Semiya upma/ Vermicelli noodles cooked with Vegetables and Spices

Sometime just like morning time, evening time also is crazy with two kids, one is running around pulling everything and other one crying at his highest volume testing the strength of vocal cords. Hubby comes home tired and gets ready to go to sleep as early as possible. Irony is that we are not able to go to bed until midnight or later. 

From morning I will be thinking what’s for dinner, and plan elaborate meal, but end up making an easy dish. Semiya upma comes to my rescue me on some of the days. Amma used to make it as breakfast when she ran out of usual dosa batter (Pancake batter). Earlier whenever, I will say I am going to make semiya upma my hubby’s immediate answer will be ‘no’. One day I told him I am going to make it if you don’t like I can make something else for you. He said okay.  I made it and after taste testing his question was why you did not make it till now. And why have you not you written a blog about it. 

It is simple dish, every Indian household makes using a mother’s and grandmother’s recipe. I make it with my mom’s recipe. She roasts the vermicelli and then cooks with carrot, onion and spice up with green chili, ginger and adds peanuts, cashew nuts for crunchiness. Trust me every bite you get to feel nuts, vegetables and soft vermicelli. It is whole dish by itself doesn’t need any sides. 

I usually buy roasted vermicelli, to make that step easy. If you can’t find roasted vermicelli in the store, try to roast the vermicelli with teaspoon of ghee/clarified butter for 3 minutes or until it turn golden brown and crunchy while bite. You can use vegetables like carrot, peas and cabbage. I like to add only carrots and onion.  Here goes my mom’s recipe. 

One year ago:  Achari Dahi Bhindi/Okra cooked with yogurt and  pickle spices

Two year ago: Nellika Achar/ Gooseberry Pickle

Print recipe from here

What you need

Vermicelli/Semiya: 2 cups (I used roasted one)

Carrot: 1 no (chopped finely)

Onion:  ¼ cup (Chopped finely)

Ginger: 1 inch (chopped finely)

Green chili: 1 no

Curry leaves: 1 sprig

Oil: 1 tablespoon

Ghee/Clarified butter: ½ tablespoon

Salt: ½ teaspoon

Mustard seeds: ½ teaspoon

Urad dal: 1 tablespoon

Cashew nuts: 2 tablespoon

Peanuts: 2 tablespoon

Water: 3 ¼ cup

Lemon juice:  Half of one lemon

How I made

In a medium sauce pot add 3 ¼ cup of water and bring to boil. When it starts boiling add ¼ teaspoon salt and add vermicelli and cook for 5 minutes or until entire water is absorbed and it done.

In a another pan heat oil and add mustard seeds, when it starts popping add urad dal and when it starts gets golden brown color add  green chili,  curry leaves, ginger, onion, carrot and salt and sauté for  6 minutes or until onion starts to change color and carrot get cooked well and set aside. 

In a small pan heat ghee/clarified butter and add peanuts and  fry for  about 3 minutes and then add cashew nuts and fry for about 1 minutes or until cashew turns golden brown. 

Finally add entire cooked onion green chili ginger mixture along fried nuts and lemon juice into the cooked vermicelli and carefully stir them with a fork to prevent breaking. 

Enjoy as much you wish. 

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Yield: 3 serving

Verdict: Yummy

Will you make  it again: Yes I will

I am linking this to Hearth and Soul Blog hop#98  hosted here