Adai, South Indian Mixed Lentil Pancake
Adai is the sturdy, protein-packed cousin of the dosa, and it asks for far less work: no fermenting, no separate lentil and rice batters, just a soak and a coarse grind. Three lentils and brown rice give it real staying power, which is why it is a favorite weekend breakfast across Tamil Nadu. The batter is meant to be gritty, and the pancake is meant to be thick, so resist smoothing either one. Cooked on a hot dry griddle, it browns into something crisp outside and dense within.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup long grain brown rice
- 1/3 cup Toor dal
- 1/3 cup Yellow split peas
- 1/3 cup Red lentils
- 3 Byadgi chiles
- 1 tbsp Ginger, grated
- 15 Curry leaves, chopped
- 1/4 tsp Asafoetida
- 1 tsp Cumin seed
- 1 Yellow onion, finely diced
- 1/4 cup Cilantro, chopped
Method
- Rinse the brown rice, toor dal, yellow split peas, and red lentils together and soak them with the whole byadgi chiles in plenty of water for at least 3 hours. Unlike dosa, adai is never fermented, so the soak is what softens the grains enough to grind.
- Drain, then grind with the ginger, asafoetida, and about 0.5 cup (120 ml) fresh water to a coarse batter with the texture of wet sand. Leave it grainy on purpose: the little bits of lentil are what give adai its hearty chew, the opposite of a smooth dosa.
- Stir in the cumin, chopped curry leaves, diced onion, and cilantro. The batter should be thick enough to spread but not pourable. Add water a spoonful at a time if it is too stiff.
- Heat a nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron griddle over medium heat until a drop of water skitters. Ladle on a mound of batter and spread it into a thick round about 6 inches (15 cm) wide, poking a hole in the center so the middle cooks through.
- Cook 3 to 4 minutes until the underside is set and browned and the edges lift, then flip and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. A hot dry pan and a thicker pancake let adai brown without any oil, where a thin one would stick.
- Serve hot off the griddle. Adai is filling enough to stand alone, but a spoon of chutney on the side is traditional. The chile, ginger, and curry leaf season it fully, so no salt is needed.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 230 calories, 12 g protein, 8 g fiber, 30 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
