist these savory (or sometimes sweet) pancakes or dosai, dosa or dose as they call in Karnataka in southern part of India!
PANEER UTTAPAM:
With global cuisine exploding in everyone’s kitchen, paneer is not an alien ingredient! It is basically an Indian cottage cheese made by splitting milk with lemon juice.
Normally, paneer is used to make Indian sweets like Rasgullas, Sandesh, in curries like Paneer Makhani or even in savory dishes like paneer paratha!
But here, once the paneer is made by splitting boiling milk with some lemon juice, rice is soaked in the split milk mixture and blended to make a thick batter like you would make for any dosa or idli batter.
A dash of poha or flattened rice is blended into the batter for the puffy, soft and porous texture.
This is then fermented and made into thick uttapams (Indian savory pancakes) or thin, crispy dosas (Indian savory crepes).
Make it plain or with a myriad of toppings like chopped green chilies, cilantro, onions, carrots, chutney powder/molaga podi etc.
This uttapam is a slight variation to the Konkani delicacy "Surnali", again thick pancakes made savory or sweet!
SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
No Indian dosa, idli or uttapam is enjoyed without a side of a spicy condiment or chutney like coconut chutney or molaga podi (lentil-spice powder) or sometimes sambar (Indian lentil stew, with or without veggies).
Here, our family enjoyed these with fresh coriander seeds coconut chutney and jaggery coffee! Totally husband approved dosa and will be in my always-to-make list of dosas!
Hope you try this amazing, delicious, fluffy, soft and porous Paneer Uttapam (thick or thin) in your kitchen and relish with family and friends.
Enjoy and Happy Cooking!
Here are some more breakfast dishes from my kitchen:
Do check out how to make these fluffy, soft and delicious PANEER UTHAPAMS:
Soft and fluffy Indian style savory pancakes or dosas with paneer in the batter perfect for breakfast and a delightful start to any day!
Ingredients
- 3 cups rice
- 500 ml milk
- ½ lemon juice or more if needed
- 1 cup poha/flattened rice
- 1 tbsp salt or to taste
- Oil for roasting the uttapams/dosas
- Finely chopped green chilies/Serrano peppers
- Finely chopped cilantro/coriander leaves
- Finely chopped onions
- Chutney powder/molaga podi etc.
Instructions
- Wash rice in plenty of water until the water runs clear. Set aside.
- Boil milk in a saucepan and when it comes to a boil, stir in lemon juice. Keep boiling on medium heat.
- You will notice the milk splitting to form paneer. If needed add more lemon juice.
- Once the milk has curdled, remove from heat and add the washed rice.
- Mix well and soak in milk mixture for 6 to 8 hours. Add more water if needed to keep the rice fully soaked.
- Wash the poha well and drain.
- Add the washed poha to the soaked rice and blend to fine thick paste like idli batter.
- Transfer to a large bowl, add salt to taste and mix well. Keep aside to ferment again for 4 to 6 hours.
- Heat a flat griddle or pan. Smear oil and wipe with a clean tissue.
- Once the pan is hot (you can test by sprinkling some water; it will sizzle and evaporate immediately!), pour a ladle of thick batter on the pan. Spread slightly to make a thick pancake.
- Reduce heat and sprinkle your choice of toppings. Drizzle some oil over and around the uttapam, cover and cook on low heat to medium low heat until the top is cooked and you no longer see wet batter.
- At this stage, you can remove from pan and serve right away or flip and cook the other side too slightly.
- Continue making as many uttapams as you want and store leftover batter in fridge.
- If you want thin dosas, you can dilute the batter and make thin dosas. Just spread the batter around the hot pan until it is thinly spread. Drizzle oil and cook on high for a few seconds and then flip and cook again.
- For a crispy bottom, cook the dosa on medium low heat until the bottom is crisp, brown and the top is well cooked and you no longer see any wet batter.
- Enjoy soft, fluffy, porous and delicious thick PANEER UTTAPAMS or thin crispy paneer dosas with a side of fresh coconut chutney or molaga podi/chutney powder or even your favorite sambar (lentil-vegetable stew) for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
- Enjoy foodies and Happy Cooking/Eating!
Notes
For more flavor, you can stir in a tablespoon of jeera/cumin seeds in the batter.
For more softer uttapams, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup more poha to the batter.
Make sure to refrigerate leftover batter immediately as the batter may turn sour.
On hot days, ferment for a shorter time and in winters, follow the above timeline.
Step-wise Instructions to make Paneer Uttapam:
TO MAKE THE BATTER:
Wash rice in plenty of water until the water runs clear. Set aside.
