How to make…Dibba Rotte

Anuradha Venkatesh:The Hindu:14 June 2012

I learnt this dish from my mother who learnt it from her mother.

Dibba rotte is a traditional Andhra recipe and is usually cooked in a heavy kadai set on dying embers after the morning's main meal has been cooked.

 Usually eaten in the evening it however makes for a great breakfast dish.

What you need

Urad Dal - 1 cup

Raw rice, soaked for about 4 - 6 hours - 2 1/2 cups

Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp

Pepper – 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida – 1/4 tsp

Red chilli – 1

Salt – 1 tsp

Gingelly oil – 1/2 cup

Cooking instructions

Grind the soaked raw rice to idli batter consistency in a blender along with cumin seeds, pepper, asafoetida, red chilli and salt.

Whip the batter and let it rest, covered, for about an hour. This batter makes about four medium-sized dibba rottes. The batter should not ferment.

Heat a thick bottomed kadai, add 3 tbsp of oil and pour about a quarter of the batter into it. Cover and cook on a very low flame (about 15-20 min) till the bottom develops a thick golden crust. Turn over using a large spatula. Cook the other side, uncovered, this should take about seven-10 minutes. Slide carefully on to a plate, cut into wedges and serve hot with ginger pickle or avakkai.

Anuradha Venkatesh is an HR consultant who runs a soft skills training firm. She loves everything about food — the making, the reading about, the eating and the dreaming.