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Dibba rotti
Urad dal and rice semolina cake
దిబ్బ రొట్టె: thick coastal Andhra urad dal and rice-rava cake, crusty on both sides (plus 4 hours soaking)
Dibba rotti, also called minapa rotti, is the thick breakfast cake of the Godavari and Krishna districts, cooked low and slow in a heavy iron pan until the top and bottom are crackling brown and the middle is soft like an idli. It is made from the same urad dal and idli rava that go into idli, but the batter is used fresh and very thick, so there is no fermenting to wait for. Families serve it hot in wedges with allam pachadi (ginger chutney), coconut chutney or a spoon of podi and sesame oil. A common mistake is cooking on high heat: the crust burns before the inside sets, so keep the flame at its lowest and give it time. Chef's tip: the batter must be stiff enough to hold a spoon upright; a runny batter gives a flat, gummy rotti.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the batter
- 5 ½ oz whole skinned urad dalsoaked 4 hours
- 7 oz idli rava (cream of rice)rinsed and soaked 1 hour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 green chilliesfinely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh gingergrated
- 10 curry leaveschopped
For cooking
- 3 tbsp sesame or groundnut oil
- ½ tsp black mustard seeds
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Drain 5 ½ oz whole skinned urad dal and grind it with just 3–4 tbsp cold water to a very smooth, fluffy, thick batter, about 6–8 minutes in a wet grinder or mixer.
8 minStep 2: Squeeze 7 oz idli rava (cream of rice) firmly between your palms to remove the water and mix it into the urad batter with 1 tsp salt.
3 minStep 3: Stir in 1 tsp cumin seeds, 2 green chillies, 1 tbsp fresh ginger and 10 curry leaves. The batter should be thick enough to drop off a spoon in a heavy lump.
2 minStep 4: Heat a small heavy iron kadai or 20 cm cast-iron pan over medium. Add 2 tbsp of the 3 tbsp sesame or groundnut oil and ½ tsp black mustard seeds and let the seeds crackle.
2 minStep 5: Spread the batter in the pan about 3 cm thick, smooth the top, cover with a lid and turn the heat to its lowest.
1 minStep 6: Cook for 12–15 minutes until the base is deep brown and crisp; it should smell toasty, not burnt, and the edges should pull away from the pan.
14 minStep 7: Slide the rotti onto a plate, add the rest of 3 tbsp sesame or groundnut oil to the pan and flip it back in, uncooked side down. Cook covered on low for another 10 minutes until a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean.
11 minStep 8: Rest for 2 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve hot with chutney.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does dibba rotti take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
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