"Red+White Ukdo Tandle Shevai (Boiled Rice String Hoppers/ Idiyappam/ Sevaiyan)" ... I have always prepared shevai with white boiled rice, for a change today thought of trying out with red variety, but was a little bit worried so added a little bit of white too ... They turned out great, enjoyed them with pickle for bf and dried prawns spicy curry for lunch ... Yummilicious ......
** Shevai / Sevaiyan / String Hoppers / Idiyappam is one of the most famous breakfast dish of Amchi Konkani Saraswats. There are many types of shevai prepared with various combinations and each home has its own way of preparing the same. Shevai can be prepared using White or Red Ukda Rice (Boiled Rice/Matta Rice) and also using normal Surti Kolam Rice, Idly Rice, Wheat, Nachani, Millet etc. to name a few. The traditional method of preparing shevai is a bit tedious unlike now wherein I believe we get Idiyappam powder / flour which is said to be easy to prepare. I have however never tried it out with the flour as I have yet to purchase them from reliable source. I have always prepared it the traditional way, how my mother taught us. However, she used normal kollam rice with coconut grating for preparing shevai, while I use boiled rice, but the method of preparation is something I learnt from her and remains same. The rice is soaked well, then ground to a fine batter and then further cooked on low heat till it comes to a rolling mass, then balls are prepared out of them and further steamed in pedava/idly steamer and then while they are steaming hot they are pressed through a shevai making machine.
** The prepared shevai is relished with spicy side dishes like batate songa (potato curry) or similar dishes. Adgai a pickle prepared with tender raw jackfruit and raw mangoes also is a famous accompaniment. Again, many homes in my community have their own way of serving as per their family taste. In my family it has always been with batate songa a spicy dish prepared with onions and potatoes again another famous Konkani Saraswat dish. Many items can be further prepared out of the freshly prepared shevai too. Dishes like usli or with addition of sweet churan or sweet coconut gravy are a few to name. Again, the same shevai is prepared in bulk during summer season and sun dried, which is then stored for year round use later on. I have added on a few items before, so also the method of preparing the original shevai here before. I will be sharing a few shevai links below which you can check through for more knowledge. I am sharing a link wherein there are step by step pictures posted that will give you fair idea of how to go about preparing shevai as explaining the method is a bit difficult. Again, if still in confusion, you can search on You tube or observe your Friend or Relative prepare this before you start making on your own.
** The preparing method of preparing shevai definitely may look very tedious for an amateur. However, once you get the jest of the same you will learn to make them easily. Do not try out with a large batch on first few trials of preparing shevai. Always prepare them with lesser quantity to learn till you are comfortable to try out more. The stirring method ie cooking the ground rice into a non sticking rolling mass is the trickiest and difficult part in preparing of shevai, while the others are really not so. Again, if you want to try out traditional method, you have give time as this one is definitely not instantly done. If you do not have the shevai pressing machine and you are not sure if you will really prepare the same many a times or if you need to do only a little bit, then do not be saddened, you can always use the chakli pressing machine for preparation of shevai too. Just use the plate with larger and plenty of holes for the same and your job is done. However, since the shevai has to be pressed out from steaming hot rice balls, be careful and wrap the chakli press with a towel to avoid your hands getting burnt, many of my friends use this method as they do not want to buy the shevai machine as it consumes place, though nowadays you get completely assembling facility once that hardly consumes place, mine is the very old traditional machine.
** As I mentioned there are many combinations in which shevai can be prepared, though I have posted only one to date, ie with white ukda rice / boiled rice. I will be soon posting other methods of preparation, that which my sisters, aunts and friends prepare so that all those who read my blog and try out Konkani Dishes get more options and can enjoy different types of healthier option of dishes. Food is fascinating and combining them with different pulses or grains is that much more interesting. I always tell my friends to plunge in into experimenting of dishes, a few may go wrong, so what?? Rome was not built in a day, Isnt’t it?? Once you come to know your grains and pulses well, the knowledge helps in visualizing the outcome of the dish and that is what makes cooking of food that much more interesting. I have always experimented with cooking of dishes, but unfortunately a few decades back website was something unheard off and I was never interested in taking out a cookery book, as frankly I am an experimenter and not a expert. Yes, it is true, it is just God’s grace that some of my Ideas click very well but there are a few which I dare not prepare again. But that does not make me give up. This time I have tried preparing shevai with addition of both Red and white ukda Rice / boiled rice and I must say it turned out awesome. I served it with dried prawns spicy curry (sukkale sungta panna upkari) and it was simply a wonderful combination.
