Shavige

Shavige to Kannadigas is what sevai to Tamilians is also known as senthagai and semige. String hoppers is a fancy name I read in my Sumeet Mixer-grinder's cookbook. It is easy to digest because it is steamed and high in carbo hydrates because parboiled rice is the only ingredient other than salt and a little quantity of oil.

Grind to a fine batter 1cup of parboiled rice, add the salt. The batter is ready.

Take oil in a heavy bottomed pan and add the above batter. Cook, stirring constantly until the water evaporates and the rice is collected in a well cooked, non-sticky lump. To test this you may try to roll the batter into a small ball, if it does not stick, then the batter has been cooked.

Allow to cool until your hands can tolerate the warmth. Shape into lumps that can fit into the shavige press.

Steam these prepared balls for about 12 minutes or a little longer.

Press them through the shavige press and collect the strings in a plate placed at it's bottom.

The basic shavige is ready.

You may serve them with very finely ground coconut chutney or gravy made using coconut milk.

Tamil homes delight in mixing this basic sevai with lemon, coconut, sesame seeds powder, cumin-pepper powder and in my parents home we also make payasam with coconut,rice and jaggery alongwith thayir sevai.You can be innovative once you have the basic recipe. You can look up Shanthi Krishnakumar's recipe posted recently for the varieties.

It is a bit of an effort to make sevai/shavige. Recently there is a new automatic sevai maker available in the Indian markets. Read about it on their website.

I have not used it. I still am faithful to my age old sevainaazhi. Just out of interest and having watched their demo video I thought I will let you know.

I am sending this recipe to RCI-July event currently hosted by Sia of Monsoonspice which is the brain child of Lakshmi of veggiecuisine.

I would also like to send this to Shanthi Krishnakumar's State Specials event.