Tayum for Uttapum

The setting - Madras Cafe, Sunnyvale California, just past noon on a Saturday. A usual assortment of locals and their respective visiting appas and ammas awaiting their turn to sit at a table and enjoy.

The tummy - growling in anticipation of an Udipi affair.

I was craving this thick but fluffy, savory rice and lentil pancake from the deep south of India for a while. Batter is prepared with udad daal and rice mix and liberally mixed with chopped onions and a bit of spice. Then spooned out on a very hot griddle and flattened like a crepe but thicker.

This amazing flat circle of goodness with a dollop of ghee on top sitting in the largest hollow of a stencil like stainless steel plate with other pockets for the side cast, is accompanied with a bowl of sambar (a lentil soup with chunks of carrot and opo aka dudhii and onions and a masala) and coconut as well as mint and tomato chutneys.

This was enjoyed on a sidewalk courtesy the covid. But no matter, since the weather was pleasant for an al fresco.

Then to wash it all down I had a Madras filter coffee (80% coffee and 20% chicory spice) prepared with steaming hot milk.. I added my customary spoon full of sugar to get it just right.

Ah burp!

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