Short answer
Uttapam is a thick, soft South Indian pancake made from the same fermented rice and urad dal batter as dosa, with onion, tomato or chilli pressed into the top as it cooks. It is eaten with sambar and chutney.
Uttapam is a thick, soft South Indian pancake made from the same fermented rice and urad dal batter as dosa, with toppings such as chopped onion, tomato and green chilli pressed into the top while it cooks. It is eaten with sambar and chutney, usually for breakfast or a light meal.
What is uttapam?
Uttapam is a savoury pancake from South India, made by pouring fermented rice and lentil batter into a thick round on a griddle and cooking it with vegetables on top. The outside is lightly browned and the inside is soft and spongy.
It is also written uthappam, uttappa, oothappam and ooththappam. The name comes from Tamil, and the dish is popular in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and across the South Indian restaurant world. Uttapam is commonly counted among the tiffin dishes, alongside idli, dosa and vadai.
How is uttapam made?
Uttapam is made by ladling thick batter onto a hot, oiled griddle, scattering toppings on the surface, drizzling oil round the edge and cooking both sides until golden. It takes a few minutes per pancake.
- Heat a flat griddle or heavy pan and brush it with a little oil.
- Pour a ladle of batter into the centre and spread it just a little to make a round of about 12 to 15 cm.
- Scatter chopped onion, tomato, chilli and coriander on top.
- Drizzle a little oil or ghee around the edges and cook until the underside is browned.
- Flip, press gently and cook the topped side for a minute.
The batter is the same fermented mix used for dosa, usually left slightly thicker. Letting it rest after fermentation makes it easier to pour.
What is the batter for uttapam?
The batter is a fermented mix of rice and urad dal, ground with water and salt and left to rise for about 8 to 12 hours. It is the same batter that makes idli and dosa, adjusted for thickness.
Idli batter is often used directly, since it is already thick. Dosa batter is thickened with a little extra rice flour or less water. Some cooks add a handful of poha (flattened rice) for softness. Quick versions use semolina, yogurt and water, with no fermentation, and are called rava uttapam.
Uttapam vs dosa: what is the difference?
Uttapam is thick and soft with toppings cooked into it, while dosa is thin, crisp and often filled. Both come from similar fermented batter, so the difference is thickness, cooking and toppings.
| Feature | Uttapam | Dosa |
|---|---|---|
| Thickness | About 1 cm, like a pancake | Paper-thin |
| Texture | Soft and spongy | Crisp and brittle |
| Toppings | Cooked into the batter | Filling added after cooking |
| Flipped? | Yes | Usually not |
| Common size | Smaller, plate-sized | Large, often longer than the plate |
Dosa is spread in a spiral with the back of a ladle. Uttapam is poured and left as it falls.
What are the common toppings?
Common uttapam toppings are onion, tomato, green chilli, coriander and grated carrot. Spice powder (podi) and potato masala are also used, and many restaurants offer mixed versions.
- Onion uttapam: finely chopped onion, the classic.
- Tomato uttapam: diced tomato, slightly sweeter and softer.
- Onion chilli uttapam: onion with green chilli for heat.
- Masala uttapam: potato masala, onion and tomato.
- Podi uttapam: spice powder on top.
- Vegetable uttapam: a mix such as carrot, capsicum and peas.
Some places make a pizza-style uttapam with tomato sauce, cheese, onion and bell pepper, which is a modern, restaurant-invented variation rather than a traditional one.
How do you keep uttapam soft and cooked through?
Uttapam stays soft and cooks through when the batter is not spread too thin, the griddle is hot but not smoking, and the pancake is covered for a minute while the topped side sets. Most failures come from the heat being too high.
- Raw centre: the pan was too hot, so the base browned before the middle set. Lower the heat and cover the pan briefly.
- Toppings falling off: press the chopped vegetables gently into the batter with the back of a spoon right after pouring.
- Dense, heavy texture: the batter was under-fermented or too thick. Thin it with a splash of water and let it rest.
- Sticking: a cast iron or non-stick griddle needs a thin film of oil before each pancake.
Smaller uttapam, about the size of a saucer, are easier to flip and cook more evenly than one large pancake. Many home cooks make several small ones in a row.
How do you eat uttapam?
Uttapam is eaten by tearing a piece off with the fingers and dipping it in sambar or chutney. It is thicker than dosa, so it can also be cut into wedges.
A typical plate has a bowl of sambar, coconut chutney and sometimes a second chutney. Because the toppings are already cooked in, uttapam needs less filling than a masala dosa. It is considered a filling option for a mid-morning or early-evening meal.
What are the regional names and cousins?
Uttapam has cousins across South India, including adai, pesarattu and set dosa. They share the griddle-and-batter idea but use different grains and lentils.
- Adai: a thick pancake of mixed lentils and rice, from Tamil Nadu.
- Pesarattu: a green moong dal crepe from Andhra Pradesh.
- Set dosa: a stack of small, soft dosas from Karnataka.
- Neer dosa: a very thin, lacy rice crepe from coastal Karnataka.
Each of these is a different dish, even though they look similar on a menu.
Which uttapam dishes are on the Maruthi menu?
The Maruthi South Indian Restaurant menu records plain uthappam, onion, tomato, tomato onion, onion chilli, tomato onion chilli, masala, podi and pizza uthappam, plus a soy-based meat substitute version. This is from the menu recorded for this guide in November 2026.
The plain version is described as a thick fermented rice and lentil pancake. Masala uthappam adds potato masala, onion, tomato and green chilli. Pizza uthappam is topped with tomato sauce, cheese, onion and bell pepper. The independent guide to the full menu lists the other dishes, and the hours and location page shows when the restaurant is open. No prices are recorded.
Common questions
Is uttapam the same as dosa?
No. Both use a similar fermented batter, but dosa is spread thin and cooked crisp, while uttapam is poured thick, left soft inside and topped before it is flipped. Uttapam is closer to a savoury pancake.
How do you spell uttapam?
Several spellings are in use: uttapam, uthappam, uttappa and oothappam. They all mean the same dish. The Maruthi menu spells it uthappam.
Can uttapam be made with leftover dosa batter?
Yes, and it is a common use for it. Thicker batter works better, so cooks add a little less water or stir in rava, or semolina, to make the pancake hold its shape.
What is a rava uttapam?
Rava uttapam is made from semolina and yogurt instead of fermented rice batter. It is quicker because there is no overnight fermenting, and it gives a slightly crumbly texture.
What do you serve with uttapam?
Sambar and coconut chutney are the standard partners. Tomato chutney and a spice powder called podi with oil are also common, especially with onion or tomato uttapam.
For the address, opening hours and menu, see Maruthi South Indian Restaurant in Brampton.
This article is general information from an independent guide, not from Maruthi South Indian Restaurant itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.