Brown Rice and Mixed Bean Adai

We had a low-key 4^th of July.  With all the traveling we have been doing, it seemed like no one wanted to do anything but laze around the house.

On July 4^th, the City of Boulder typically has a fireworks show at the University.   If we are in town, we go to watch them.  Yesterday, we went to a different observation spot.  It was less crowded and the views were fantastic!  Since we were going to go after dinner, I wanted to make something simple.  Decided to make adai with brown rice.

I have already posted a recipe for the traditional  adai.  This one uses brown rice and a mixture of beans.  I read a recipe for 16 bean adai on this blog a long time ago and loved it.  

Mixed beans

  

Here is what you need:

• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 cup mixed beans (I used something called The Gourmet Bean Blend from Costco)
• a handful urad dal
• 6 – 8 red chilies
• 1 inch piece ginger
• ½ tsp hing
• salt to taste
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 cup cabbage, finely chopped
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• oil to make the adais

To make adais:

Brown Rice Adai

1. Soak the rice, urad dal, and beans in water for about 4 hours.
2. Drain the water and then grind it to a coarse paste with salt, hing, red chilies, and ginger.  I use my blender to make the batter.  Take care to make the batter thick – don’t add a lot of water while blending.
3. Now add the onions, veggies, and some curry leaves.  You can add a variety of vegetables (carrots, cabbage, very finely cubed potatoes, spinach, drumstick leaves etc.), or not add any at all.  I make plain adais sometimes. Mix well.
4. Heat a tawa or a griddle.  I like using my cast iron griddle for adais.
5. Pour a ladle full of batter onto the heated tawa and spread it out.  It should be slightly thicker than dosas.
6. Make a small hole in the middle and drizzle oil around the adai as well as in the center. 
7. Wait for a few minutes – maybe about 3 -4 minutes and then carefully flip it over.
8. Cook on both sides till the adai is crispy.

My sons like it with grated cheese.  So after the adai has cooked on both sides, I sprinkle some grated cheese on one half of the adai, fold it in half and let the cheese melt.  Serve it with yogurt.