Steam-Free Ragi Vermicelli: A Quick, Easy Cooking Method

Ragi vermicelli is a popular South Indian breakfast dish that is easy to make and highly nutritious. It is made using finger millet vermicelli and can be prepared in a variety of ways, either plain or with vegetables. While it is typically cooked by steaming, it can also be prepared without a steamer by roasting the ragi semiya in oil and sprinkling small amounts of water until cooked. This method requires careful attention to avoid overcooking the semiya, which can result in a soggy, inedible dish.

Heat oil in a pan

To cook ragi vermicelli without a steamer, you will need a medium-sized pan. Heat oil in the pan over medium-high heat. You can use a variety of cooking oils, such as ghee or vegetable oil.

Once the oil is hot, you can add spices and seasonings. Most recipes suggest adding mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies, and asafoetida/hing. Let the seeds crackle for around 5 seconds to build aroma and add flavour.

Next, add chopped onions and grated ginger. Cook this mixture for about a minute. You can also add vegetables such as green peas, carrots, beans, capsicum, and corn. Saute the vegetables for a few minutes.

Now, add the ragi vermicelli and mix it well with the other ingredients in the pan. Be careful not to add too much water at this stage, as it can make the ragi vermicelli soggy and inedible.

Add mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies, and asafoetida

To cook ragi vermicelli without a steamer, you can follow these steps:

Firstly, heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. You can use a variety of oils, but sunflower, canola, or vegetable oil tend to complement Indian flavours well.

Once the oil is hot, it's time to add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies, and asafoetida. This step is called tempering, and it's a crucial technique in Indian cooking, intensifying the flavour of the spices while infusing their flavour into the oil.

Add 1/2 teaspoon of brown mustard seeds, 10-12 curry leaves, 2-3 green chillies (slit in half), and 1/4 teaspoon of asafoetida to the hot oil. Cover the pan, as the mustard seeds will pop and splutter. Let the seeds crackle and sizzle for around 4-5 seconds. This step builds the aroma and adds a lot of flavour to the dish.

Now you can uncover the pan and add the remaining ingredients, following your chosen recipe. For ragi vermicelli, you can add chopped onions and grated ginger, along with vegetables like green peas, carrots, and French beans.

Continue cooking and adding ingredients according to your recipe, but remember that each new ingredient will cool down the pan, so you may need to increase the heat as you go.

Add onion and ginger

Once the mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies, and asafoetida are crackling in the oil, it's time to add the onions and ginger. Add 1/2 cup of chopped onions and 1 teaspoon of grated ginger to the pan and cook for about a minute. You can also add sliced onions and grated ginger, frying them until the onions are soft and slightly pink.

If you are adding vegetables to your ragi vermicelli, now is the time to add them to the pan. You can add 1/4 cup each of green peas, carrots, and green beans, along with 1 teaspoon of salt, and mix them well. Cover the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes.

If you are not adding vegetables, simply proceed to the next step of adding the ragi vermicelli to the pan and mixing it well.

Add vegetables and salt

Now it's time to add your vegetables. You can use green peas, carrots, and French beans, or any other veggies you like, such as mushrooms, bell peppers, capsicum, and corn kernels. Chop up your chosen vegetables into small pieces. You will need around 1/4 cup of each vegetable.

Add 1/2 cup of chopped onions and 1 teaspoon of grated or finely chopped ginger to the pan and cook for about a minute. Then, add your prepared vegetables along with 1 teaspoon of salt and mix well. Cover the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes.

If you want to add some spice to your dish, you can also add 2-3 green chillies (slit into halves) at this stage.

Add ragi vermicelli and water

Now, add the ragi vermicelli to the pan and mix it well with the vegetables. It is important to note that the quantity of water is crucial in this recipe, as adding too much water will result in a soggy and gooey semiya. Therefore, for this step, add 1.5 cups of water and bring it to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let the dish cook for 3-4 minutes until the water is completely absorbed by the semiya. This cooking time may vary depending on the brand of ragi vermicelli used, so it is important to keep an eye on it to avoid overcooking.

Once the water is absorbed, add a tablespoon of freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice and mix it well. The addition of citrus juice enhances the flavour and gives it a tangy twist.

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