Adai - South Indian Lentil Pancakes

Ingredients

Raw rice

1 cup

Moong dal

1/4 cup

Urad dal

1/4 cup

Chana dal

1/4 cup

Toor dal

1/4 cup

Red chillies

2-3, or to taste

Asafoetida

1/4 teaspoon

Salt

1 teaspoon, or to taste

Water

as needed

Oil

for cooking

Coconut chutney

for serving

Instructions

1. Soak the raw rice and all the dals (moong, urad, chana, toor) in water for about 2 hours to soften.
2. Drain the soaked ingredients and transfer them to a blender. Add red chillies, asafoetida, and salt. Gradually add water and blend to achieve a coarse batter consistency; it should not be too runny.
3. Once blended, transfer the batter to a bowl and cover it with a cloth. Let it ferment in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until it expands slightly and has a pleasant aroma.
4. After fermenting, heat a tawa or non-stick pan over medium heat. Lightly grease the surface with oil.
5. Pour a ladleful of the fermented batter onto the tawa and gently spread it into a thin circle, about 6-8 inches in diameter.
6. Drizzle some oil around the edges and on top of the pancake. Cook until the bottom turns golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.
7. Flip the adai and cook the other side until it’s golden brown as well, approximately another 2-3 minutes.
8. Repeat the process for the remaining batter, adding more oil as necessary.
9. Serve the hot adai with coconut chutney or avial for a delicious meal.