Lentil Ragi Adai (lentil finger millet crepe)

Lentil Ragi Adai

In my attempt to keep rice intake low, I have been trying to have rice only for one meal a day and eat some other grains for another meal. Easy option usually is chapatti, that way I get some wheat but sometimes I would love a change and fancy things like dosa or upma or kichdi. I used to make adai quite often as well but that was the conventional adai and I wanted something different. This recipe was almost created from the air as I had no idea what I would end up with. I would say it was a bold attempt and a good one. I was pleased with the results. It is also quite nutritious as it has a variety of lentils, to give protein and iron and also ragi and some rice. Ragi as you probably know is a very nutritious grain. It does not have the most appealing colour but has a lot more goodness than most other grains. It constitutes the main source of nutrition for the poor in India. It is quite popular among South Indians, especially among those who are involved in heavy physical labour like farmers. With that background, here is how I made it…


Little less than ¼ cup urd dal
Little less than ¼ cup moong dal
Little more than ¼ cup channa dal
¼ cup rice flour
¼ cup ragi flour
2 sprigs curry leaves
2 green chillies
1 inch piece ginger
Salt to taste
Cooking oil

Soak the dals together for about 3 hours

Grind them to a paste along with ginger, curry leaves and chillies. Keep the paste coarse.

Add the ragi and rice flour to the paste, add required salt and grind to more finer paste (do not make it too fine as it is not best for adai)

While grinding add enough water to maintain consistency slightly thicker than dosa batter

Heat a tava and pour a ladle full of batter and spread to make a crisp thin adai. Drizzle little oil over it. Once brown on one side, turn and cook other side for around a minute.

Serve with nice tangy chutney or aviyal.

I served (and ate) with tomato chutney and that complemented the adai well as the batter is not allowed to ferment thus lending some sour taste to the food. You could also sprinkle chopped onions just after you spread the batter.