Namkeen Sevanyee


It has been sometime since I posted anything. But the good news (for me) is that I have cooked and collected material for lot of recipes. Let me start with one that has become a staple for weekend breakfast at our house. Namkeen sevanyee simply means savory vermicelli. When I was growing up, only way we ate vermicelli was in kheer (pudding). Mummy must have acquired the savory recipe from somewhere - don't exactly remember when and where. It was always a big hit served with any chutney and was part of breakfast rotation for mummy.

Mummy made the vermicelli with vegetables on hand - cauliflower, potato, carrots, peas being the main ones. I have also used cabbage, green beans, bell pepper at times. Only trick here is to cook the vermicelli in boiling water and then run it under cold water. This little trick prevents vermicelli noodles from becoming one sticky mass. Mummy boiled the vegetables separately as well, sometimes the night before. This makes preparing this dish a snap. I don't boil my vegetables separately and just cook them with onions.

Ingredients

2.5 cups vermicelli (thick variety)
3 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 cup raw peanuts
1 small onion, cut in small dice
1-2 green chili, cut in small pieces
1 potato, peeled and cut in small pieces (1/2 inch) - 1 cup
1 carrot, peeled and cut in small pieces
1 cup peas
Juice of 1 lime (add more or less per taste)
Salt

Method

- Cook vermicelli in boiling water in a big pan for couple of minutes. When cooked, drain out the vermicelli in a sieve and put cold water on vermicelli to stop the cooking.
- On medium-high heat, heat the oil in a wok
- When hot, add mustard seeds. After they splutter, add curry leaves.
- Add peanuts and fry for 2-3 minutes
- Add onions and fry till translucent
- Add green chili
- Add potato, carrots, peas and stir. Cover and cook on medium heat. Keep checking every few minutes and add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if seems dry.
- When vegetables are cooked, add noodles, lime juice and salt and mix.

Serve with chutney, ketchup or just plain.








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