Vermicelli Upma is a Kids friendly recipe.It makes for a good breakfast or a packed lunch box for both kids and adults.Kids love it because they think its kind of pasta or noodles.Vermicelli are made from either rice or wheat.I usually use wheat semiya of either Bambino or MTR Brand.For rice semiya please follow the packet instruction to cook the dish.
Vermicelli is known by various local names in India. In Kannada it is known as Shavige, Telugu name for vermicelli is Semiya or sevalu, and Seviyan in North India.
Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist or a dietician, I am doing what is best for my kid to create a balanced lunch.
KIDS LUNCH BOX #8 – Veg Vermicelli Upma + Peanut Sundal + Mango
Some kids school lunch box ideas to try…
- Spinach Corn Sandwich + Orange + Almonds & Pistachios
- Carrot Rice + Cucumber + Fruittellas
- Palak Chapati + Jeera Aloo + Orange
- Potato Spinach Pancakes + Sprouted Moong & Corn Salad+ Grapes
- Mayonnaise Veggie Pasta + Strawberries + Peanut Chikki
Here is what I packed for school lunch…
LUNCH – Veg Vermicelli Upma – A popular South Indian breakfast dish Vermicelli Upma also known as Semiya Upma. It is a quick and healthy dish that you can cook easily in just 15-20 minutes with simple ingredients.
- 1 cup Roasted Bambino vermicelli (semiya)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup mix veggies (carrot,beans,peas,capsicum,corn)
- 2 red or green chillies
- 1 tsp mustard seeds (rai)
- 1/4 tsp jeera (cumin) seeds
- 1 tsp spilt urad dal
- pinch hing(asafoetida)
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- salt to taste
- 1.5 tbsp oil or ghee
- 2 cups water
- 1 tbsp coriander (cilantro) for garnish
- juice of half lemon
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Dry roast Vermicelli in a pan on medium-low flame untill it turns light golden brown.I have used roasted bambino vermicelli for this recipe.
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In a kadai heat oil ,add mustard seeds ,jeera and wait until it gets splutter. Add urad dal, green chilles ,curry leaves, hing ,turmeric powder and saute until urad changes into light golden brown.
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Add chopped onion and cook until onion becomes light brown.
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Add chopped mixed vegetables and saute till the vegetables get half cooked.Takes around 2 minutes
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Add water, salt and bring it to a boil. Check for the salt at this stage.
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Add the roasted vermicelli and mix well.
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Cover lid and cook until the water gets completely absorbed by the vermicelli on medium low flame.
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Garnish with coriander leaves and lime juice and serve hot.
1. Make sure to use roasted vermicelli, raw vermicelli will become mushy.
2. You can use vegetables of your choice.
3.For kids box you can replace oil with ghee.Makes it more healthier choice.
4.You can also add roasted cashews or peanuts(groundnuts) to make it more healthy and crunchier.
SNACK – Peanut Sundal is a South Indian recipe ideal for festivals like Navaratri. Peanuts stir fried with red chilies, grated coconut , curry leaves and few spices, giving it an amazing aroma and flavor.
It is a very simple dish that is high in protein and can be make in less than 5 minutes.
- 1/2 cup Raw Peanuts (groundnut)
- 1 tbsp grated coconut fresh or frozen
- salt as needed
- 1 tsp coconut oil (any cooking oil)
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 red chilli
- few curry leaves
- pinch of hing (asafoetida)
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Soak peanuts for atleast 30 minutes.Pressure cook peanuts with required water and salt for 3 whistles or until soft yet crunchy enough to bite,Keep it aside.
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Heat oil in a pan ,add the items listed one by one under ‘For Tempering’ let it splutter.
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Then add peanuts and give a toss until mixed well.Adjust salt if required at this stage.Saute for 1-2 minutes on medium-low flame.
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Then add grated coconut ,give a quick stir and turn off the gas.
1.Dont boil peanuts till very soft, it should be crunchy when you bite.
SNACK – Mango is a seasonal fruit ,i remove the skin and simply chop the fruit into cubes and pack for the box.
Prep Work For The Previous Evening
- Chop the vegetables previous evening and refrigerate.
- You can soak and boil the peanuts (groundnut) previous evening for sundal save’s a lot of time.
- If you do not have roasted semiya ,you can roast the previous evening to save some time in the morning.
Notes
- Try to pack seasonal fruits into the box.
- Packed in a stainless steel tiffin box called Lunchbots which is Eco-Friendly, Dishwasher Safe, BPA-Free and is easily available on Amazon .Do not use plastic lunch boxes to your kids, they are toxic.
- You can increase or decrease quantity based on your child’s appetite.
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