These semolina pancakes are my twist to the traditional South Indian breakfast recipe Rava dosa (Indian style Instant Semolina crepes). This is my favorite breakfast recipe that can be had as a quick evening snack also.

Adding veggies makes it more colorful so that kids can enjoy it.
These savory semolina pancakes are simple, and you can make them instantly. I used coconut buttermilk to make vegan semolina pancakes, and you can use regular buttermilk also.
The recipe card at the bottom of this post has exact measurements of the recipe. And please do check the recipe notes section to see all tips, tricks, and ingredient substitutions.
Instructions
- Take semolina, cumin seeds, green chili paste, ginger garlic paste, salt into a mixing bowl. Instead of green chili paste, you can use finely chopped green chili or jalapeno.
- Add buttermilk and water to it. Mix it very well and make sure it doesn’t have any lumps. Keep it aside for about 5 to 10 minutes. Semolina will absorb the water, and you can add more water if required.
- While the semolina mixture is resting, chop the veggies. You could use the food processor also. I find chopping veggies therapeutic and do it manually.
- Now add finely chopped veggies and stir them so that they get incorporated well.
- Heat a pan and apply a few drops of oil. Pour the ladleful of pancake batter onto the hot pan and spread it well. Spread it as much as you can. These will be a little thicker than crepes as we are adding a whole lot of veggies.
- You could cover the pan with a lid. Cook the pancake on medium flame.
- Once it starts browning from the edges, flip the semolina pancake and let the other side cook properly.
Likewise, make these veggie pancakes with the remaining batter and enjoy them.
Recipe Notes, tips, and variations
- You can use grated or finely chopped garlic and ginger instead of garlic ginger paste.
- I used a properly seasoned iron pan. If your cast iron pan is not seasoned properly, it might not be easy to flip the pancakes. You can use a good quality non-stick pan as well.
- If you cannot flip it properly and if pancake sticks to the pan, you can add a tablespoon of wheat flour or chickpea flour. The taste of the pancakes will change accordingly.
- I have used equal amounts of semolina and veggies, but you could reduce veggies quantity and make little thin crepes. If you are introducing veggies to kids, start with less quantity, and increase them gradually.
- You could use leftover yogurt to make these pancakes.
- As we use leftover yogurt, these pancakes will be a little sour, and we like it that way. If you do not want it that way, you could use fresh buttermilk.
- To remove the sourness from buttermilk, you can add a big pinch of baking soda.
- Instead of green chili, you can use freshly ground black pepper to spice the pancakes.
- Instead of mint leaves, you can use dill leaves, cilantro, parsley to flavor the pancakes.
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Recipe
Recipe
Savory Semolina pancakes (Instant Rava uttapam - Sooji uttapam)
Rate this recipe by clicking the stars!
Ingredients
- 2 cups Semolina Sooji rava
- 1 cup butter milk optional, replace it with water if not using
- 1.5 cups water
- ½ cup red bell pepper finely chopped
- ½ cup yellow bell pepper finely chopped
- ½ cup carrot grated
- ½ cup onion finely chopped
- ¼ cup mint leaves finely chopped (optional)
- ½ tablespoon green chili paste adjust according to your taste or use ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon ginger and garlic paste
- Salt to taste
- Oil to cook pancakes
Instructions
- Take semolina, cumin seeds, green chili paste, ginger garlic paste, salt into a mixing bowl. Instead of green chili paste, you can use finely chopped green chili or jalapeno.
- Add buttermilk and water to it. Mix it very well and make sure it doesn’t have any lumps. Keep it aside for about 5 to 10 minutes. Semolina will absorb the water, and you can add more water if required.
- While the semolina mixture is resting, chop the veggies. You could use the food processor also. I find chopping veggies therapeutic and do it manually.
- Now add finely chopped veggies and stir them so that they get incorporated well.
- Heat a pan and apply a few drops of oil. Pour the ladleful of pancake batter onto the hot pan and spread it well. Spread it as much as you can. These will be a little thicker than crepes as we are adding a whole lot of veggies.
- You could cover the pan with a lid. Cook the pancake on medium flame.
- Once it starts browning from the edges, flip the semolina pancake and let the other side cook properly.
- Likewise, make these veggie pancakes with the remaining batter and enjoy them.
Ravali says
Hi this was an easy, quick recipe. Im not a fan of all sort of upmas but this i could eat it without complaint. Thanks for recipe
Sravanthi says
Thank you Ravali for your feedback. I am so glad you liked the recipe 🙂