Easy Lemon Shavige (Vermicelli Upma)

Shavige/Vermicelli Upma is very easy to prepare and it is an energetic breakfast/snack/dinner.
Shavige is prepaed using wheat, rice or even Maida.
I have used Anil Wheat Shavige and some spices like mustard seeds, jeera, cloves and dalchinni/Cinnemon stick.

It is always better to use Shavige (Vermicelli), which is prepared using wheat.

Lets see some benefits of having lemon in our diet.

Lemon is well known for its healthy properties since generations. Lemon helps to strengthen our immune system. It helps to cleanse our stomach and known as a blood purifier. Lemon is used for treating throat infections, indigestion, constipation and fever. It also helps to reduce obesity and clear our respiratory disorders and high blood pressure. It is full of antibactirial properties and good to use during dehydration of the body like, vomiting and diarrhea. It is also good for indigestion and people who suffer from constipation. Lemon is good for removing or dissolving kidney stones. Helps to reduce weight. Lemon is used in skin care, hair care and foot care. Lemon is loaded with Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Vitamin A, Vitamin E and minerals like copper, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, phosphorus and protein. They are rich source of antioxidant properties.
This is an easy dish, No Onion OR No Garlic is added in this Lemon Shavige. You can have them for breakfast, as snack or dinner.
The Mesurement of water is 1 = 2. (One cup shavige = 2 cups of water).

Things Needed :

Shavige/Vermicelli : 250 Grams.
Green Chilly : 2
Lemon : 1/2 Lemon extract.
Coconut : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8
Coriander Leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Oil : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Ghee : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Cloves : 2 Pods
Cinnemon : 1/2 Inch
Ginger : 1 Teaspoon (Grated)
Salt : Required
Water : Required
Turmeric Powder : A Little

Method :

1. Wash and cut green chilly, curry leaves, coriander leaves.
2. Wash and remove outer layer of ginger and wash again. Grate it and keep it aside.
3. Grate coconut and keep it aside. Keep water for boiling. Squeeze out the juice and keep it aside.

4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil, mustard seeds and urid dal. Let it splutter.
5. Add cloves (2 numbers) and a small piece of cinnemon.
6. Add curry leaves, grated ginger and cut green chilly.
7. Add shavige/vermicelli and fry nicely on low flame till they turn golden brown.

8. Add turmeric powder and boiling water to it. Add salt and mix it well.
9. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Mix it nicely and put off the fire.
10. Add coconut gratings, lemon extract and ghee on the top. Mix it well.

11. Shift the ready Shavige to a serving dish.
12. Add cut coriander leaves on the top and serve with chutney or chutney powder.

Note :

Use of any brand of Shavige is optional. (MTR, Maiyyas, Anils etc). There are different sizes of vermicelli in the market. Use of any size of vermicelli is optional.  (Thick or thin). Adding cloves and cinnemon adds to the flavour to Shavige Uppittu/Upma. Adding any other spices like garam masala is also optional. The taste differ. Use of more chilly is optional. It should be roasted well. Or it might turn sticky.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3. 

Tomato - Peas Shavige

Tomato - Peas Shavige is prepared using tomatoes and peas as the name says. You can have it for breakfast, as evening snack or even for dinner. Now peas and tomatoes are available plenty in the market. It is always good to use seasonal vegetables because it will be loaded with freshness.
I have used Anil wheat shavige (vermicelli /thin noodles) and some home made spices like huli pudi. (Bangalore style).

Lets see some benefits of using curry leaves in our diet.
Curry leaves take an important place in Indian cooking especially in South Indian Cooking. It is one of the must seasoning ingredients. The aroma of curry leaves adds great taste to the dish. Curry leaves not only adds taste, it is loaded with medicinal properties.
They contain various anti oxidant properties. They are good for indigestion and excessive acid secretion. They are good for diabetes and unhealthy cholesterol balance. The roots are used for treating body aches. The nutrients in curry leaves are carbohydrates, energy, fiber, calcium, phosphorous, iron, magnesium, copper and minerals. They also contain minerals like Vitamin C, Vitamin B, Vitamin E and amino acids. They contain zero fat.
Tomato - Peas Shavige has No Onion and No garlic and we can have them on during fast or feast.
Good for lunch boxes or travelling or even kitty parties like one pot dish.
You can add any spice according to your wish and use your own creativity to prepare the dish. It is one of the easy, quick, simple and healthy dish.
Lets see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

To Fry :
Shavige/Vermicelli/ Semiya : 2 Cups
Green chilly : 2
Tomatoes : 2 to 3
Peas : 1 Big bowl
Ginger : An inch
Curry Leaves: 8 to 10
To Add :
Curry Powder/Sambar Powder/ Rasam Powder/ Huli Powder : 2 Tablespoons
Coconut (fresh) Grated : 1/2 Cup
Salt : As required
Coriander leaves : 2 Tablespoons
Water : 4 Cups
Ghee : 2 Tablespoons
For seasoning :
Oil : Any brand : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Mustard seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera/ Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Cashew nuts : 1 Tablespoons (Cuts) (Optional)

Method :
1. Wash and cut tomatoes (remove the seeds) in to small pieces.
2. Just wash and boil peas (fresh) till they turn soft. Keep water for boiling.
3. Wash and cut green chilly, coriander leaves into thin and wash and remove the outer layer of ginger. Wash it again and grate ginger and keep it aside. Grate coconut.

