Noodles and Vegetables with Honey Ginger Sauce

Am I the only one who crave for noodles when sick with cold and sore throat? I love this noodles with honey-ginger sauce and it is perfect to soothe my sore throat too. Honey and ginger are extensively used in Ayurvedic medicine to relieve cold, cough and sore throat. I got this sauce idea from one of the recipe books.

The twist here is..I'm using angel hair pasta as noodles.

Preparation Time: 20 mins
Cooking Time: 20-25 mins
Serves: 4 to 6 people

Ingredients:
Angel hair pasta or any other Chinese noodles: 1 lb or 500 grams
Salt: As needed
Oil: 2 tbsp + 1 tsp, divided use
Water: As needed to boil the pasta
Finely chopped green beans: 1/2 cup
Julienned carrots: 1/4 cup
Bell peppers: 3/4 cup, I used red and green here.
Finely chopped cabbage: 3 tbsp
Toasted sesame seeds: 2 tsp, for garnishing

For the sauce:
Honey: 3 tbsp
Grated ginger: 1 tbsp
Light soya sauce: 3 tbsp
Vinegar: 2 tbsp, refer notes
Oil: 1 tsp
Red chili paste/Sriracha: 1 tbsp, adjust according to your needs, refer the notes
Pepper powder: 1/4 tsp

Method: 
Combine together all the items mentioned for the sauce. Mix well and let it sit for 30-45 mins.

Add water to a broad sauce pan. When water starts boiling, add the salt, 1 tsp oil and the raw noodles.

Cook the noodles as per the package instructions. Stir the noodles occasionally. 
When the noodles are cooked, drain the water from the noodles and rinse the noodles in cold water immediately. 

Keep the noodles in the cold water until further use.
Heat oil in a broad wok/pan on a high heat. When oil is hot, add the finely chopped cabbage.  Saute it for couple of minutes. 

Next add the chopped beans and carrots. Saute it until they are cooked and yet firm. 

Follow it by bell peppers. Saute for a minute. 

Meantime, drain the noodles thoroughly and keep it ready.

Add the prepared sauce to the wok/pan and allow the sauce to boil. 

Mix in the noodles to the hot sauce. Adjust the seasoning and toss the noodles. Make sure that the sauce coats the noodles pretty well. 

Add the toasted sesame seeds and toss again. 

Serve the noodles hot. You won't need any side to go with this noodles. It tastes good as is.

Notes:

• Rinsing the noodles in cold water halts the further cooking of the noodles. We do not want the noodles to be sticky and mushy. They should be cooked, soft and separate.  
• Keep the heat medium-high when sauteing the vegetables.
• You could replace vinegar with lemon juice. 
• I didn't have red chili sauce, hence used Sriracha. Red chili sauce would be nicer to use. 
• I like my noodles sweet n spicy, hence I add 1 tbsp of chili sauce. You please adjust according to your needs.

Karibevu Shavige Oggarane (Rice noodles in curry leaves sauce)

Karibevu shavige oggarane is a modification of curry leaves rice recipe. For more information about curry leaves refer here

Language translations:

Karibevu: Kannada;

Kari/Kadi patta: Hindi;

Karivepaku: Telugu;

Kariveppilai: Tamil

For other language translations refer here.

Ingredients:

Rice Noodles: 200gms

Water: 1.5 liter

Salt: According to taste

For curry leaves paste:

Curry leaves: 1/2 cup (tightly packed)

Urad dal/Split & deskinned black gram: 1.5 tsp

Green chilli: 4-6 nos (adjust according to the heat)

Grated coconut: 1 tbsp (fresh/frozen)

Thick tamarind paste: 1 tsp (Juice extracted from a big grape sized tamarind)

Salt: As needed

Jaggery/ Brown sugar: a big pinch (optional, but recommended)

For tempering:

Oil: 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves: a string

Turmeric: a pinch

Urad dal: 1 tsp

Peanuts/Groundnuts: 1 tbsp

Chopped cashew nuts: 1 tsp (optional)

Capsicum: 1 medium sized (cut into 1/2 inch cubes)

For garneshing:

Grated coconut: 1 tbsp (optional)

Method:

For curry leaves paste: 

• Dry roast the curry leaves until all the moisture is removed & the leaves become crisp(the curry leaves could alternatively be sun dried or roasted in oven).
• Dry roast the urad dal/black gram until golden brown. Allow them to cool. Make a fine paste of curry leaves, urad dal, green chilli, salt, coconut, tamarind & jaggery. 
• Add few teaspoons of water to make a paste. Do not add too much water. 

