Soy-Free Adai (Savory Lentil Pancakes)

Transform your breakfast or snack routine with this delightful **Soy-Free Adai (Savory Lentil Pancakes)**, a wholesome South Indian classic reimagined without soy. Made with a blend of rice and three types of protein-packed lentils—chana dal, urad dal, and toor dal—this recipe offers a satisfying crunch and earthy flavor. Spiced with red chilies, zesty asafoetida, and fresh curry leaves, these savory pancakes are further enriched with finely chopped onions and grated carrots for added texture and nutrition. Perfectly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, these adai are naturally gluten-free, customizable in spice level, and ready in just about an hour. Serve them piping hot with coconut chutney or tangy sambar for a traditional meal that’s as nourishing as it is delicious. Ideal for those seeking soy-free, high-protein, vegetarian meal options!

Nutriscore Rating: 83/100

Prep Time:30 mins

Cook Time:30 mins

Total Time:60 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup Raw rice
• 1 cup Split Bengal gram (Chana dal)
• 0.5 cup Split black gram (Urad dal)
• 0.5 cup Toor dal
• 4 pieces Red chilies
• 0.25 teaspoon Asafoetida (Hing)
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 10 leaves Curry leaves
• 1 medium Onion, finely chopped
• 0.5 cup Carrot, grated
• 2 cups Water
• 2 tablespoons Oil

Directions

Step 1

Rinse the rice, chana dal, urad dal, and toor dal thoroughly under cold water.

Step 2

Soak the rice and all the lentils in a large bowl with the 2 cups of water for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Step 3

Drain the soaked mixture and reserve the soaking water.

Step 4

In a blender, combine the drained mixture with red chilies, and grind it to a coarse batter, adding a little reserved soaking water as needed to aid in grinding.

Step 5

Transfer the batter to a large mixing bowl and add asafoetida, salt, curry leaves, chopped onion, and grated carrot. Mix well to combine.

Step 6

The consistency of the batter should be slightly thicker than pancake batter. If necessary, adjust with more reserved soaking water.

Step 7

Heat a griddle or non-stick pan over medium heat and lightly grease it with some oil.

Step 8

Ladle a portion of the batter onto the pan and spread it out with the back of the ladle to form a pancake about 1/4 inch thick.

Step 9

Drizzle a little oil around the edges and on top of the adai.

Step 10

Cook for 2-3 minutes on one side until the edges turn golden brown, then flip and cook the other side for another 2-3 minutes.

Step 11

Repeat the process with the remaining batter, adding more oil to the pan as needed.

Step 12

Serve hot with coconut chutney or sambar.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1359.6g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	2437.5

Total Fat 38.9g	0%
Saturated Fat 3.9g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 2582.0mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 415.7g	0%
Dietary Fiber 58.3g	0%
Total Sugars 15.8g
Protein 103.4g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 476.2mg	0%
Iron 21.0mg	0%
Potassium 3555.7mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 14.4%

Protein: 17.0%

Carbs: 68.5%