Wash urad dal at least thrice and soak in enough water for 4 hours.

If using rice, then rinse it well and drain it to a colander. Allow it to dry completely until the dal is soaked. You can also spread it on a cloth. Then pulse the rice in a blender to get a coarse rice rava texture. If using idli rava, rinse it a few times and drain the water completely. Squeeze excess water with both your palms. Set this aside until the dal is soaked.

Drain the water from urad dal and add it to a blender jar. Pour little water and add salt.

Grind the dal to thick smooth & frothy consistency. Transfer this to a bowl.

Fluff up the rice rava well. Add it to the batter along with cumin and mix well. The consistency of the batter should be thick to get the right crust.

Set this aside for about 15 to 45 minutes if you desire. Resting the batter makes the dibba rotti soft from inside.

Heat a heavy bottom Kadai or a cast iron pan with oil. Spread the oil all over the kadai to coat it well in oil.

When the oil becomes hot pour the batter to the center in the oil and level it with a ladle. Pour the batter till 1½ to 2 inches thickness or height. There should be enough oil in the kadai which spreads around when the batter is poured to the center.

Cover and cook on a medium flame till the batter firms up. For even crust, the flame should reach till the edges of the batter under the kadai.

Remove the lid and cook till you get a crusty thick golden base.

Flip it to the other side and cook till the other side also cooks well and gets a crusty base.

Off the flame and leave it in the kadai for about 5 minutes. I move it to a wire rack to retain the crust. Then slice the dibba rotti.

If you are left with more batter, repeat adding more oil to the kadai and heat it. When the oil turns hot, pour the batter and make more dibba rotti following the same method.

Serve dibba rotti with any chutney or pickle.