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    Home » Recipes » Idli | Dosa

    Adai recipe, South Indian lentils dosa ( pancakes )

    Published: Jul 19, 2018 · by Nisha

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Adai is a type of South Indian dosa made with toor dal, channa dal and rice. It is a thick lentils pancake with a soft centre and crispy edges. It is generously topped with shallots and moringa leaves. You can have them for breakfast or as an afternoon light meal. They are quite filling and protein rich. Unlike the regular dosa, adai will be thick and it has a hole in the centre. It can be made instantaneously and no fermentation is required.

    This is one of the few dishes that I had an instant liking as a child. More than as a breakfast this often appeared as our weekend evening tiffin. As mentioned in this mangal ooti post, we are a group of clans who have our meals swapped. We eat lunch around 10 and have a light meal, tiffin, around 2 or 3 during weekends. Tiffin (do not confuse it with the confectionary) is an Indian english word and is unique to the Indian culture. It usually refers to a light meal that we have in the afternoon and sometimes breakfast. You can read more about the intersesting story behind the tiffin in this post.

    The etymology of the word adai remains unknown but adai has been in existence since the olden days. KT acharya mentions adai as a shallow fried rice snack in his book, Indian food, A Historical Companion. He says they were popularly served as a street side snack along with appam, dosa etc…

    Adai mavu (batter)

    The traditional adai batter is made of lentils and rice grains. In the past, it was made with equal parts rice and pulses, and at least a minimum of 4 different kinds of pulses were used in the preparation of adai.

    In the present day, it is reduced to 2 types of lentils (channa dal and urad dal) and a combination of parboiled rice and raw rice is used.

    The combined ratio of rice & dal is 1:1 for the traditional recipe. Individually,
    Channa dal & toor dal - 1 : ¼
    Parboiled rice & raw rice - 1 : 1

    The above mentioned ratio will give you a perfectly crispy edged adai with a thick soft centre. Unlike the regular dosa, adai will be thick and it has a hole in the centre. The hole in the centre is made to ensure even cooking when oil is added to it.

    For a crispy adai, take the rice : dal ratio as 1 : ¾ and if you need completely soft adais reverse the proportion. You can experiment with the ratio as per your preference.

    Adai batter consistency

    Grind the rice almost smoothly. If you touch the batter you will feel rice grits like corn meal texture. Then add the dal to it. Pulse and grind it coarsely. Chunks of dal will be visible.

    Though, Adai is a close cousin to the most popular South Indian breakfast, Dosa, the batter does not require fermentation. Adai can be made instantly.

    Resting it for half hour to one hour before making them will yield perfectly crispy edged adais.

    The shelf life of the batter is up to 3 days in the refrigerator. It will be good up to a week but sometimes it will become slightly sour when kept longer.

    Adai variations and varieties

    1. Adai can be made plain only with the ground batter. To make it more flavorful, we add shallots, moringa leaves and sometimes also coconut. But shallots are often used.
    2. You can also make multigrain adais combining more lentil varieties like mung dal, urad dal, brown chickpeas etc... Take all these ingredients in equal proportions and grind.
    3. During some festive occasions, we make pacharisi adai. Substituting parboiled rice with raw rice.

    Serving Adai

    Adai can be served for breakfast or dinner. This is best served with avial - medley of veggies cooked in a coconut based gravy. You can also pair this with coconut chutney or mor kuzhambu or milagai podi. Normally the Tamil people have this with Jaggery.

    Print
    Adai
    Prep Time
    15 mins
    Cook Time
    30 mins
    Soaking time
    3 hrs
    Total Time
    45 mins
     

    Adai is a type of South Indian dosa made with toor dal, channa dal and rice. It is a thick lentils pancake with a soft centre and crispy edges. It is generously topped with shallots and moringa leaves. You can have them for breakfast or as an afternoon light meal. They are quite filling and protein rich. Unlike the regular dosa, adai will be thick and it has a hole in the centre. It can be made instantaneously and no fermentation is required.

