Adai recipe, How to make adai - Raks Kitchen (2024)

Adai recipe - How to make Adai - Once you try this traditional way, the recipe followed for many years, you will fall for it. Quick video, step wise pictures.

We also call adai as “orappu adai”(spicy-hot adai). My mom’s sister’s (periyamma) place is very much famous for Adai . That place is famous for guest.

I mean, always somebody will be visiting their home 😊. If no body is there, neighborhood friends/relatives atleast will come over for lunch/dinner.

It's basically a village and almost the area have more of their relatives only. So the house will always be in a festive mood 😀.

And if somebody visits their place, if they come to know, they will soak for Adai. But trust me they make the best Adais .

May be that's what they call “graamathu kaimanam”. When we were kids, we long to go there for vacation, for those greenery where ever we look.

A house by itself is like a marriage hall, innocent people and the most important reason is the 'bore set' which gushes water for the garden and we used to go and take bath in it.

Side dish

• Aviyal recipe
• Coconut chutney recipe

We think that as a mini waterfall and used to enjoy a lot. Used to take bath for hours and hours.

I will be mostly accompanied by my cousin Priya, my close friend those days she too is of my same age so we used to be thick friends.

All those days are full of laughter, happiness and we never close our mouth😆.

Why I love this?

My mom makes equally tasty Adai, which I am still struggling to get. My MIL makes a slightly different version, but somehow, I love this one a lot.

Top tips

She just makes perfect tasting Adais, crispy and soft too (meaning not hard), with lots of shallots/ small onions.

She never makes Adai, if there’s no stock of shallots/small onions. And also she makes thick, how an Adai is meant to be.

We always grind rice and dal separately, dal being ground coarsely. As far as I know, if we grind rice and dal together and a bit smooth, make it thin then its called adai dosai.

But we all like the Adai version better. You can see a beautiful Adai dosai here.

Variations

• Add finely chopped coconut or grated coconut.
• If you like fennel flavor you can add fennel seeds while grinding. I have not tried this but I have heard in restaurants they do so.
• Add legumes along reducing dal quantity. Example, chickpeas, black eyed peas.
• My mom says they don't even add urad dal or moong dal those days.
• You can pat the adai batter grinding it thick, instead of making it as batter.

Recipe card

How to make adai step by step method:

1. Soak rice and dal separately for 3 hrs minimum. First grind the red chillies with salt, asafoetida and then add rice.

2. Grind it to a coarse paste (like rava). Add dal. Use the pulse, inch or juice option to grind this dals coarsely. Make sure to wipe the sides and lids for even grinding.

3. This should be more coarse in texture as shown in the picture. Mix both the ground items well and set aside. You can keep upto 3-4 hours, or even make immediately. But standing time yields better result.

5. Just before making adai, add the onions, coriander, curry leaves and mix well. The batter should be thicker than our idly dosa batter. So adjust water as needed.

6. Heat the tawa and spread little oil and spread one ladle full of batter as thick adais, make a small hole in the middle and again pour little oil around. Let it get cooked for sometime. Turn over the adai and cook the other side too till golden brown. (you can cook covered with a lid, before flipping)

These adais are crispy outside and soft from inside and has an awesome texture as we grind it coarsely. Enjoy with your favorite chutney or avial which is said to be the perfect combo!