Easy, quick and healthy Oats Adai recipe, a South Indian oats lentils pancake with step-wise pictures. A perfectly filling, delicious breakfast recipe with oats and lentils.
I love big breakfasts and however rushed our mornings are, I don’t miss my breakfast. That’s one of the golden rules I learnt from my parents from my growing up days. As we prefer solid filling breakfasts, it is no wonder that you wouldn’t find cereal or corn flakes in my kitchen. We resort to South Indian breakfasts like Idli, Dosa, Appam, Upma or Pongal and if you take any of these breakfasts, they are perfect blend of rice and lentils. Rice makes for the much needed carbs and lentils are your good source of protein. It is always considered best to start the day with a good, complete breakfast. This recipe of Oats Adai falls right into this category.
I detest the sound of oats porridge and I have a strong reason to hate it so too. I survived on plain oats for almost two years when I just moved to Bangalore and I had no means to cook (or a kitchen). I would down the bowl of oats as quick as possible and to this day, I carry the scar of that dreadful porridge. If you are like me, then this recipe of Oats Adai is just for you. It is quick, healthy and delicious too! I would prefer including oats in our diet, as it is loaded with fiber and at times, simply for the reason that I crave something other than the usual.
I usually make Oats Vegetable Upma and it is a huge hit at home. I started making this Oats Adai, after being inspired by a recipe shared on Instagram by shanthram aunty and it has been a regular at our place these days. It not only makes a healthy breakfast, it is best for quick dinners too! The best part about adai is that it requires no fermentation and it requires very little prep time – just soak everything, grind the batter and it is ready to use. Not to mention the number of lentils that go into making this Oats adai, apart from oats – it is a great source of protein and it sure keeps you full for quite sometime.
How to make Oats Adai | Oats Lentils Pancake –

Prep Time | 15minutes |
Cook Time | 2minutes each |
Passive Time | 6hours |
Servings | Adai |
- 1cupQuick Cooking Oats
- 1cupPoha/Aval/Flattened Rice
- 3/4cupToor Dal
- 1/4cupMoong Dal
- 1/4cupChana Dal
- 1/4cupUrad Dal
- 2tbspRaw Rice
- 1tspBlack Pepper Powder
- 1tspJeera Powder
- 1/4tspAsafoetida
- 3-4Dried Red Chillies
- 2” Ginger Piece
- Salt as needed
- Coconut Oil as needed
- Water as needed
Ingredients
| ![]() |
- Soak all lentils – toor dal, moong dal, chana dal, urad dal, raw rice, dried red chillies and ginger in enough water for 5-6 hours or overnight.
- Grind this into a smooth batter with water as needed. Remove this onto a container.
- Meanwhile dry roast oats and poha/flattened rice until it is golden and fragrant. Let it cool down completely. Grind into a smooth powder.
- Add this ground powder into the batter prepared. Mix well. Add extra water if needed.
- Add black pepper powder, jeera powder, salt and asafoetida. Mix well.
- The adai batter should be thick. No fermentation needed before adai is needed.
- Heat a flat pan or cast iron tawa. Pour a ladleful of batter and spread it into a thick roundel. Make a hole in the center. Drizzle coconut oil all around.
- Cook on low flame until the bottom is golden. Gently flip it to the other side and cook for a few seconds. Remove from the tawa.
- Serve hot with coconut chutney or any spicy chutney of your choice.
Detailed step-wise picture recipe of making Oats Adai | Oats Lentils Pancake –
1. Soak all lentils – toor dal, moong dal, chana dal, urad dal, raw rice, dried red chillies and ginger in enough water for 5-6 hours or overnight.
2. Grind this into a smooth batter with water as needed. Remove this onto a container.
3. Meanwhile dry roast oats and poha/flattened rice until it is golden and fragrant.
3. Let it cool down completely. Grind into a smooth powder.
4. Add this ground powder into the batter prepared. Mix well. Add extra water if needed.
5. Add black pepper powder, jeera powder, salt and asafoetida. Mix well.
6. The adai batter should be thick. No fermentation needed before adai is needed.
7. Heat a flat pan or cast iron tawa. Pour a ladleful of batter and spread it into a thick roundel. Make a hole in the center. Drizzle coconut oil all around.
8. Cook on low flame until the bottom is golden. Gently flip it to the other side and cook for a few seconds. Remove from the tawa.
9. Serve hot with coconut chutney or any spicy chutney of your choice.
Note –
- It is recommended to dry roast oats to remove any raw taste and for perfect texture in adai.
- Coconut oil makes the adai taste really good.
- As oats and poha powder absorbs water too quickly, keep checking the consistency and add more water as needed.
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These look great. I enjoy uttapam pancakes, I believe I’d love these too.
I am sure you would love these! Let me know if you give this recipe a try 🙂