For Noodles:

• Cook the rice noodles as per the package instructions. (In case the instructions are not given, try this: 
• Boil 1.5 liters of water in broad pot. 
• Add sufficient salt to the water. 
• When water starts boiling, add the rice noodles, few drops of cooking oil & cook it on a medium heat for 2 mins. 
• Turn off the heat & let the noodles sit in the hot water for another 5-7 mins. Noodles become translucent when done. 
• Drain out the hot water & rinse the cooked rice noodles in cold water to stop further cooking of the noodles). Keep them aside.
• Heat oil in a broad pan, when oil is hot, add mustard seeds, when mustard seeds splutter, add cumin seeds & urad dal. 
• When dal turns golden, add peanuts. Roast peanuts until they are golden brown, follow it by cashew nuts. 
• Add curry leaves & capsicum. Saute the capsicum till half done. Then add in the paste. Saute until the raw smell of tamarind is gone(for 2-3mins, maximum). 
• Break the rice noodles & spread them on a large bowl, add the curry leaves sauce, salt (only if needed); mix the noodles gently.  
• Curry leaves noodles is ready to be served.

Notes:

Do not use dark colored curry leaves to prepare this rice as it could become a little bitter. Try to choose, light colored or freshly picked curry leaves.

Addition of sugar/jaggery reduces the bitterness of the curry leaves.

Curry leaves donot blend well if water is added at the initial stage. Hence, while making the paste of curry leaves, first add the leaves to the mixer jar/spice jar & give it a run(donot add water). Let the curry leaves become a coarse powder, then add all the ingredients & pulse it again to get a smooth paste.

Shavige Oggarane (Lemon Flavored Rice vermicelli)

Misty mountains, birds chirping, cool breeze, mountains & paths filled with lush green grass, small streams with crystal clear water..., all these are some of the amazing beauty of Malenadu (a region in Western Ghats). Monsoon creates magic here & this place becomes a paradise on earth.

I have loads of memories attached with these places. Though I have spent my childhood days in cities, I never missed to come here during holidays. I used to envy my cousins who spent all the time there. Even now, the very thought of visiting these places makes me rejuvenated. During my visit to India this time, I did visit some of these places but could not spend much time.


Whenever I visit my aunt's place in Malenadu, she serves me home made akki shavige/shamige (rice vermicelli). She prepares the tangy lemon shavige as she knows that it is a hot favorite for many of us. Here in Singapore, I do not have the instrument to prepare akki shavige. Hence, I have used store bought rice noodles/vermicelli.

Ingredients: (Serves 2-3)
For noodles
Rice noodles: 200 gms
Water: 1 liter
Salt: According to taste
For tempering/oggarane
Oil: 2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds: 1/2 tsp
Urad dal: 1.5 tsp
Channa dal/gram dal: 1.5 tsp
Groundnuts/Peanuts: 2 tbsp
Green chilli: 3-4nos
Curry leaves: 2 strings
Turmeric: 2 big pinches
For garnishing
Coconut: 3-4 tbsp
Coriander leaves/cilantro: 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
Other ingredients
Lemon juice: 4-5tbsp (adjust accordingly)


Method:

1. Boil water in a broad pan. Add salt. When water starts boiling, add the rice noodles & cook according to the package instructions. (I normally cook for 3-4 mins). When noodles become soft, turn off the heat & let the noodles sit in hot water for another minute.
2. Drain the hot water & run the noodles under cold water. Break the noodles into manageable size.
3. Allow it to cool.
4. Meantime, prepare the tempering. Heat oil in a pan. When oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds splutter, add urad & channa dal. When dal turns golden, add ground nuts & roast till the nuts turn golden brown. Add green chilli, curry leaves, turmeric & turn off the heat.
5. Pour this tempering over the noodles, adjust salt. Add lemon juice, coconut, coriander leaves to the noodles. Mix then thoroughly.
6. Serve it with chutney, pickle or as is.
   

