Vermicelli pulav (Semiya pulav)

 This is one of my favourite breakfast items which my mom used to make. It’s mostly like a vegetable pulav, but unlike a regular pulav where we make it pretty spicy, semiya pulav is little milder. It has the chillies and spices but I make sure the spices are not overpowered. It goes well with the Perugu pachadi (Raita) which I make with cucumbers and tomatoes.

Ingredients: 

Vermicelli – 1 ½ cup

Green beans- ½ cup

Med size carrot- 1

Peas and lima beans – ½ cup together

Small potatoe-1

Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp

Med green chilies- 4 to 5

Large onion-1

Bay leaves -3

Cinnamon sticks-2

Cloves-5

Cardamom-3

Cilantro

Lemon

Few cashews (optional)

Procedure:

In a skillet add half teaspoon of oil and vermicelli and fry them for about 5 minutes. When the vermicelli is changing color remove and keep it on the side. Now grind one cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom to fine powder.

Now turn the skillet (to med heat) on by putting 4 teaspoons of oil, and then add bay leaves and the other cinnamon stick. After few seconds add the chilies, onion and the ginger garlic paste. Once the onion becomes little soft add the spice powder so that the hot oil brings out the flavor of the spices. Now add all the veggies and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook the veggies for about 10 minutes.

Pour 2 ½ cups of water and cook the veggies in medium heat for about 10 minutes till they become soft. Now add the vermicelli and ½ teaspoon of salt and stir it cooking in a medium low heat for another 10 minutes. Once all the water is absorbed and the vermicelli is cooked threw add chopped cilantro and freshly squeezed lemon juice. You can also fry some cashews in oil and add to the pulav.

             

                                          Vermicelli pulav with cucumber raita

Recipe: amma

Depending upon the level of spice, you can either increase or decrease the quantity of spices and the chillies. The recipe which I gave proportionately gives a medium spice pulav.