Lemon Sevai is a deliciously tart, spicy dish made with rice noodles. I love the fluffy texture of this recipe! Tempering with curry leaves, mustard seeds and cashew nuts completes the flavor profile. This is a perfect breakfast dish, or a mid-afternoon snack.
What is Sevai?
Sevai is made with rice. How is this made traditionally? Well , it is an involved process and as you can imagine, the results are amazing. Rice is soaked, battered, steamed, and then pressed through a noodle-strand device. I agree this this is not for you if you’re constrained for time like me. Luckily for us, packaged rice sevai is available at most Indian grocery stores.
Sevai vs. Vermicelli
While regular vermicelli is made out of all-purpose flour or wheat flour, sevai is made from rice. Vermicelli is easier to handle, especially since it is also available in smaller pieces. Sevai on the other hand, is long and stringy. Breaking it into smaller pieces before cooking is somewhat cumbersome. While vermicelli can be cooked right away, sevai needs to be soaked in hot water first.
Flavorful Lemon Sevai
While this dish is called ‘lemon’ sevai, it is perfectly ok to use lime instead of lemon. Lemon or lime juice is added at the very end. I personally cannot handle too much tartness, so I ended up adding only a few drops. That was plenty for me! I love sauteed cashews – they complement the fluffy sevai, with their delicious crunch and flavor.
Check out some of our South Indian breakfast recipes here:
- Healthy Quinoa Dosa
- Wholesome, Spicy, Sprouts Dosa
- Pesarattu-Green Mung Crepe
- No Ferment Cabbage-Onion Dosa
- Multigrain Dosa
- Rava Dosa
- Delicious Veggie Poha Upma
- Vermicelli Upma
- Sooji Upma
- Cracked Wheat Vegetable Upma
- Soft Kefir-Quinoa-Rawa Idli
- Plain & Veggie Multigrain Idli
- Delicious Steamed Veggie Upma
- Dibba Rotti – Savory Lentil Pancake
Unlike vermicelli, rice sevai is naturally gluten free, making it ideal for anyone who is gluten-sensitive. It is also low fat, and is a decent source of fiber.
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Flavorful Lemon Sevai
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Instant Sevai - Crushed
- 6 Leaves Curry Leaves
- 1 Pepper Green Chili Pepper - Or to taste
- 1 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- 1 Pinch Asafoetida (Hing)
- 1 Teaspoon Ginger - Crushed
- 1 Tablespoon Cashew nuts
- 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt - Or to taste
- 1 Tablespoon Rice Bran Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Add crushed instant sevai to a bowl, top it with boiling water, set a lid and leave it aside for 3-5 minutes. Drain water.
- Heat oil in a pan on stove top. Add cashews and cook for a minute or so, till they are slightly brown. Now add curry leaves, mustard seeds, ginger, hing, turmeric powder, salt, and mix well.
- Add cooked sevai, lemon juice, mix well, and let it cook for a couple of minutes. Transfer to a container.
- Add half cup water to and set the cooked sevai container inside. Set lid and turn cooker on. Once done, fluff it with a fork. (Note: this step is optional - I like to do this as it helps make the sevai more fluffy)
- Transfer to a bowl or plate and enjoy hot sevai with your favorite chutney.