    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Indian, Tamil Nadu
    Keyword: Adai dosai, lentils pancake, Protien rich pancakes
    Servings: 10 to 12 medium sized pancakes
    Calories per serving: 185 kcal
    Ingredients
    For the Batter
    • ½ Cup raw rice (pachai arisi)
    • ½ Cup parboiled rice ( puzhungal arisi ) Idly rice
    • ½ Cup channa dal
    • ¼ cup toor dal
    • 5-6 red chillies
    Making Dosa
    • 10-12 shallots roughly chopped
    • 1 curry leaves
    • Salt to taste
    Instructions
    For the Batter
    1. Soak the dal and rice separately for minimum 3 hour. Rinse and drain the water. Grind the chillies first. Once it is coarsely grounded, add the rice. Grind it to an almost smooth batter by adding water. Then add the dal and pulse. It should be coarse and not smoothly ground. 

    2. The batter will be in very thick consistency. Add little water to it. 

    3. Mix both, add salt, shallots, curry leaves and drumstick leaves (if using).
    Making Dosa
    1. Take the required amount for that meal and keep the rest in refrigerator. (1)
    2. Heat the tawa | griddle. Once it is hot, apply some oil and spread it. Ladle the dosa in the centre and spread it. The dosa will be very thick and heavy.
    3. With the back end of the spatula, make a small hole in the centre.  Keep it on medium flame. Drizzle oil on the outer edges and in the middle. The hole in the centre is created to evenly cook the adai. 

    4. Once the bottom side becomes brown, flip and cook on the other side. Repeat the same for the rest of the dosas.

    Recipe Notes
    1. The batter can be refrigerated for about two days.
    2. Shallots and drum stick leaves are the highlight ingredients in this recipe. Try not to avoid them.
    3. Unlike the regular dosa, this takes time to get cooked. Also keep the flame in medium, since these are thick, it needs time to cook through and the bottom should not be burned.
    4. This is best served with Avial.

    View other "Idli | Dosa" recipes

    • Podi Dosa - Dosa with Milagai Podi
    • Green Uthappam - with coriander leaves and chillies
    • Grilled Corn & Paneer Dosa
    • Uthappam Recipe - Dosa Variety

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Suma Gandlur says

      August 03, 2014 at 3:07 am

      Nutritious and spicy dosas. Love them.

      Reply
    2. vaishali sabnani says

      July 10, 2014 at 10:05 am

      I love this version and it tastes great...a mix dosa..healthy and delicious. .with super clicks.

      Reply
    3. Harini-Jaya R says

      May 06, 2014 at 11:21 pm

      Very nutritious and love it!

      Reply
    4. Nivedhanams Sowmya says

      May 05, 2014 at 8:12 am

      so authentic and so delicious!!! the beauty of the dishes are in authenticity!! so true!!

      Reply
    5. Srivalli says

      April 30, 2014 at 3:11 pm

      hahah..you know what I didn't know Adai has a hole in it..and I have been eating it all my life and is my most favorite dosas..:)..I guess more than anything it's how your mom makes, gets struck with you right..My mom mostly makes it very thin, crispy and with loads of ghee, paired always with coconut chutney, that it's sure to take one, at least me to heaven.. ..I am not saying I won't say no to other versions..as your adai looks very inviting to me!

      Reply
    6. Priya Suresh says

      April 27, 2014 at 2:45 pm

      Love love this nutritious adai, somehow i love mine with hot spicy coconut chutney, inviting me.

      Reply
    7. Priya Srinivasan says

      April 27, 2014 at 8:08 am

      Ha ha, yes certain food they have to be presented that aunthemtic.way or else it is in no.way going down the throat! ! Love adai n aviyal combo!!! I too miss drumstick leaves adai here, flavoursome to the vore!!

      Reply
    8. The Pumpkin Farm says

      April 27, 2014 at 7:36 am

      looks delicious nisha...this is so easy as well...for a late sunday brunch

      Reply

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    Nisha freelances as a food & product photographer/recipe developer & content creator in the F&B space.

    She loves everything about food and their stories! You can find her mostly in the kitchen trying to whip up something or reading culinary anecdotes.

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