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Adai by DK on Dec 26, 2008

Adai

One thing that every south Indian would swear by is Adai. It is a type of Dosa, like a crêpe but only little thicker. It is made using a combination of rice and lentils. The type of lentils, amount varies from house to house - but what remains is that the taste of any version is amazing, filling and nutritious. Being heavily dependent on legumes for our diet, this Adai bespeaks of that lentil need. Since they are heavy on protein and are made little thicker, they fill one up faster and you could get full, say with 1-2 Adai's!!!

They go well with many side dishes - be it Chutney's or the classic Avial.The prep time is not much either. I don't have any standard recipe nor does my mom. We change and eyeball ingredients but Adai is one of those easily forgiving dishes - any variation work. The one below is one I use, to incorporate more lentils in our diet. If you have diabetes or cholesterol, just skip the coconut and you are good to go :)

  • Cook time:
  • Prep time:
  • Serves: 4 people
  • Yields: Makes around 10-15 Adais depending on the size and thickness
Ingredients
  • 2/3 cup plain short grained rice
  • 1/3 cup par boiled rice
  • 1 cup pigeon peas ( toor dal)
  • 1/2 cup bengal gram dal (channa dal)
  • 1/2 cup whole black lentils,deskinned (urad dal)
  • 1/4 cup yellow lentils (moong dal)
  • 4-5 dried red chillies (or as per taste)
  • 1/4 tsp Asafoetida
  • salt to taste ( start with say, 1/2 tsp and then adjust accordingly)
  • 1/2 cup grated coconut (optional)
  • handful of curry leaves
Method
1.

Clean the rice and lentils with cold water and then soak them together along with red chillies for 2-3 hours until most of the water is soaked up by the lentils and they look softer.

2. Grind these along with asafoetida and coconut into a thick coarse paste. It need not be a smooth batter and make sure not to add lot of water. It is usually a thick batter.
3. Mix in salt and curry leaves. Heat a non stick pan- low heat, grease the pan with little vegetable oil - half a slice of onion dipped in oil is best for greasing. drop a ladle of batter in the middle.
4. Slowly rotate the batter in a circle, spreading alongwith.
5. When it covers the pan, increase the heat to med-high, spoon some oil along the edges of the Adai and let it brown. This usually takes approx - 3-5min.
6. Then turn the Adai and cook on the other side until golden brown.

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1 Member Reviews

By minnie on Dec 30, 2011

Thanks for this wonderful recipe. Adais made, looked & tasted as delicious as these pictures uploaded. Each step and ingrediants were specified quite clearly and hence the batter & the adais fried looked just the same.

Since I didn't have par boiled rice used a small hold of cooked raw rice , that is the only change I made..and the adais were perfect.

8 Comments

By poorva on Oct 1, 2014

Hi dk... Can i replace par boiled rice with idali ravaa??

By saranya on Jun 25, 2013

actually one more easiest way to prepare adai is put all the ingredients together except hing,salt and coconut graind them dry a like idly chilly powder.whenever u decide to prepare adai mix it with water and leave for 30 mins.add salt and hing.then go on with your thava.simple and easy.

By Divya on Jun 11, 2012

I had adai at a friends place and she added small onions into the batter and skipped asafoetida.Let me try this recipe first,can't wait to have it with some tomato thokku!!

By Jayashree Venkat on Sep 29, 2010

I soak the required things in hot water (not boiling hot) which then reduces the soaking period to 45 mins. This is instant if I have north indian guests as I can do it just while chatting with them. In case of variety, I add finely chopped onion (makes the adai crisp) or shredded cabbage or carrot... to make it look colorful.... :wink:

By sunita on Aug 11, 2010

HI DK what is par boiled rice will it matter if i dont give it in the recipe the recipe looks amazing

Not necc. Just replace it with regular. It will work :)

By Vandy on Jan 14, 2010

:wink:

By Curry Leaf on Dec 28, 2008

Awesome Pics.Adai looks lovely.The combo of jaggery+ butter makes it all the more yum

By Sanghi on Dec 26, 2008

Wow! Adai Arumai.. Perfect look..! Do visit my blog..!