Adai is a healthy breakfast or dinner option. The main ingredients of adai include lentils, so it is full of proteins. Adai is easy to make and the spice level can be adjusted as per your taste. I like them spicy. I make adai in our home with coconut oil. If you do not like the taste of coconut oil, you can use any other oil that you prefer. Adai pairs well with aviyal, coconut chutney or just plain butter.
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup Idli rice
- ¼ cup Raw rice
- ¼ cup Toor dal/split pigeon pea
- ¼ cup Channa dal/split Bengal gram
- ¼ cup Moong dal/split green gram
- 8 Dry red Chillies
- 1 Onion, chopped
- 2 sprig Curry leaves, chopped
- 2 tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped
- 1 tsp Fennel seeds
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 or 2 pinches of Asafoetida
- 2¾ cup Water or more
- Oil as required
Preparation:
Rinse idli rice, raw rice, toor dal, channa dal and moong dal till water runs clear and soak them in 2 cups water for 2-3 hours. Drain the water and transfer the soaked ingredients to a mixer or grinder along with salt, asafoetida, red chillies and fennel seeds. By adding ¾ cup water little at a time and grind it to a slightly coarse batter. Take the now ground batter in a bowl and add onions, curry leaves and coriander leaves. Mix them well.
Heat a Tawa or a griddle over a medium flame and apply a little oil. Take a ladle of batter and spread it thinly on the griddle in a circular motion. Drizzle oil along the edge and centre. Cook till the adai crisps up and browns. Flip and cook it till its cooked and golden brown spots are formed.
Take it off the griddle and serve hot with chutney or aviyal.
Notes:
- You can add 1 tbsp of urad dal/split black gram and soak them with the rest of the ingredients.
- The red chillies I have used are not that spicy so I have added 8. Adjust the number of chillies based on the spice level of it or your preference.
- A tsp of black peppercorns can be added while grinding the batter for a variation in taste.
- The batter can be stored up to 2 days in the refrigerator.