4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put oil and heat. Put mustard seeds and urid dal.
5. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add green chilly and curry leaves.
6. Add vermicelli/shavige and fry till they turn golden brown. (Low flame).
7. Add tomatoes and peas to the roasted vermicelli and fry for 2 minutes.

8. Add boiling water, salt and a pinch of turmeric powder.
9. Mix it well and let it cook on low flame. Add huli (sambar powder) and mix again.

10. Put off the fire once it turns thick and add coconut and ghee.
11. Shift ready shavige to a serving bowl and add cut coriander leaves.
12. Serve with a cup of curd.

Note :

Fry vermicelli nicely till they turn slightly golden brown. (taste better). Adding ghee is optional.
(It adds to the taste). Adding oil instead of ghee is optional. Use of onions is also optional. You can use any brand of rasam/sambar powder. I used home made Sambar powder. You can also add any vegetables of your choice. Beans, Carrots, Potatoes goes well with this dish. Use of garam masala is also optional. You can use any type or brand of Vermicelli ...
Time : 30 minutes
Serves : 3 to 4.  

Shavige - Rava Banana Kesari Baat;

Vermicelli or Shavige is used very often in Indian culinary. We do prepare Upma, Payasam (Kheer) and other items.
Rava or semolina is also one of the main ingredient used in Indian kitchens.
Kesari baat or sheera or Sooji ka halwa is normally prepared with  medium size rava. Here is a little twist. I have used both semolina and shavige ( vermicelli). It is an easy dish and anyone can learn. I mean even people who are new to cooking and have interest can try this dish.
Shavige or vermicelli is prepared using rice or wheat or all purpose flour that is maida or moong bean.Vermicelli prepared from wheat is good for people who are suffering from high cholesterol and high blood pressure. It is loaded with fiber.
Shavige -Rava Banana Kesari Baat can be prepared for breakfast or kitty parties or kids parties or when guest's surprise visit.  It is also can be prepared for festivals, functions and as Prasaadam.
Let us see the recipe Now

Ingredients :

Rava ( Medium size) : 1 Cup
Shavige ( thin variety ) :3/4 cup
Sugar : 1 Cup
Cardamom : 3 pods.
Well ripen  Banana : 1 (big or 2 small)
Cashew Nuts : 2 Table spoons (cut ones)
Raisins  (dry grapes) : 1 Table spoon
Water : 2 Cups .
Kesari (Saffron) : 5 to 6 Rakes
Ghee : 3/4 Cup

Method :

1. Powder cardamom and keep it aside/ Cut cashews into small pieces.

2. Keep water for boiling. Cut bananas in to thin slice and keep it aside.

3. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add 1 table spoon of ghee. Add cashew nuts and fry till they turn golden brown.

4 Add raisins and fry till they are fluffy. Add Shavige and fry for 2 minutes.

5. Add  rava (semolina) to the fried vermicelli and fry nicely till the raw smell disappear.

6. Add boiling water. Stir nicely it thickens.

7. Add sugar when it starts thickening. Add cut bananas and stir continuously on low flame. (It turns bit watery and starts to thicken again).
8. Add a spoon of ghee and saffron (kesari) flakes and mix it nicely. It starts to leave the pan.

9. Put off the fire. Add remaining ghee and mix it well.
10. Shift the ready kesari baat to a serving dish and serve hot Shavige - Rava Banana kesari baat .

 Note :
Adding more sugar (another 1/2 cup of sugar can be added). adding more or less ghee is purely optional. You should use boiling water to cook. Stir nicely till the pan leaves the kesari baat. Frying rava is a must to get the good result.
Total time : 20 minutes
Serves : 5 to 6.

Raw Mango - Corn Shavige

This is the season of Raw Mango and it is used in day today's cooking. Raw Mango - Corn Shavige is prepared using Corn and Raw Mango. We can prepare many dishes using Shavige also, like Shavige Uppittu (Upma), Shavige, chitranna , Puliyogre and Sweet baat, curd baat, Shavige bisibele baat, etc.
Here I have tried Shavige with raw mango. I used raw mango instead of tamarind pulp or lemon. It is some thing like Mango Rice but done with Shavige. (Vermecelli). Shavige is something like noodles, it is thin and mixes well and taste good, This is a simple dish and added corn to the Shavige. I added fresh grated coconut, since I come from Udupi ( South Karnataka) normally use fresh coconut, that you must have noticed in my preparation. Coconut contain lot more good qualities. For spice green chilly is used, curry leaves and coriander leaves to top up the aroma and health.
Lets see some benefits of having Corn.
Sweet Corn is gluten free and it is a dietary fiber. It is full of vitamins and antioxidants and some portion of minerals. It helps to regulate blood sugar levels. Corn helps to prevent cancers, aging and inflammation in humans. It contains good levels of B- complex group of vitamins. It also contain healthy amounts of some important minerals like zinc, magnesium, copper, iron and manganese. 
This recipe do not contain any onion or garlic. As I said it is easy to prepare we can cook Raw Mango -Corn Shavige can be prepared for Kitty Parties, ladies gatherings, on fasting days and festival times.

