Add all the lentils - chana, toor, urad and moong dal to a large bowl. Wash them very well a few times.

Next add red chilies to the rice. Pour enough water and soak them for 2 to 4 hours. You can also leave them overnight for 8 hours.

Add rice to another large bowl and rinse a few times. You can soak it for 2 to 4 hours to overnight.

When you are ready to grind the batter, drain the water and rinse them well.

Add rice and red chilies to a blender jar along with ¼ cup fresh water. Blend to a slightly coarse paste or thick batter, adding more water as required. Batter has to be thick. Transfer this to a bowl.

Add dal, cumin and ginger to the jar. Also ¼ cup water and blend to a slightly coarse thick batter, adding more water if required.

Mix this with the rice batter. The batter has to be thick yet of spreading consistency. Allow to rest for 2 to 4 hours. You can also skip resting.

Heat a pan. Add few drops of oil and smear it all over the pan with a kitchen tissue. Heat the pan well on a medium heat.

While the pan heats, add chopped onions, salt, hing, coriander leaves to the batter. Mix everything well. Taste test and adjust salt.

If you prefer to make thick adai, the consistency of the batter must be thick but of spreading consistency.

If you prefer thin adai, then add more water as needed. Mix well to bring the consistency to a slightly less thick batter, not runny. The batter must be easily spreadable on the pan.

Regulate the flame to medium. Make sure the pan is hot.

Pour one ladle of batter and spread it quickly like a dosa. Spread it to thick or thin adai as per your liking.

Add ½ tsp oil or ghee across the edges. Cook on a medium heat.

When it gets cooked on one side, the edges loosen from the pan slightly. Turn it and cook on the other side as well. Make sure it is cooked on both the sides until crisp.

To make the next adai be sure to heat the pan well. It should be hot but not smoking hot.

Serve adai dosa with coconut chutney or any other chutney.