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Adai

June 2, 2018 by Senthil Sadasivam Recipe rating:
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Today I will share a great recipe for “Adai” (Urappu Adai, or in simpler terms, Spicy Dal Pancake) !!!

This Adai recipe is adapted from my mom’s/ grandpa’s versions. Adai contains many dals and rice and is a very tasty and wholesome meal by itself.

My mom uses rice, chana dal and toor dal to make this adai. My maternal grandpa was a vegetarian, and the way he used to describe some recipes, my mouth would water even just listening to his narration! He had a slightly different recipe for adai that included moong dal, urad dal and some black-eye peas as well.

I follow the above two versions, with some changes now and then. And I have my own preferred recipe version too, adapted from both versions, and is presented below.

Adai
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Adai

The tasty Adai (Dosa or Pancake) is made with varieties of dals, rice and spices and is a wholesome meal by itself.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Indian
Keyword Adai, Adai Dosa, Paruppu Adai, Urappu Adai
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Soaking time 3 hours
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4 people
Author Senthil Sadasivam

Ingredients

Adai batter

  • 1 ½ cup Parboiled/ regular rice
  • ¾ cup Chana dal
  • ½ cup Toor dal
  • ¼ cup Urad dal
  • 3 Red chilies
  • ½ tbsp Fennel seeds

Other ingredients

  • 2 cups Shallots/ onion
  • 2 Green chilies
  • 1/2 inch Ginger
  • 1 twig Curry leaves
  • 1/4 cup Coriander leaves
  • ½ cup Coconut fresh, scraped
  • 1 tsp Chili powder
  • 1 tsp Turmeric powder
  • Hing to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil

Instructions

  1. Wash and soak parboiled rice, chana dal, toor dal and urad dal for 2 to 3 hours.
  2. Add red chilies, fennel seeds and salt to the soaked ingredients grind to a slightly thick and coarse batter in a wet grinder or mixie.
  3. To the batter add chopped onions (shallots will be more tastier), green chilies, ginger, curry leaves, coriander leaves, scraped coconut, chili powder and turmeric powder; mix well, check/ adjust salt level.

  4. Grease a dosa pan with 1/2 tbsp. oil and spread the batter into a slightly thicker consistency.  Poke 4 or 5 holes in the adai using fingers or wooden spatula (see recipe photo). Pour oil around the edges and inside each hole. Wait for about 2 to 3 mins and once it is browned at the bottom, flip and cook on the other side for 2 to 3 mins. Flip few times to get consistent crispy browning on both sides.

  5. Enjoy as such, or with coconut chutney, avial, jaggery or butter. I even like this as a side dish for sambar rice.

Recipe Notes

  • You have to cook in medium heat (slow cooking) to get crispy adais.
  • The holes in the adais help make the adai cripier throughout.  I learned this technique from my mother-in-law.
  • If you are an onion/ green chili lover (like me), you can add even more of them and enjoy.
  • I have skipped black eyed peas and moong dal (from my grandpa’s recipe) in this version. You can add ¼ cup each of black eyed peas and moong dal if you want.
  • You can tweak this recipe (adjusting ratio of rice, various dals) in numerous ways and enjoy unique tasting adais each time.
  • Reheating instructions: the leftovers tend to become soggy; can be reheated in bread toaster or oven or even dosa pan to get the crispiness back. Microwaving tends to make them more soggier.
  • Best if you have a filter coffee or ginger tea to go with it.
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