Boil milk in a saucepan and when it comes to a boil, stir in lemon juice. Keep boiling on medium heat.
You will notice the milk splitting to form paneer. If needed add more lemon juice.
Once the milk has curdled, remove from heat and add the washed rice.
Mix well and soak in milk mixture for 4 to 6 hours. Add more water if needed to keep the rice fully soaked.
Wash the poha well and drain.
Add the washed poha to the soaked rice.
Blend the whole mixture to a fine thick paste like idli batter.
Transfer to a large bowl, add salt to taste and mix well. Keep aside to ferment again for 4 to 6 hours or overnight.
TO MAKE UTTAPAMS:
Heat a flat iron/non stick griddle or pan. Smear oil and wipe with a clean tissue.
Once the pan is hot (you can test by sprinkling some water; it will sizzle and evaporate immediately!), pour a ladle of thick batter on the pan. Spread slightly to make a thick pancake.
Reduce heat and sprinkle your choice of toppings. Drizzle some oil over and around the uttapam, cover and cook on low heat to medium low heat until the top is cooked and you no longer see wet batter.
At this stage, you can remove from pan and serve right away or flip and cook the other side too slightly.
Continue making as many uttapams as you want and store leftover batter in fridge.
If you want thin dosas, you can dilute the batter and make thin dosas. Just spread the batter around the hot pan until it is thinly spread. Drizzle oil and cook on high for a few seconds and then flip and cook again.
For a crispy bottom, cook the dosa on medium low heat until the bottom is crisp, brown and the top is well cooked and you no longer see any wet batter.
Enjoy soft, fluffy, porous and delicious thick PANEER UTTAPAMS or thin crispy paneer dosas with a side of fresh coconut chutney or molaga podi/chutney powder or even your favorite sambar (lentil-vegetable stew) for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
Enjoy and Happy Cooking!
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Wow, never seen paneer uthapam recipe like yours, I thought you may have added paneer on top. But this whole concept sounds so intriguing. They looks so tasty and delicious.
Thank you love 🙂 Yes, normally paneer uttapams have paneer as topping but this one intrigued me too! They come out so soft and fluffy; loved the texture!
Unique way making batter here di !
Paneer uttapam looks so healthy and tasty. I couldn't guess the paneer here particularly 🙂
Thank you so much dear Sasmita 🙂 It comes out amazingly soft and delicious! Hubby approved recipe 😀
I love the paneer twist to uttapam...The uttapams look light and fluffy...The process of batter making is also quite unique...will have to try it out!!
Thanks so much dear Padma 🙂 They came out like our Konkani style soft and porous surnali; a keeper of a recipe for sure 🙂
Adding paneer in uttapam is such a healthy and tasty idea.I will try it next time for sure.
Thanks dear Sapana 🙂 Yes, please do give it a go; comes out amazingly soft, porous and fluffy!
This is a twist to the usual uttapam. I thought you were adding paneer topping. Innovative recipe.
Thanks so much dear Jayashree 🙂 Yes, traditional ones do that, but paneer in batter makes it super soft and delicious not to mention added protein!
My kids love these north south recipes. They find them cool. As such they love dosa and paneer so together, I am sure this recipe will be a superhit in my house.
Thank you dear Seema 🙂 This one is a super hit in our house! Do give it a try 🙂
paneer uttapam looks soft and delicious. I saw this in restaurants, never had one. perfect for breakfast with a side of chutney!
Thanks so much dear Uma 🙂 Absolutely heavenly to eat any time; we had it for dinner too!
AN interesting take on the traditional uttapam recipe. Just using paneer, rice and poha to make the batter. Truly innovative. Uttapams look so tempting.
Thanks so much dear Mayuri 🙂 Yes, they do come out so soft and fluffy; I am making these often!
The unique idea to add paneer in the batter itself is genius. Paneer lovers like me have one more recipe to try.
Oh yes!! Who doesn't like paneer ? Thanks a bunch dear Lata! Do give it a try.
Loved the idea of Paneer Uttapam. The Uttapams look so light and soft. Will try it soon.
Thanks so much dear Vandana 🙂 Do let me know how they turned out 🙂
What an interesting uttappam/ dosa recipe. Love the addition of paneer in the batter itself and the whole process of making the batter is sooo unique. Will have to try this version sometime.
Thank you dear Pavani 🙂 Please do give it a try! I am making this again and again as hubby loved it!
Amazed to see the details of recipe especially on the point when rice are added to curdled milk. Recipe sounds great and worth trying.
Thank you so much 🙂 I know, a unique one as traditional ones have paneer as a topping. Hope you make this soon!