‘Same same but different different’ is the only thing that comes to mind when comparing noodles with vermicelli. The former is a treasured import while the latter is as Indian as aam ka achar. Popularly known as seviyan, vermicelli has been a part of our food culture for a long time. My first brush with them was when Mom prepared them with aamras and topped them with ghee and sugar before serving us. Interestingly, my noodles disapproving Dad simply loved vermicelli and still does! 🙂

Vermicelli has different forms and names around the world. Its Italian version is similar to spaghetti but is thicker, while in the US it is thinner. In the Middle East it is commonly used in rich dessert recipes. Chinese cuisine includes vermicelli made from mung bean, rice and wheat specific to different parts of the country. The Indian subcontinent identifies vermicelli with many names like seviyan (Hindi), shevaya (Marathi), semiya (Tamil) etc. Breakfast recipes like upma and sweet dishes like seviyan kheer are healthy, light and quite tasty.

As a mother of two kids determined to choose to stay at two opposite poles, cooking is like a walk on the rope for me. One’s sin is the other’s scorn and nothing can make either of them budge. A Jr simply loves noodles and always insists on ordering them with sizzlers. He isn’t a vegetable lover yet I’ve managed to feed him loads of them through his favourite Chinese food. Spice isn’t ironically an issue for him when it comes to hot and tangy Chinese sauces. When it comes to vermicelli upma or kheer though, he makes a run for it. 🙁

Predictably, Angel loves vermicelli. 😛 So much so that she places demands with me at night to pack them in her lunchbox. That’s one day when I’m assured that she won’t bring it back untouched. Every time we go grocery shopping she diligently picks up the packet off the rack (she knows the brand too!) and stows it in the cart cheerfully. When I see other kids create a ruckus for chocolates, this well-behaved and responsible 4yo sometimes makes my heart soar. 🙂

I tasted noodles dosa first when I came to Mumbai post marriage. It seemed sacrilege at the time but, boy, was it tasty! Dosa Plaza in Vashi served the most succulent dosas back then. Juicy noodles replaced the traditional potato filling while delicious Schezwan sauce was coated on dosa’s inner side for an enhanced taste. My love for dosas and hot garlic fused in such an innovative way inspired the cook in me and made me try my hand at them too.

Always the healthy food lover, I used rice vermicelli stuffing instead of Chinese noodles. I cut down on preventable sauces and added mayonnaise and cheese which kids love anyway. Alternately, I merged the traditional custard recipe with vermicelli kheer and generously added fruits to it while topping it with some more.  My kids lapped it up in no time! Not to brag but I feel that was a stroke of genius, even for me. 😉

Mothers have to find a midway to make sure good food makes its way to our kids’ tummies, right? We win some and we lose never. Our creativity reflects best in how we cajole them into following our wishes and yet rejoice that we caved in. Agree? 😉 😀

How do you like to have vermicelli? Do you have any favourites? Do tell me.

This post is written for #BlogchatterA2Z and #AtoZChallenge for April 2019