Things Needed:

Shavige : (Vermicelli) : 2 to 3 Cups.
Raw Mango : 2 to 3 Table spoons
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Ginger : a small piece
Sweet Corn : 2 cups
Coconut : 1 Cup
Salt : to taste
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8 or Handful
Coriander Leaves : 3 to 4 Table spoons
Cashew Nuts : 2 Table spoons
Mustard seeds : 1 Tea spoon
Urid Dal : 1 Tea spoon
Oil : 2 Table spoons
Ghee : 2 Table spoons
Jaggery : 1 Table spoon
Turmeric Powder : a pinch (1/4 Tea spoon)
Water :Boiled water ( 1 cup shavige = 1 and half cup water).

Method :

1. Wash and cut  green chilly, coriander leaves, grate mango, ginger and coconut.

;.
2. Boil Corn cob and remove the corn and keep it aside. (You can use frozen corn instead of fresh).

3. Keep a pan on the fire, heat and put oil. Put Mustard seeds and urid dal. Add cashew nuts. Keep water for boiling.
4. Let it splutter and add curry leaves and cut green chilly. Fry for 10 seconds.

5. Add Shavige and fry till they turn slightly brown. 

6. Add salt, jaggery, grated mango and turmeric powder.

 7. Add required water and mix it well. ( 1 shavige = 1and 1/2 cup of water).  Add boiled corn.

 8. Add ghee and mix it again. Put off the fire when the water dries up completely.
9. Add coconut and cut coriander leaves. Mix it again and shift it to the serving bowl.

10. Serve with cup of curd and banana.

Note :
Do not add more water. Adding cut onions is optional. You can also add lemon extract instead of Raw Mango. Adding more or less chilly is also optional. Adding more corn also optional. You must use boiling water. Do not add more watery. It may turn watery and does not taste good.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 4 to 5

Spring Onion - Shavige

Shavige Uppitu is one of the well known breakfast or snack item and we can prepare in different ways. Shavige can be enjoyed in any form either sweet or spicy.
Here I have tried Shavige with Spring Onions and Capsicum. The combination of spring onions go well with capsicum and it taste really nice with capsicum aroma. Instead of onions I have tried spring onions. You get fresh Spring onions in the market. It also serves the purpose of eating leaves. Leaves are one of the best vegetable one should intake.

Let us some benefits of having Spring Onions in our diet.

Spring onions lowers the blood sugar level.
It is often used as a medicine for common cold.
It is used as an appetizer as it helps digestion.
It speeds up the level of blood circulation in the body.
Spring Onions are rich in Vitamins like Vitamin C, Vitamin B2 , Vitamin A and Vitamin K. They are also good sources of copper, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium, manganese and Fiber.
They are good for regulating metabolism. They help to fight against eye disease and eye problem and protects the skin from wrinkling.
They help to reduce the cholesterol level.
Here is a recipe of Spring Onion - Shavige recipe, which is very easy to prepare and we can have them for breakfast, as evening snack or even for dinner. Good for kitty parties also.

Things needed:

Spring Onion : 2 Bundles
Shavige : 1/2 Kg
Water : 3 1/2 to 4 Cups
Coconut : 1 Cup
Capsicum : 2
Green chilly :2 to 3
Salt : Required Salt.
Curry leaves : 6 to  8
Coriander leaves : 2 Table spoons
Mustard seeds : 1 Tea spoon
Urid Dal : 1 Tea spoon
Oil :  3 to 4 Table spoons
Ghee : 2 Table spoons
Ginger : a small piece

Method : 

1. Wash and cut spring onions, capsicum, green chilly and coriander leaves.

2. Grate coconut and ginger and keep it aside. Squeeze out the lemon juice and keep the juice aside.

3. Keep water for boiling.
4. Keep a big pan on the fire and put 1 table spoon of oil. Heat and fry shavige on low flame till they turn golden brown.

5. Keep another pan and put  remaining oil and put mustard seeds, urid dal. Let the mustard seeds splutter.
6. Add curry leaves, green chilly and fry for 10 seconds.
7. Add cut capsicum,grated ginger and spring onions and fry nicely till they turn soft.

8. Add this fried spring onions and capsicum to fried shavige and mix it well. Add salt and boiling water.  Mix it slowly, cover the lid and cook for 2 minutes on low flame.

  9. Add grated coconut and lemon juice when all the water disappear. Put off the gas. Add ghee and mix it nicely.

 10. Shift the ready Spring Onion Shavige to a serving bowl and serve with cup of curd or banana.

Note :    

You can add more oil if you wish. Adding red chilly or green chilly is an optional.
You can also add other vegetables like carrtos, beans and peas.
Do it on low flame to get the good result.
I have used Anil Wheat Shavige. You can use MTR or any other brand shavige also.
You can also use Garam Masala but it gives a different taste.
Serves : 6
Time : 30 Minutes.