In our house, we make a big fuss about breakfast. Even if it is just toast and spread, we always have to have breakfast, because we have a ravenous three year old who wakes up with one loud question what’s for breakfast? This question somehow sends us into a state of mad tizzy. We have learnt, the very painful way, that if we don’t have something edible on the table in 20 minutes a meltdown is inevitable. So, I usually have some batter ready to go. Adai is one such favourite of ours, all the lentils in the batter make it a substantial meal for everyone.
Adai is rather underrated, but I can’t stop raving about its versatility (Mom, you were so right). There is none of the fuss that comes with idli or dosa batter (that needs a particular type of rice or has a long fermentation), this comes together in a crunchy wonderful cinch. This is a classic South Indian tiffin that has equal quantities or rice and lentils are traditionally served with homemade butter and jaggery – the sweet savoury combination is pure delight.
My version, however, is a bit of a stretch. While it may not get the Tam Brahm nod of approval, it is still equally yummy! You could always swap the greens for other vegetables like beets, broccoli, carrots to keep things interesting and colourful. Just adjust the spice level based on the vegetable.
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Raw Rice (Basmati will also work)
- 1/3 Cup Tuvar Dal
- 1/2 Cup Moong Dal
- 1/3 Cup Channa Dal
- 1 Inch piece Ginger peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 2-3 Cloves Garlic peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 -3 Green Chillies (More if you want it spicy)
- 1 big bunch of Coriander Leaves
- 4 Cups of Packed Mixed Greens (I used Spinach and Kale)
- Salt to Taste
- 1 Cup water
- Oil or ghee to cook the Adai
Method
Make the Batter
- Wash and soak the rice and the three dals together for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight.
- Discard the soaking liquid and add the rice and dals to a blender. Add in salt and half the water and blend, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary. Add the remaining water if needed. The mixture will be coarse and slightly thicker than dosa batter.
- Add in all the other ingredients (except the oil) to the blender and blend for a few seconds till everything is combined. The batter will be a vibrant green. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, if needed.
- You can use the batter right away or store it in a warm place for a couple of hours to ferment.
Make the Adai
- To make the adai, heat a nonstick tawa to medium heat.
- Using a clean scrap piece of muslin cloth to spread a few drops of oil on the tawa.
- Pour a ladle full of batter on the centre of the tawa and spread it evenly in a circular shape.
- Drizzle oil and allow the adai to cook till it is golden brown, this should take about 3-4 minutes.
- Flip the adai and let is cook for two more minutes till the edges become crisp. This would be good time to add some ghee, if you are using, to make it extra scrumptious.
- Serve it hot with chutney and/or podi.
KSP Team
Parul Gupta
