Adai

Adai is a traditional evening tiffin in most Kerala Iyer families. Adai is a kind of Dosai but a little thicker. This yummy tiffin is made out of a combination of rice and dals. The types of dals and their quantity vary from house to house. As vegetarians we have to depend on legumes for fulfilling our daily protein requirements and Adai comes as a savior.

It was not one of my favorite dishes though. But my husband likes adai very much. And he loves it with the combination of Avial, More kootan or Pavakkai Pitali. So whenever we make any of these kootans for lunch guess what the dinner would be - Adai. And so I have also grown to like the taste of these Adais.

Must say that Adai and Avial make the best combination. Unsalted butter is also a good combination. Though we have it at dinner time my personal advice would be to have it at breakfast as it is quite a heavy dish. Or if you really want to have it for dinner then have it early.

Ingredients

Boiled Rice – 2 cups

Tuar Dal – ½ cup

Channa Dal – ¼ cup

Black Urad Dal – ¼ cup

Dried Red Chillies – 4 -5 Nos.

Asfoetida

Curry Leaves

Method

Soak rice for about 2 to 3 hrs. Soak Dals and red chillies for about ½ an hour. Grind the rice and dals into coarse paste by adding little water. Add salt to taste. Trasnsfer the batter into a vessel and keep this batter aside for about 2 hrs.

Before preparing the adai, add asfoetida, and lots of curry leaves. (This gives a very good flavor and aroma to the adai). Mix well. If the batter is too thick dilute with water. Heat a tava, apply little oil. Take a ladleful of batter, put it in the center of the tava and spread like dosa. With the spatula make a hole in the middle of the adai. Pour a tsp of oil. Once adai is cooked on one side turn it add some more oil and allow to cook on the other side. Cook on low flame if you like it crisp.

Serve hot with avial, mor kootan or butter.