Green Sprouts Adai

Amma was visiting last week, so we were having a bit of fun planning meals. One day, we were thinking what to make for dinner on a day later in the week. I remembered that I had some kollu (horsegram dal) and thought we could make something with that. Somehow, the idea of adai came up. Usually adai is made sort of similar to uthappam in thickness, but the batter consists of a combination of lentils/dals. Suddenly, inspiration struck and I thought, we could use whole moong dal in combination with the horsegram dal and sprout both dals before using them.

To make sprouts, take the required amounts of the dals and soak them in water for about 12 hours. Then, drain off the liquid and place the dals in a moist cloth towel for 24-48 hours. You will see the dals sprouting by that point. Just make sure that the cloth stays damp and you'll have no problems.

For the adai, we didn't stray much from the usual adai ingredients. We added ginger, green chillies, and chopped onion. But, we also decided to add a bunch of spinach to give it even more nutrients. So, this is one power packed meal that Popeye would be proud of!

nutritious and delicious!

Ingredients:

Whole moong dal - 1 cup, measured before sprouting
Horsegram dal - 1 cup, measured before sprouting
Red onions - 2 medium, chopped
Ginger - 2 inch piece, rough chopped
Green chillies - 15, or to taste
Spinach - 1 medium bunch, rough chopped
Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Sprout the dals first. Soak them in water for about 12 hours. Then, drain off the liquid and place the dals in a moist cloth towel for 24-48 hours. You will see the dals sprouting by that point. Just make sure that the cloth stays damp and you'll have no problems with this step!

2. Now, take the sprouts, ginger, and green chillies in a mixie or blender and grind to a coarse, fairly thick paste.

3. Add the spinach to the above mixture and pulse until combined. Add salt to taste and onions.

4. Heat a tava or griddle on medium heat. Place a small amount of batter on the tava and slowly spread it using a spoon until it's thicker than dosa, but a little thinner than uthappam. Drizzle a few drops of oil around and cover.

5. Flip over and cook until done (about 3-4 minutes per side). Be careful that the pan is not too hot or else the adai won't be cooked through by the time it browns!

Serve warm with coconut chutney or any other desired chutney. Enjoy!


This power packed adai is off to dear Srivalli for her awesome dosa mela!