Shavige Uppittu (Vermicelli Upma)

Planning for coming day’s breakfast becomes a tough task for all married women (so called Gruhini in Indian Language). It would become more complicated after having a kid. Morning breakfast should be healthy, filling & your child should also eat it without complaining!! So many restrictions!? Vermicelli upma is one such recipe shared by my chikamma (aunt).

This breakfast is filled with loads of vegetables, less oil, rich in carbohydrates. Don’t you think this is a perfect dish to be prepared for breakfast?

Ingredients:
· 2 cups vermicelli (I used bambino vermicelli packet)
· 1 cup chopped vegetables (Used carrots, french beans, peas, corn kernels)
· 1 medium sized onion chopped (optional)
· 2-3 green chillies chopped
· 4-5 curry leaves
· 1 tbsp oil
· ½ tsp mustard seeds
· 1 tsp urad dal
· 1 tsp channa dal
· Salt according to taste
· 1 tsp sugar (optional but highly recommended)
· 3 cups water
· 3 tbsp grated coconut
· 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves/cilantro


Method:

• Add 1 tsp oil to a broad pan, when oil is hot, add vermicelli & roast till vermicelli turns golden brown.
• Keep the vermicelli aside.
• In another broad pan, add oil. When oil is hot, add mustard seeds, followed by urad dal, channa dal & fry till the dals turns golden brown.
• Add chopped green chillies, curry leaves & sauté for 30secs
• Now, add onion to it & fry again till onion turns golden brown.
• Add all the chopped vegetables & sauté them in oil for 2-3minutes.Later, add water to the pan & allow it to boil. (Finely chop the vegetables to ensure it to get cooked in a short time)
• Press the vegetable to make sure it is properly cooked.
• Add salt, sugar & reduce the flame. Add the vermicelli 2 tbsp at a time & mix well.
• Close the lid & allow the vermicelli to get cooked properly (this process may take a maximum of 5mins).
• Switch off the flame; garnish it with coriander leaves & coconut.
• Mix well & serve it hot.

Notes:

• To reduce the cooking time, boiled vegetables could be used.
• If vermicelli is not properly roasted, the upma becomes very sticky.
• The vermicelli could also be roasted & preserved in advance for future use. Other easier option is to buy already roasted vermicelli ;) (Roasted bambino or MTR vermicelli is also available these days).

Veg Noodles

My favorite cuisine included Chinese..., until I had it outside India.Has anybody tried eating Chinese food outside India? It is totally disparate & disappointing(for me, at least).You will not get the taste similar to what you used to get in India. Now, I understand that what we get in India is not authentic Chinese but Indianized version of the same...

My taste buds have ceased to function since I moved out of India. I get very easily bored of eating my own cooked food. I'm very fussy in eating unlike my hubby, who is fine with any food (as long as it is vegetarian). I am wanting to eat roadside pani-puri(gol-gappe), churmuri, gobi manchurian..., aha.., I'm drooling. Eagerly waiting to eat all these.....:))

OK, I understand that by consuming so much disk space filled with my blabbering, I will not get to eat these wonderful dishes..I guess, most of us who have moved out of India, will be having similar wishes.

We were in mouna vratha ( as usual some disagreement) before having our dinner.., so didn't get his comments about the noodles.., but the bowl indicated a lot. The noodles was all finished & nothing left!!



Ingredients:
500gms noodles (I took normal yellow noodles, you can prepare with flat noodles also.., if you wish like)

1 cup green, yellow, red capsicum (slit lengthwise)
1 small carrot (slit lengthwise)
1/2 cup shred cabbage
1/2 cup spring onions chopped
1 big pod of garlic(crushed & cut into very small pieces)
1 & 1/2 teaspoon black soya sauce
1 tablespoon tomato sauce.
2 tablespoons olive oil ( tastes better with this oil., other cooking oil can also be used)
1 tsp vinegar
salt according to taste

Method:

• Cook the noodles & allow it to cool
• In a broad pan, add the oil
• When oil is hot, add garlic & spring onions
• Once the garlic becomes golden brown in color, add the remaining vegetables (capsicum, shred cabbage and carrots)
• Allow the vegetables to be cooked in oil for 2-3 minutes
• Add the noodles, salt, soya sauce, tomato sauce, vinegar, salt and mix the whole thing, well
• Cook whole mixture on a slow flame for 2 minutes
• Garnish it with coriander leaves

PS: I have not added ajinomoto. If you wish to add, you may do so.