Ada (Adai)

1 cup split Bengal gram (chana dal)

1 cup skinned split black lentils (urad dal)

½ cup split yellow lentils (moong dal)

1 cup rice

salt to taste

2 dried red chile peppers, or to taste

water, as needed

2 tablespoons cumin seeds

2 tablespoons cooking oil

Place the chana dal, urad dal, moong dal, and rice into a large bowl and cover with several inches of cool water; allow to soak 8 hours to overnight.

Grind the soaked dal and rice with the salt and red chile peppers into a paste using a mortar and pestle. Add enough water to the mixture to make a batter just thin enough to spread. Stir the cumin seeds into the batter.

Heat a griddle (or a tawa) over medium heat. Gently grease the griddle with oil on the edges and the middle. Ladle the batter on the tawa and spread into a thin circle using the back of the ladle or a large spoon. Cook for a few minutes and flip over to the other side. Cook a few more minutes, transfer to a plate, and serve immediately. Adas are best eaten hot off the griddle.