Sivappu Puzhungal Arisi Sevai - Par Boiled Red Rice Noodles

SIVAPPU  PUZHUNGAL ARISI SEVAI  

Par boiled rice is known as Puzhungal arisi in Tamil. Traditionally Puzhungal arisi was obtained by  soaking and boiling the nellu / Paddy ( Rice along with the husk) in huge copper pots over fire wood stoves. The par boiled paddy was then drained and spread out to dry. The dried paddy was then manually pounded in  massive stone mortars using  heavy wooden pestles and dehusked. This procedure ensured that all the essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals from the outer core of the grain were moved in and tightly packed into the grain. The power packed Red Parboiled Rice / sivappu puzhungal arisi is known to be a highly nutritious cereal. 

To make the traditional  Sevai out of raw rice flour a double cooking procedure has to be followed. Preparing Sevai using par boiled rice is much  quicker and more easy, since the rice is already processed once.

PAR BOILED RED RICE  SEVAI

INGREDIENTS

 Par boiled red rice - 2 cups

Salt - 1/4 tsp

METHOD

1. Wash and soak the par boiled red rice for six hours.

2. Grind the soaked rice with salt adding the required quantity of water.

3. The batter should be smooth and it should be of idly batter consistency. 

4. Steam the batter in greased idly moulds for fifteen minutes in a pressure cooker without using the weight . 

5. Remove the ' idlies' while still warm and cut them into strips.

6. Grease the insides of a chakli press or a sevai nazhi / sevai press and  pack it tightly with the steamed idly strips. I used a chakli press.

7. Press the Sevai on to a wide plate taking care not to allow the strands to pile up  in one clump. Press all the idly strips into sevai strands. Do not forget to grease the press every time you pack it with idlies.

8. Cool the Sevai thoroughly and then season it as per you wish.

Lemon sevai, coconut sevai, sweet sevai, curd sevai are few of the varieties which can be prepared using the pressed sevai strands.

Here is how I prepared Par Boiled Red Rice Vegetable Sevai :

INGREDIENTS

Carrots - ( Peeled and chopped into thin and long sticks) - 1/2 cup

Capsicum - ( Chopped into thin long pieces) - 1/2 cup

Cabbage - ( chopped into thin long pieces ) - 1/2 cup

Onion - ( Chopped into thing long slices ) - 1/4 cup

Ginger - ( julienned ) - 1 tbsp

Garlic - ( finely chopped ) - 1tbsp

Tamarind - 1 small marble size ball (Soaked )

Red chillies - 4

Small Tomato - 1 ( Chopped)

Salt - 1 1/2 tsps

Sesame oil - 3 tbsps

METHOD

1. Dry roast red chillies and grind with soaked tamarind and the chopped tomato pieces into a smooth paste and keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a kadai and add ginger and garlic.

3. Add all the chopped vegetables and stir fry vigorously until they become crisp and cooked.

4. Blend in the tomato tamarind paste and fry for two more minutes.

5. Mix in salt and switch off flame.

6. Mix the vegetables gently with the cooled Sevai . Cooling the Sevai before seasoning will help in keeping the strands long and unbroken. 

PAR BOILED RED RICE VEGETABLE SEVAI  is an excellent all time meal especially for children.