** Here is my method of preparing "Red+White Ukdo Tandle Shevai (Boiled Rice String Hoppers/ Idiyappam)" … My Style ….
** Wash and soak 3 cups of Red Boiled Rice (Ukda Rice) with 1 cup of White Boiled Rice (Ukda Rice) in plenty water for 8-10 hours. Wash again very well and drain off the water. Put it in a mixer grinder and grind to a smooth fine rava textured paste, adding water as required.
** Grease a heavy bottomed kadai all round with about a tablespoon of oil to coat the inner side of the kadai so that the batter does not stick to it much on cooking. Now add in ground batter and about 4-5 cups of water, salt to taste and mix well.
** Important Note : Addition of water is very important and necessary to bring to a somewhat thicker than milk consistency. Do not be misled that if you keep the batter thicker the same will come to a thicker mass on cooking faster, it will definitely, but it will not have cooked properly and when you prepare the shevai, it will turn out kachcha, ie sticky and not well done and the whole exercise of getting perfect shevai will be lost.
** Now keep the kadai on medium to low flame and keep stirring the mixture continuously. After some time the mixture starts getting thick. Do not stop stirring, as the mixture starts to thicken and leave the sides of the kadai turn the heat to minimum and continue till the mixture thickens completely and forms as a solid mass.
** To check if the batter is done, just touch the mixture with wet hands, if done it will not stick to your fingers, or else a little bit of the paste will stick to fingers, in which case you need to stir it a little bit more. Once completely done, remove from fire and let it cool a bit say for 5-10 minutes.
** Now keep some cold water in a bowl and dip both hands in it take some portion of the mixture and make them into oval shaped dumplings. Be careful, as the mixture is hot. You can wear plastic gloves if not comfortable. Apply a small pressure on the rice dumpling by pressing your finger lengthwise on it… this is for even steaming of the rice dumpling.
** Do not let the mixture cool much as it starts hardening and then it becomes very difficult to shape them. So you have got to make the dumplings fast. Keep the prepared oval shaped dumplings in a Idly steaming vessel (pedavana) in which you have already added on the water below and placed the appropriate plate over it.
** You can steam this immediately or after a few hours, I always prepare it at night and then keep it overnight as it is and steam it the next morning and press the shevai immediately. Steam the dumplings kept in the pedavan (Idly steaming vessel) for about 20-25 minutes. Remove and add each prepared ball into the shevai pressing machine and prepare the shevai.
** Note : Check the step by step picture given on the link at the bottom of this recipe for proper knowledge.
** Important to Check : The shevai pressing machine should be kept ready before keeping the prepared rice dumplings for steaming. Grease the moulds of the dante / shevai pressing machine with coconut oil prior to starting too. Also check that all the holes in the moulds are clear and there are no blocks whatsoever. All these things should be checked before the steaming process.
** The shevai that is pressed out from the shevai pressing machine should be placed on a wet cloth immediately once it is pressed out as this ensures that they remain separate and do not stick to each other. If the quantity of prepared shevai is more you can put them in layers but each layer should be separated with a wet cloth to retain the shevai intact.
** "Red+White Ukdo Tandle Shevai (Boiled Rice String Hoppers/ Idiyappam)" is done and ready to be served. I served them with Sukkale Sungta Panna Upkari (Dried Prawn Spicy Curry), you can serve them with any accompaniment of your choice. Goes well topped with coconut oil along with some spicy pickle or can be served with any chutney of your choice. However, best served with batate songa (spicy potato-onion bhaji).
** Do try out this variation of shevai and enjoy with your family and friends. Children love noodles very much, this one is definitely a healthier and better option than giving them those to which preservatives are added. You can serve this to them just the way noodle are served by addition of veggies and a dash of soya sauce and then well gobble it up without complaint for sure.
** Here is the link to the recipe of "White Boiled rice (Ukda Rice) shevai", where in there are step by step pictures, please follow the link for the same ….
** Here is the link to recipes that can be prepared using the prepared "Shevai" and also their accompaniments that can be served with, please follow the link give below …
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