ADAI

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Adai is a traditional and, a popular recipe of Tamilnadu. It is made with rice and lentils and, is a great source of protein. In our home, we usually make adai for breakfast. In South Indian restaurants, it is served for dinner.

Each city in Tamilnadu has its own way of making adai. Rice and lentils are the basic ingredient but, the spices added to it differs. Also the proportion of lentils and rice added differs.

Adai is usually served with aviyal and jaggery. It also goes really well with coconut chutneys.

ABOUT THE RECIPE:

This adai recipe is what we have been making in our family for generations. We make adai in two different methods. Traditionally, the adai that we make is deep fried in oil. It can also be made into dosa, which doesn’t really need much oil. I’ve included both the methods in this blog.

INGREDIENTS FOR ADAI:

• RAW RICE – 1 CUP
• IDLY RICE – 1 CUP
• TOOR DHAL – 1/4 CUP
• URID DHAL – 1/4 CUP
• GRAM DHAL – 1/4 CUP
• DRY RED CHILLIES – 5 NOS.
• CUMIN SEEDS – 1 TSP
• SALT – AS REQUIRED
• CURRY LEAVES – 10~15 NOS
• ASAFOETIDA – 1/4 TSP
• OIL – AS REQUIRED

HOW TO MAKE ADAI:

• In a large mixing bowl, add 1 cup of raw rice, 1 cup of idly rice, 1/4 cup of toor dhal, 1/4 cup of gram dhal and 1/4 cup of urid dhal.

• Wash and soak it in water for 2 hours.

• After 2 hours drain the water and, add all the ingredients to a blender.

• Add the dry red chillies and cumin seeds to it and, blend it to a mild coarse paste. Add little water at a time. Do not add too much of water. It has to be thick coarse paste.

• After blending, add the mixture to a mixing bowl. Add asafoetida and curry leaves to it and, mix it well.

ADAI BATTER IS READY.

HOW TO MAKE TRADITIONAL ADAI:

• To make traditional adai, the batter has to be thick as shown in the image below.

• Heat a kadai and, add 1/2 cup of oil to it.

• Once the oil is heated, add 1 cup of batter to the oil and, gently press in the middle. Pressing it in the middle helps the batter to spread and, form a perfect shape.

• Wait for 1 minute and then turn it. Cook it on both sides until, it turns light golden brown in color. On a medium flame, it takes a maximum of around 4 to 5 minutes for the adai to cook completely.

• Once the adai is cooked completely, filter the oil and, remove it from the kadai. Place it on a tissue for a minute. It helps to absorb the excess oil.

TRADITIONAL ADAI IS READY.

IT GOES REALLY WELL WITH AVIYAL OR COCONUT CHUTNEY.

COCONUT CHUTNEY

HOW TO MAKE ADAI DOSAI:

• To make adai dosai, dilute the batter with little water. The batter has to be slightly thin. It has to have a consistency of an idly batter.

• Heat a dosa pan and, add 1/2 cup of batter to it and, spread it like a dosa. Add 1/2 tsp of oil on the sides and, on top of it to make it crispy.

• Once it is cooked on one side or after 1 minute turn it and, let it cook on the other side for another 1 minute. Once it is cooked on both sides, transfer it to a plate.

ADAI DOSAI IS READY.

IT GOES REALLY WELL WITH AVIYAL OR COCONUT CHUTNEY OR JAGGERY.

I HAD MINE WITH AVIYAL AND JAGGERY.

PRO TIPS:

• Soaking the ingredients for 2 hours is more than enough. We usually soak the ingredients around 5 AM, which will be ready to be had for breakfast around 8 AM.
• The batter has to be blended to a coarse paste. It shouldn’t be blended to a fine paste since, it can make the adai soggy and, spoil the taste.

NOTE:

The batter can be stored in the refrigerator for upto 1 week.

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