VEGETABLE ADAI - SAVORY INDIAN LENTIL PANCAKE

We can't live without vegetables; when I say this statement it includes both DH and Jr.H along with me.  I go mad when veggies are out of stock in refrigerator.  Every weekend, we go to market place and buy the fresh veggies for the whole week.  This is a dedicated family time for us and we love to spend time with one other.  We also take Jr.H ever since his childhood and I ask him to choose veggies of his choice.  Eventually, this has made Jr.H to try eating different veggies.  He gets very excited when I say him that I am going to prepare the vegetable that he has chosen for the family.  He never omits any vegetable that is kept on his plate and I strongly have a feel that this is because of the responsibility given to him for choosing the vegetables. 

Most of my dishes would include sneaking in maximum vegetables as I always have a feel that vegetarians get less energy than meat eaters.  This recipe is my mom's signature dish.  When someone comes to our home and the first thing they ask my mom to prepare is this dish; "Vegetable Adai".  My mom is the best cook I have ever seen and whatever she touches becomes delectable.  When she comes to my home and when I cook for her, I sometimes madly call her to kitchen and ask her to touch the vessel and she will smile in proud and pat me :-). 

This recipe is called "Adai"  and it is made of lentils and rice.  It is a savory Indian lentil pancake, an "extended family of dosai". A very nutritious dish can be made in many variations.  I added vegetables to make it more colorful and healthier.  I never make Adai without adding vegetables.  Addition of grated beets gives subtle sweetness which can be felt at the last portion of every bite.

Ingredients: 

Idly rice - 1.5 cups

Raw rice - 0.5 cup

Bengal gram - 1/4 cup

Toor dhal - 6 tsp

Urad dhal - 4 tsp

Chickpea - 10

Asafoetida powder - 1 tsp

Red chillies - 8-10

Salt - To taste

Vegetables - 2 cups (grated carrot, beet, thinly sliced onion, cabbage, and finely chopped cliantaro and curry leaves)  

Oil - as needed

Preparation:

1. Wash and soak rice and lentils separately for 3 hours.

 

2. Grind red chillies, salt, asafoetida powder, and lentils to a smooth mixture.  Transfer the contents to a vessel.

 

3. Grind rice to a coarse mixture and add to the already ground lentil mixture.

4.  Meanwhile, grate beet and carrot and finely chop cabbage, onion, coriander/cliantaro and curry leaves.

5.  Add to the ground mixture and mix well.  Add little water if the mixture is too thick.

 

6.  In dosa pan, pour a ladle full of batter and make small hole in the middle and pour little oil around and in the middle hole.  Let it get cooked for sometime.  Flip over and cook the other side too until golden brown. 

 

 

 

 7.  I make variations by making five holes around the side and this makes it more crisper. 

8. Serve this Adai with butter or aviyal.  I usually won't prepare anything for side dish as I already have added vegetables and this can be eaten as such.