Lemon sevai

Sevai or string hoppers is a steamed food that is easily digestible as it is made with less oil or no oil. It is a popular breakfast and dinner food in Tamilnadu, Kerala and Karnataka.  It is known as santhakai in the western parts of Tamil Nadu and shavige in Kannada. 

Traditionally, sevai is prepared by pressing steamed rice batter into noddles. However, today we get ready made sevai that can be prepared by soaking in boiled water. The prepared sevai is then given different flavours like lemon, tamarind and coconut. It is also eaten with vegetable stew or with sweetened coconut milk.  

Traditional method of making sevai:

Parboiled Rice - 2 cups
Water and salt - as required

Soak rice for 8 hours. Grind it to a smooth paste. The batter should be thick like dosa batter. Add salt and steam it in idli mould. Press each idli into noodles through the perforated press that is specifically used for this purpose. These noodles are cooled little before adding flavours to them. 
Read made sevai are sun dried rice sticks, which has to be placed in boiling water for few minutes and drained.

Ingredients:
Prepared sevai - 4cups
Lemon juice - 2tblps
Turmeric powder -1tsp
Chopped green chilies -2tsp
Chopped coriander leaves -1tsp
Mustard seeds -1tsp
Black gram -1tsp
Curry leaves -few
Oil and salt - as required

Method:
In a frying pan temper mustard seeds and black gram in little oil. Then add the turmeric powder, chopped green chilies, coriander leaves and curry leaves. Remove from flame and add the prepared sevai. Mix in the salt and lemon juice. Serve it along with any chips of your choice.