Rinse and then soak ½ cup regular rice (or idli rice), ¼ cup chana dal, ¼ cup urad dal, ¼ cup tuvar dal and 2 dry red chilies (byadagi or Kashmiri) in 1.5 cups water for 2 to 3 hours. You can also keep overnight.
Later drain all the water and add the rice, lentils and red chilies in a grinder jar. Also add 1.5 teaspoon chopped ginger and 1 generous pinch hing. At this step you can also add 1 green chili and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds.
Add ⅔ to ¾ cup water and grind to a semi coarse batter. Do not make the batter fine.
Take all the batter in a mixing bowl. Cover and keep aside for minimum 20 minutes or till 1 to 2 hours. However, if you want to make adai dosa, then you have to ferment the batter for 4 to 7 hours and then you can make the adai dosa.
Now add ⅓ cup finely chopped pearl onions (or onions or shallots), ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves and 2 teaspoons chopped curry leaves or 8 to 10 curry leaves (chopped). You can also add ¼ cup grated fresh coconut.
Add salt as required. Mix very well.
Heat a tawa and spread a bit of oil on it.
Take a ladle full of the adai batter and pour the batter on tawa.
Quickly spread the batter to a round circle.
Make a neat round adai.
With a back of a spoon make a small dent or hole in the center. This helps in cooking the adai evenly.
Drizzle some oil in the center as well as on the sides.
Cook on medium-low to medium flame till it is crisp and golden from the base. You can also cover with a lid and then cook.
Then flip the adai.
Cook the adai on the second side till its cooked well and has golden brown spots.
Flip and then serve.
You can serve protein rich adai with some white unsalted butter, jaggery, idli podi or avial. You can also pair it with coconut chutney or kara chutney or tomato-onion chutney.
