Recipe - South Indian Special Lemon Semiya

I have been making this lemon vermicelli upma a lot these days. The regular vermicelli upma does not have lemon in it, this is a variant of it. Not only is this upma easy to make for a weekend breakfast / brunch, but it is also so very tasty and different from the regular vermicelli or semolina upma. The squeeze of lemon adds that extra special tanginess which elevates the flavors to whole different level altogether.

You can buy vermicelli in different forms. Either as long noodles, which you then break into 1/2 inch long pieces with your hands, which can sometimes be a little painful and fun at the same time. Or you can buy it already broken into small pieces. Even in this, you get the roasted version and the not roasted version.

Ingredients

1 cup Semiya / Vermicelli broken into 1/2 inch pieces and roasted to golden brown
1 tsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
8 curry leaves
1/2 red onion chopped
3 Thai green chillies chopped
2 cups water
salt to taste
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup grated fresh coconut

Method

* Heat the oil in a sauté pan. Add the mustard seeds and let is splutter. Now add the curry leaves, give it a quick stir and add the onions and chopped up green chillies.

* Once the onions start becoming translucent, you don’t have to let them turn brown, add the water and salt. Bring the water to a boil.

* Note, that this will be the time to check the salt. If you taste the water, you will approximately know whether the salt is enough or not.

* You will not be able to add salt to the noodles later.

* Now add the roasted vermicelli, reduce the heat and let it cook and absorb all the water.

* Once it starts looking like cooked noodles, stir well, add the lemon juice and the grated coconut.

* Give it a quick stir again. Remove from heat.

* Serve hot with coconut chutney or any other chutney of your choice along with some piping hot South Indian style filter coffee.