🫓 Adai (South Indian four-lentil crepes)
Ingredients
- 150 g parboiled rice (idli rice)
- 50 g split chickpeas (chana dal)
- 50 g yellow lentils (toor dal)
- 2 tbsp split mung beans (moong dal)
- 2 tbsp skinned black lentils (urad dal)
- 4 to 5 dried red chillies
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- A 2 cm piece of ginger
- 1 pinch of asafoetida
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp oil or ghee
Method
- Put the rice and the four pulses in a bowl and rinse them three times, until the water runs clear.
- Cover with cold water, add the dried chillies and soak 3 to 4 h.
- Drain, then blend with the cumin and ginger, adding water little by little: the batter must stay THICK and slightly coarse. Unlike dosa, adai is not meant to be smooth — that grain is what gives it its bite.
- Rest the batter 2 to 4 h at room temperature if you have time: the flavour gains, but no fermentation is needed.
- When ready to cook, stir in the onion, salt, asafoetida and coriander. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Heat a pan over medium heat, oil it lightly, pour on a ladleful of batter and spread it into a thick pancake.
- Drizzle a little oil around the edge and cook until the edges lift, then flip and crisp the other side. Serve hot with coconut chutney.
Adapted from Swasthi's Recipes
Open this recipe in Fogar — shopping list, pantry, weekly menu