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 to 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.