Making Sevai or Rice Noodles at Home

Making Sevai or Rice Noodles at Home

Fresh rice noodles are called Sevai. It is an easily digestible and healthy food. Once the basic dish is ready it can be seasoned into a number of varieties including the sweet ones. It is supposed to be a delicacy and is one of the many breakfast dishes prepared at grand weddings.
Since the cooking process is a bit elaborate many of us tend to buy the ready made rice sticks available in the market. However the authentic flavour of the dish comes out only in freshly prepared sevai. You will need a sevai press to make this at home. With practice and patience once you get a hang of it, sevai can be prepared with ease in less time. Usually men and the children of the house love to give a helping hand when it comes to the ‘pressing’ part as it is a very interesting operation.

When sevai is prepared at home, at least three varieties are made, in order to get the most out of the labour intensive process! Listed below are recipes for Lemon sevai, Sweet sevai, and Curd sevai.

INGREDIENTS:
Rice flour – 3 cups
Salt – 1 pinch
Gingili (Sesame) oil – 3 tbsp
Water – 6 ½ cups
METHOD:

1. Boil water in a heavy bottomed pan with salt and oil.
2. Add the rice flour slowly to the boiling water stirring continuously.
3. Stir until it becomes a cooked mass and cover with lid after switching off the flame.
4. After the steam subsides knead the cooked flour into a smooth dough.
5. Shape handful of dough into cylindrical rolls.
6. Make as many rolls until all the dough is utilized.
7. Steam all the rolls in a pressure cooker without weight for 15 minutes. 8. Prepare the Sevai Press by rubbing oil to the 'perforated tumbler' where the roll will be placed. This will prevent the dough from sticking to the tumbler.
9. Place a large plate under the press to receive the Sevai strands as they come out of the press.
10. Place a roll into the ‘perforated tumbler’ and press the lever, till the thin strands of sevai come out.

11. Press all the rolls and collect the sevai in the plate.

LEMON SEVAI
SEASONING INGREDIENTS:
Oil – 2 tbsps
Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp
Urad Dal (Black gram dal) - 1 tsp
Bengal gram dal – 1 tsp
Red chillies – 4
Salt – 2 tsps
Turmeric powder – 1 pinch
Juice of 1 ½ lemon
Curry leaves – a few
METHOD:
1. Spread a portion (one thirds) of the sevai in another plate.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
3. When it splutters add the dals and roast till they are golden in colour.
4. Add the broken red chillies and curry leaves.
5. When the chillies are crisp, add the juice of lime mixed with salt and turmeric powder into the seasoning.
6. Switch off the flame and mix the seasoning well, before pouring it on the sevai in a circular motion.
7. Gently blend the seasoning with the sevai using a spatula without breaking the sevai strands.
Decorate with fresh coriander leaves and enjoy with coconut chutney.

CURD SEVAI
INGREDIENTS:
Curd – 2 cups
Salt – 1 tsp
Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp
Urad Dal (Black gram dal)- 1 tsp
Bengal gram dal – 1 tsp
Red or green chillies – 2
Fresh ginger (grated) – 1 tbsp
Oil – 2 tsps
METHOD:
1. Spread out the second portion of the sevai on a plate.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
3. When it splutters add the dals and roast until they become golden in colour.
4. Add the chilly pieces and grated ginger and sauté.
5. Add curry leaves if preferred.
6. Pour the seasoning into the curd, add salt and blend.
7. Pour the seasoned curd on the sevai in a circular motion and gently blend, without mashing or breaking the strands.
Chill and enjoy with pickle.

SWEET SEVAI
INGREDIENTS:
Milk – 3 cups
Crushed jaggery powder - ½ cup
Powdered cardamom – 1 pinch
Raisins - a few
Coconut milk – 1/2 cup
METHOD:
1. Boil milk, stirring continuously till it becomes reduced 2 cups.
2. Dissolve jaggery powder in milk on low flame.
3. Add ½ a cup of coconut milk.
4. Remove from flame and add cardamom powder.
Serve plain sevai in bowls, and pour the prepared milk on top. Decorate with raisins.

Muffins

I was rushing to make some refreshment for a cell group meeting few days ago and I think muffins would be a fast and easier refreshment to be ready in a short time. I don't have special ingredients with me so I used whatever ingredients left in my cupboard.
Finally came out with two different type of muffins which are Banana Walnut Muffins and Chocolate Walnut Muffins. The texture moist but not wet, dry but not overcooked.

I used the previous Banana walnut cake recipe for banana walnut muffins whereas the recipe of chocolate walnut muffin is stated below.

Recipe for Chocolate Walnut Muffins: (Make 6 cups)

Unsalted butter 50g
Caster sugar 70g
Egg 1
Plain flour 85g (top flour)
Cocoa powder 15g
Baking powder 1 tsp
Pinch of salt
Milk 60g
Walnut 60g (toasted and chopped)

Method:

1. Beat the butter with sugar until light and pale in color.
2. Add in the egg then pinch of salt, beat until well combine.
3. Add 1/2 of the milk and half of the flour (flour should be shifted with cocoa powder and baking powder before adding into the mixture). Using a hand whisk mix until well combine.
4. Add in remaining milk and flour and mix well.
5. Combine walnut with the mixture then fill the muffins cups and bake at 170'C preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Molagai bajji with special monsoon chillies

In my parts of Kerala, we get a special variety of chilly during monsoon. These are very mild ones and ideal for bajjis. Locally this variety is called as "Polla Molagu" (Polla meaning hollow) I am not sure if this variety is available elsewhere. The usual long , green chillies are not very common. Hence chilli bajjis too cannot be found in any eateries here except during some exhibitions. More than the fares at the exhibition, youngsters are attracted to the bhajjis and big Mumbai papads smeared with masala powder.

When these monsoon chillies arrive, then molagai bhajji is the much sought after street food here, perfect for the rains. Even though I make this at home, the one we get from a hotel here is simply divine. I just can't recreate that taste at home. Here is how I make them

For batter

2 cups besan flour

1/2 cup idli/dosa batter

a pinch of cooking soda

salt

1/2 tspn chilli powder

water

Oil for frying

For the filling

2 tblspn tamarind paste

a pinch of hing

salt

pinch of red chilli powder

Mix all the filling ingredients in a bowl

Parboil the chillies in hot water for 10 minutes. This will soften the skin of the chillies. Usually the seed inside is not removed, since the chillies are much on the milder side. Make a 1 inch slit from the top. Carefully spoon in little of the filling.

Mix all the ingredients for the batter and add water to it. The consistency of the batter should be like the idli batter. Then only the batter will stick to the chillies.

Heat a kadai with oil. When the oil is hot, dip the chilly in the batter, carefully drop them in the oil. After few minutes, gently flip them. When it is golden brown, remove them with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent paper.

I feel molagai bajjis need no accompaniment other than a cup of hot steaming tea/cofee

P.S. This variety of chillies are good for making thayir molagais. (Curd chillies)