A light snack any time, any season!
Namkeen Sewiyan or vermicelli is really easy to cook, by which I truly mean EASY, no tricks here! I have often noticed that seasoned cooks have very different levels of grading a skill or task as easy or hard. So, at Kitchenpostcards, when we use the term ‘easy’, we truly mean a novice with rudimentary cooking skills can do a good job.
This is what makes sewiyan the best food for a light snack or even as we’ve shared before an easy dessert with milk in Payasam or without as this Meethi Sewiyan dish.
Here, though is something that I grew up eating. In my childhood home two things were commonly requested for breakfast by my brother, father and me – Pohe or Namkeen Sewiyan – that we’d typically devour with fresh homemade mint and coriander chutney, a summer staple in many homes in India.
Namkeen Sewiyan for late breakfast in Videsh!
Recently, on a similar Sunday morning in Boston I decided to revisit this childhood favourite. I am happy to report that it was appreciated and duly devoured by the two of us!
So, here goes:
How to make Namkeen Sewiyan
Total Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Active cooking: 20 mins, Prep: 10 mins.
Ingredients:
Sewiyan 1 & 1/2 cup,
Oil – 2 to 4 tbsp,
Mustard/ Rai seeds – 1 tsp,
Peanuts – 2/3 cups,
Garlic – 2 pods, chopped,
Curry Leaves – 1 stem (6-8 leaves),
Green Chillies – 2, slit lengthwise,
Onion (medium-sized) 1, chopped,
Juice of 1/2 a lime or lemon,
Red Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp,
Salt and Pepper,
Water – 3 to 4 cups.
Process:
Start by prepping ingredients. Clean and roughly chop the onion. It shouldn’t be too fine. Finely chop garlic, slit the green chillies and, wash and pat dry curry leaves.
Measure peanuts and mustard seeds and keep ready.
Put 3-4 cups of water in a pot on the stove and bring it to a boil. Open the packet of vermicelli.
I typically buy mine at an Indian grocery store. The Bambino brand was commonly used at home in India. It is still widely available.
While water heats up, start cooking the tadka.
Put a kadhai or deep and heavy bottomed pan on the stove on high heat. Let it warm up, then add oil. Reduce the heat to medium, so that the oil that you are using doesn’t smoke. Since I mostly cook with olive oil, I always follow this process. Adapt according to the oil you are using. Most labels have instructions about heating and temperatures that are safe.
Add rai seeds and peanuts. I prefer cooking both together. Stir frequently, until the peanuts are done. Then add all the other chopped ingredients – garlic, green chilli, onions and curry leaves. Stir for a minute or two. Then add the seasoning – salt, pepper, red chilli powder and mix well. Let this cook on low heat while the vermicelli cooks.
At this point the water should be ready. Tip vermicelli into the pot and bring it back to a boil. Just like cooking pasta al dente, the vermicelli shouldn’t be overcooked, otherwise they get mushy and stick with each other. Drain in a colander and run cold water through them to stop the cooking process. Let these drain for a bit, fluff with your hands or a fork to cool evenly.
After resting for a few minutes, add vermicelli to the tadka in the kadhai and mix. (See image above) Try to do this gently, so that none of the vermicelli gets squished.
Reduce heat to low, cover and let it sit for another 2-3 minutes.
Squeeze lime/lemon juice all over before serving.
Voila! All done!
For garnish, use freshly chopped coriander leaves.
Serve the Namkeen Sewiyan with fresh hari chutney, and a dollop of plain curd.
I love to wash it off with a cup of hot chai 😊
- Sewiyan 1 & 1/2 cup,
- Oil – 2 to 4 tbsp,
- Mustard/ Rai seeds – 1 tsp,
- Peanuts – 2/3 cups,
- Garlic – 2 pods, chopped,
- Curry Leaves – 1 stem (6-8 leaves),
- Green Chillies – 2, slit lengthwise,
- Onion (medium sized) 1, chopped,
- Juice of 1/2 a lime or lemon,
- Red Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp,
- Salt and Pepper,
- Water – 3 to 4 cups.
- Clean and roughly chop the onion.
- Finely chop garlic, slit the green chillies and, wash and pat dry curry leaves.
- Measure peanuts and mustard seeds and keep ready.
- Put 3-4 cups of water in a pot on the stove and bring it to a boil.
- Add vermicelli and cook al dente.
- Drain and run cold water. Strain until time to combine with the tadka.
- Put a kadhai or deep and heavy bottomed pan on the stove on high heat.
- Add oil and reduce the heat to medium high.
- Add rai seeds and peanuts.
- Stir frequently, until the peanuts are done.
- Then add all the other chopped ingredients – garlic, green chilli, onions and curry leaves. Stir for a minute or two.
- Then add the seasoning – salt, pepper, red chilli powder and mix well.
- Add vermicelli to the tadka in the kadhai and mix - to do this gently, so that none of the vermicelli gets squished.
- Reduce heat to low, cover and let it sit for another 2-3 minutes.
- Squeeze lime/lemon juice all over before serving.