Iyengar Style Thavala Adai: High-Protein South Indian Breakfast

Iyengar Style Thavala Adai Recipe

Course: South Indian Breakfast
Cuisine: Tamil Nadu
Diet: High Protein Vegetarian
Servings: 9
Total Time: 180 minutes (Prep: 120 minutes, Cook: 60 minutes)

Description:
A beloved breakfast from the Iyengar community in Tamil Nadu, Thavala Adai is a protein-packed, crispy pancake made from a blend of rice, lentils, and aromatic spices. Unlike traditional dosas, Thavala Adai is thicker, with a delightful texture and a deep, earthy flavor. Served with chutneys or a sprinkle of paruppu podi, this recipe offers a savory start to your day that will surely become a family favorite.

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Prepare Thavala Adai Powder:
   Start by dry grinding the raw rice, boiled rice, chana dal, arhar dal, and white urad dal into a medium-fine powder. This will form the base for your adai batter. Once ground, set this mixture aside.

2. Make the Batter:
   In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground Thavala Adai powder with sour curd, a little water, and salt to achieve a batter similar to dosa consistency. It should be thick but pourable. Stir well to ensure there are no lumps.

3. Tempering (Tadka):
   Heat gingelly oil in a pan. Once hot, add a pinch of asafoetida (hing), followed by mustard seeds. Wait for the mustard seeds to splutter. Then add the urad dal, chana dal, dried green chilies (mor milagai), and curry leaves. Sauté until the dals turn golden brown and fragrant.

4. Add Tempering to the Batter:
   Transfer the tempered mixture into the batter. Stir well to incorporate the tempered ingredients evenly. Let the batter marinate for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld together.

5. Adjust the Consistency:
   After marinating, check the batter’s consistency. If it has thickened too much, add a little water to bring it back to dosa batter consistency—smooth but not too runny.

6. Cooking the Thavala Adai:
   Heat an appachetty (appam pan) on medium heat. Add a little oil to grease the pan. Once hot, pour a ladle of batter into the pan, shaping it into a round pancake, similar to a dosa or appam. Cover with a lid and cook for about 2 minutes, allowing the bottom to crisp up.

7. Flip and Cook:
   After 2 minutes, flip the adai and cook on the other side for another 2-3 minutes until both sides are golden brown and crisp. You can adjust the heat if necessary to ensure it cooks evenly without burning.

8. Serving:
   Once cooked, remove the Thavala Adai from the pan and serve hot. These can be enjoyed with a variety of chutneys, sambar, or a sprinkling of paruppu podi (a dry lentil chutney powder).

Tips for Perfect Thavala Adai

• Fermentation Time: Letting the batter rest for 2 hours is crucial for the flavors to develop fully. If you are in a hurry, you can reduce the marinating time, but the taste may not be as rich.
• Adjusting Consistency: The batter should not be too thick or too watery. If you have a slightly thicker batter, it will yield a denser, crispier adai, while a thinner batter will make it softer.
• Pan Temperature: Be sure to cook Thavala Adai on medium heat for an even crispness. Too high a temperature may burn the outside while leaving the inside undercooked.
• Customizing: If you like extra spice, feel free to add chopped green chilies or ginger to the batter. You can also experiment by adding finely chopped vegetables like onions, carrots, or spinach for added flavor and nutrition.

Nutritional Information (per serving)

Enjoy your Iyengar Style Thavala Adai as a wholesome, high-protein breakfast or snack that’s full of traditional flavors and the warmth of Tamil Nadu!