Vermicili Biryani.

Ingredients Needed:
1. Vermicili (Semiya) 1 cup
2. Cubed Vegetables (Carrot, Beans, Peas, Cauliflower, Potato, peas) 2 cups
3. Onion - Sliced lengthwise 1
4. Salt to taste
5. Water 1-3/4 cup
6. Ghee - 1 tsp
7. Oil - 3 tsp
8. Chopped Tomato - 1

Grind into Paste
1. Onion - 1/2
2. Ginger - 1inch Piece
3. Garlic Pods - 2
4. Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Green Chillies (According to taste)
6. Fennel Seeds - 1/4 tsp
7. Garam Masala - 1 tsp
8. Grated Coconut - 2 tsps
9. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Grind the above items into paste.

Ingredients for Tempering
1. Bay leaf - 1
2. Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
3. Pepper - few

Method:
1. Heat Ghee in a pan and fry semiya till golden brown and keep it aside.
2. Heat Oil and add tempering Ingredients.
3. Fry Onions till golden brown.
4. Now goes the Paste, Cubed Vegetables and fry in slow fire for 5 minutes or till Oil floats on top.
5. Now add water and chopped tomatoes, let it boil.
6. Add Semiya and Cook till done.
Garnish with Coriander and Mint leaves

Semiya Payasam Onam special

Sago 1 cup
Water 2 cup
Vermicelli 1/2 cup (broken into small pieces)
Milk 2 1/2 cup
Sugar 1 cup
Ghee 3 tablespoon
3 Cardamom pods
Cashew nuts
Raisins

Soak the sago in water for an hour. Boil it with water. Stir constantly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan, until it becomes translucent. Lower the heat and leave it for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Heat the ghee in a pan. Fry the cashew nuts & cardamom pods in it. Add vermicelli and fry until golden brown.

Add this to the Boiling sago. Then add sugar, milk & raisins. Stir for few minutes until the sugar dissolves. Serve hot.

Vegetable Cutlet Onam special

Potatoes- 3 (boiled & mashed)
Carrots- 1 (grated)
Fresh Green Peas- 1/4 Cup
Onions- 1big (chopped)
Red Chili Powder- 1 tsp
Salt
Maida- 2 tablespoon
Oil
Garam Masala Powder- 1 tsp
Rusk Powder- 1/2 Cup
Steam the grated carrot & peas in a pressure cooker.

Heat oil in a pan and fry the chopped onions until golden brown. Then add mashed potatoes, steamed carrots and peas. Fry for 10 minutes & add garam masala, chili powder & salt and saute well. Remove from heat and let it cool down. Make lemon sized balls out of this veg mixture.

Add some water to maida and make it as a paste. Dip the vegetable balls in the maida paste and coat with rusk powder. Flatten this into thin patties.

Heat 2 tbs of oil in a shallow frying pan and fry few cutlets at a time until both sides becomes brown (turn it once). Repeat this until all the cutlets are fried (Pour some oil every time you replace the cutlet). Serve hot. Green Chutney (Mint) & Tomato Ketchup makes a good accompaniment.