If you're looking for a wholesome breakfast that's packed with protein and full of flavour, this traditional Ada Dosa is an excellent choice. Made with a blend of rice and varieties of lentils and legumes, it offers a nutritious twist to the classic dosa. Crisp on the outside and soft inside, this hearty dosa pairs perfectly with coconut chutney.
Ingredients
- 1 cup white raw rice
- 1 tbsp toor dal (pigeon peas)
- 1 tbsp masoor dal (red lentils)
- 1 tbsp white chickpeas
- 1 tbsp whole green gram (moong)
- 1 tbsp horse gram
- 1 tbsp red cowpeas
- 2–3 dried red chillies
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 3–4 shallots
- Salt, to taste
- Water, as required
- Gingelly (sesame) oil, for cooking
Preparation
- Wash the rice, lentils and legumes thoroughly.
- Soak them together in plenty of water overnight or for at least 8 hours.
- The next morning, drain the water and transfer the soaked mixture to a mixer jar.
- Add the shallots, dried red chillies, peppercorns and a little water.
- Grind into a slightly coarse batter. Unlike regular dosa batter, this should not be completely smooth.
- Transfer the batter to a bowl and add salt to taste.
- Adjust the consistency by adding water as needed. The batter should be pourable but slightly thicker than regular dosa batter. Mix well.
How to Make the Ada Dosa
- Heat a dosa tawa or non-stick pan over medium heat.
- Lightly grease the surface with gingelly oil.
- Pour a ladleful of batter onto the hot pan and spread it gently into a medium-thick dosa.
- Drizzle gingelly oil around the edges.
- Cook until the bottom turns golden brown, then flip and cook the other side until done.
- Repeat with the remaining batter.
Serving Suggestion
Serve the ada dosa hot with freshly prepared coconut chutney. It also pairs well with tomato chutney, coriander chutney or a dollop of homemade butter.
