Milagu Sevai / Pepper Flavored Rice Noodles

Before proceeding towards today's post, I would like to wish all my readers a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. I know I am a little late in conveying my wishes, but I guess better late than never. For those who are wondering where I disappeared in the midst of last month's blogging marathon, I am hale and hearty. It was though not the same in the case of my laptop and I was forced to take a short break from blogging.

It is going to be Indian Tiffin / Nasta time this week here, during this month's blogging marathon. The terms 'Tiffin' and 'Nasta' are colloquial terms in the Indian context, usually referring to the breakfast time. The dishes I am going to post this week are easy and quick to prepare besides being filling. They can be served either as a breakfast or as an evening snack or even eaten as a light meal. The first one in the series is going to be this quick option of sevai, flavored with pepper and cumin that can be put together in around 10 minutes.  

Ingredients: (2 servings)
2 cups cooked sevai / thin rice noodles
1 tsp peppercorns
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp urad dal / skinned, split black gram
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp cashew halves (Peanuts can be substituted.)
1 stalk of curry leaves
Salt to taste

Method:
* Cook the rice noodles / sevai according to the package directions. Transfer the cooked noodles to a colander, drain and wash with cold water to prevent it from further cooking. Drain completely and keep it aside. (Break the noodles into about one inched sized bits if using long strands of noodles to avoid the mess later.)
* Meanwhile, coarsely grind peppercorns and cumin seeds in a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder.
* Heat oil in a saute pan and add mustard seeds and black gram. When mustard seeds start to crackle, add cashews and curry leaves. When cashews turn golden brown, add pepper-cumin powder and stir. (If using any coconut then add it now). Turn off the stove. 
* Add the cooked sevai / noodles and salt to the pan and mix well. Taste and add more pepper powder if needed. Warm if necessary and serve immediately.
* Leftover sevai can be refrigerated. Just warm it before serving.

Notes:
1. Use 1/2 tsp extra peppercorns if more heat is preferred.
2. Add about 1/2 cup fresh, shredded coconut before adding sevai, if preferred.

Check here to see what my fellow marathoners are cooking during Blogging Marathon #48.

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Lemon Poha

Event: Blogging Marathon #42
Theme: Easy Tiffins

A simple and quick recipe when you are looking a for a light breakfast option or to beat those hunger pangs in between meals.

Ingredients:(3 servings)
3 cups thick poha
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp peanuts
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp chana dal / split chickpeas
1 tsp urad dal / split black gram
2 - 3 green chillies, finely chopped
Few curry leaves
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
A couple of pinches of asafoetida powder
Salt to taste
1 tsp lemon juice

Method:
* Wash poha in a colander and drain. Leave the poha aside for about 5 minutes in the colander itself.
* Heat oil in a pan. Add peanuts, mustard seeds, chana dal and urad dal. When the peanuts and dals turn golden brown, add chillies, curry leaves, turmeric and asafoetida powder. Fry chillies for a few seconds.
* Next add poha and salt. Mix well, cover and cook for about 5 - 7 minutes on low flame. Add lemon juice to poha, mix well and serve warm.

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