Kids Lunch 3

I have to say, I dont make this for lunch very often....
but I do try once in a while,
here it is sevai and one clementine.... :)

Ideas and Tips

As the name says this post is for all the ideas and tips. I will update it as when I come across things.

Shortcut to making Sevai
I know a lot of people use instant rice noodles to make sevai, Smitha, my friends daughter had this idea. She said that she goes to a Vietnamese restaurant (the ones with PHO in the name) and asks for the rice noodles alone, and bring it home and make south indian sevai to eat! The only downside is that it is very oily it seems but it tastes great. So this is another option to using rice noodles..

Pulikaichal (Tamarind Rice Mix)

This is the paste with which you can make Tamarind Rice. You get ready mix in all the Indian stores for this too, but all of them have some jaggery added in them which makes them sweet!
You can make this paste and store it either outside, at room temperature, or inside the fridge.
This is also like Milagu Kuzhambu, but has Tamarind as the main ingredient.
In temples, they offer this as prasadam, and it just tastes out of this world!
This can be used to mix with hot rice, if you are feeling too tired to cook anything.

This will not become thick if made with Tamarind Paste, so for Best Results, use real Tamarind.

Here is what you need:
Oil - 1/4 cup (preferably Gingelly or Indian sesame oil)
Tamarind - 1/4 cup full soaked in 3 cups of warm water (atleast for Half an hour)
Salt- 1 Teaspoon (more or less as needed)
Mustard Seeds - 3/4th Teaspoon
Red Chillies - 20 (more or less as needed)
Channa Dal - 2 Teaspoons (more or less as needed)
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Asafoetida - 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves - 2 Strands
If you like peanuts, then you can add them instead of the Channa Dal, use raw, unroasted peanuts;
If you like Whole Black Chick peas, (remember to soak it the night before and add them instead of the Channa Dal)

Method:
--->Grind half of the red chillies in your mixer, to make a coarse powder.
--->Take the juice out of the tamarind, and keep aside.
--->In a thick bottomed pan, on a low- medium fire, add the oil, and the mustard seeds.
--->Once they sputter, add the Channa Dal (or Peanuts, or Chick Peas)
--->Once they start to become red, add the curry leaves, Red Chillies, and the Red Chili Powder, curry leaves, Turmeric powder, and asafoetida, one by one, mixing after adding each item.
--->Once everything is added, pour the tamarind water sl0wly, be careful, as it may scald your hand.
--->Add the salt and let it all come to a boil (let the fire be on a low medium only)
--->Keep it on fore for aout 1 and 1/2 hours to 2 hours until the mixture becomes thick, and the oil is seperated.
--->Let cool completely before transferring to a dry container and store as you wish.


I have made Tamarind Sevai, here.



As Suganya suggested, I'll send it to JFI- Jihva for Tamarind. To know more about Jihva, please click here. Thanks Suganya!

Lemon Sevai - Lemon flavored Home made Rice Noodles

Sevai is the tamil name for rice noodles.
I made rice sevai using my old sevai machine.
I have an updated version of the sevai machine (called Sevai Naazhi in Tamil), in Atlanta, so I gave the old one to my sister.
So Here is what you need
a Sevai Machine or the press used to make Thenkuzhal or mullu murukku
and
Idli Rice - 1 cup
Oil - 4 teaspoons
Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
Method
--->Soak the rice for about 2 hours
--->Grind to a thin soup consistency
--->In a kadai, add the oil and pour the batter, and add the salt, and keep stirring it, until it becomes a ball like dough.
--->Make small balls, and steam for 15 minutes
--->After it is steamed, put the balls one by one in the machine and make the sevai.
---->Once the sevai is done, make any flavor sevai that you like.
My childron love Lemon Sevai, so I usually make that.
Lemon Sevai is made just like Lemon Rice
You Need (to make 2 servings)
Lemon - 1
Turmeric powder-1/2 Teaspoon
Salt - 1/2 Teaspoon
Oil - 1 Teaspoon
Asafoetida- a pinch
Mustard Seeds- 1/2 Teaspoon
Channa Dal-1 Teaspoon
Red Chili - 1 broken in 2
Green Chili - 1, slit
Method
---> In a small pan, add the oil, after it gets hot, add the mustard seeds
--->Once the mustard seeds start to sputter, add the Channa Dal and the Chilies, and the Asafoetida
--->On the sevai add the turmeric powder, and pour the hot oil with the mustard seed and all the things on the Turmeric powder
--->Take the juice of 1 lemon, and pour on top of the sevai
--->Add the salt and mix well
This can be enjoyed at any time. I make this for my kids lunch.

A Comparison of the Sevai made at home and the store bought Rice noodles
---> tastes much much better.
--->It will not have the rubbery feeling that the store bought one has.
--->This absorbs the flavor
--->Involves Hard Work!
--->Worth the hard work!