THAVALAI ADAI, how to make Thavalai adais

Here comes another Salem special....
Recently I had been to my maternal home, when I discussed the family's signature recipes with my sister.
I couldn't wait any longer to share them with you all.....this is a really rare recipe.
You can call this another "avatar" of arisi upma. But the taste is totally different, very crunchy, and its perfect accompaniment is the curd-mahaali pickle.
Please check my Easy Arisi upma and Upma Kozhukkattai
Please check my glossary for any unknown terms.

Ingredients

Raw rice - 3/4 cup

Tur dhal - 2 tbsps

Water - 1 1/2 cups

Fresh coconut gratings - 2 tsps

Black pepper - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

For seasoning

Gingely / cooking oil - 2 tbsps

Asafoetida/hing powder - 1/4 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Broken urad dhal - 1 tsp

Channa dhal - 1 tsp

Red chillies - 2, broken

Green chilli - 1, slit or chopped

Curry leaves - handful

Recipe Cuisine: South Indian; Category: Breakfast/dinner

Prep time: 5 mts; Rice & dhal soaking time: 45 mts; Cooking time: 1 hour

Yields 12 adais

Rice and dhal, sprinkled with liberal amount of water, and allowed to soak for 45 minutes to an hour

Then the rice and dhal, pulsed to a coarse rava texture, and black pepper powdered coarsely and added

Seasonings done in a non stick kadai

Measured water added, grated coconut also added. Salt to taste added too.

Add the rava mixture, stir well, flames on the lowest

Cover with a lid

After 5 minutes

Getting cooked well and about to leave sides

Resembles a big mass, it is perfectly done

Allow it to cool down in a broad vessel. Afterwards, if needed,(you will surely need) sprinkle 

2-3 tsps water and knead well.

Grease a non stick tava, and shape the mixture like tikkis, and place one by one. Initially, let the flames be on the highest, while you place the adais on the tava.

Flames always on the medium, drizzle some oil around to make them crunchy

Flipped over and oil drizzled again, if required. Be very gentle while turning them over.

Serve them with curd-mahaali pickle. Even Vathakuzhambu is a perfect side for this.

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

Notes

* One or two thavalai adais might break or slightly crumble while turning them, but I tell you, the smallest bit is also so crunchy and tasty.

* Even if you eat them when they are not hot, they are awesome.

Categories: South Indian Breakfasts, Tiffin Varieties