Vermicelli upma / semiya upma

Honestly, I have never been a upma person while living with mom. But living in a foreign country makes you appreciate your food a lot more than you would expect .


Ingredients:

1. Vermicelli - 1 cup

2. Onions - 1

3. Green chillies - 3

4. Mixed veggies - 1/2 cup

5. Oil

6. Salt

7. Taadka (mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, Chana dal, curry leaves, red mirchi)

8. Peanuts (optional)

9. Cashews (optional)

10. Ghee

Preparation time : 5- 10 mins

Cooking time : 15- 20 mins

Method:

1. Take a wok, heat it and roast the vermicelli till you see the color change to a dark brown and keep it aside

2. Slice your onions and green chillies.

3. In a cooking vessel, take a tablespoon of oil and half a tablespoon of ghee.

4. Once the oil is hot add the tasks ingredients and the peanuts and cashews.

5. Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add onions and green chillies.

6. Add half a table spoon of salt.

7. Sauté for 1-3 mins on medium flame and add the rest of the veggies.

8. Sauté for another 2 mins and pour a cup of water and close the lid.

9. After a min , add the roasted vermicelli, mix well. Taste the water for salt and add more if needed.

10. Close the lid. Allow to cook for 5-8 mins on medium flame

11. Serve with lemon or some mango pickle .

Mirchi Bajji

It was -12 degree celsius today and I was craving for something hot and spicy. So I decided to try my hand at Mirchi bajji, one of my favorite snacks.
Ingredients:
1. Besan - 1 cup
2. Rice Flour - 1/4 cup

3. Baking Soda - A pinch
4. Salt
5. Tamarind paste
6. Cumin Seeds
7. Coriander powder
8. Green Chillies
9. Ajwain Seeds (Vaamu)
10. Onion and Lemon

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cook Time : 15 mins

Method:
1. Mix the besan rice flour, baking soda and a spoon of salt with some water, till the mixture attains a milk consistency.

2. Now, take the green chillies, make a slit along the length, leaving the top and bottom closed. Remove the seeds in the chili. (Removing seeds is difficult than I thought)

3. Now let us make the stuffing. Take one spoon of cumin seeds, coriander powder, ajwain seeds, tamarind paste. Also add salt for taste and make a powder out of them using a blender.

4. Now stuff the chilis with this mixture .

5. Take a kadai and fill it with oil till half the volume. Heat the oil.

6. Take the stuffed chili's one by one and dip them in the batter and drop them in the oil gently.

7. Fry till golden brown and remove onto a plate.

Mince some onions. Add some salt and red chili powder and sprinkle some lemon juice. Serve along side bajjis.