Masala semiya (Pakistani style)

Ingredients:

300 g thin vermicelli (Its much thinner than Indian variety)
1 large onion - finely chopped
4 medium sized tomato  - finely chopped
1 cup peas
2 green chilli - chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 - 1 1/2 cups of water
2-3 Tbsp oil
1 tsp grated ginger
2 Tbsp finely chopped coriander/kasoori methi
Salt

Method:
1) Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seed and wait for it to splutter. Add onion and fry until it changes colour.
2) Add ginger, green chilli and fry for another minute.
3) Add tomato and fry for 3-4 minutes (tomato by now would have blended in). Add peas and fry for another minute
4) Make a thick paste of red chilli powder, turmeric powder, corainder powder and 1 Tbsp salt. Mix and fry for a minute. Lower the heat if it starts sticking to the bottom of the pan.
5) Add the vermicelli, add 1 cup of water initially - cover and cook on lowest setting for 3 minutes.
6) If water is not enough, and it feels a bit dry - sprinkle about 1/4 cup of water. Check for salt. Mix it up - cover and cook for another 3 minutes.
7) Garnish with coriander/kasoori methi
DONE!!! :)

Tips:
1) Most Indian stores stock the Pakistani variety of vermicelli - its golden brown in colour and much more thinner than the Indian variety
2) I feel its easier if you crush the vermicelli in the packet before taking it out - it's much easier to mix in the pan once crushed.

Tomato onion chutney

Ingredients:
1 Tomato - coarsely chopped
1 onion - coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp peanuts
1 garlic pod - coarsely chopped
3 green chilli
1/2 tsp jaggery powder
4-5 pepper corns
1/2 cm ginger
2 Tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 dry red chilli
9-10 curry leaves
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1/2 cup water
Salt

Method:
1) Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a frying pan. Fry garlic pod, ginger, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, pepper corns, green chilli and peanuts for a minute.
2) Add onion and fry for a minute. Add tomato and fry for 3-4 mins. Allow it to cool.
3) Grind it into a fine paste with jaggery. Add water if you want to water it down. Check for salt.
4) Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a skillet. Add mustard seeds - wait for it to splutter. Add red chilli, cumin seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves. Mix with chutney.
DONE!!!

Tip: I like this chutney lil more spicy than usual - so I use 3 green chillis. If you like it a lil bit mild, use 2 instead.
This chutney goes well with dosa, chapati, rotti.. but I feel it goes best with ragi dosa and ragi rotti :)

Onion paratha

Ingredients (Serves 4):
For the dough:
3 cups atta(wheat flour)
Water
Oil
Salt

For the stuffing:
1 medium sized onion - finely chopped
2 green chilli - finely chopped
5-6 sprigs of coriander - finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp ajwain seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric
Salt

Ghee
3 Tbsp atta

Method:
1) Mix atta, 1 to 1 1/2 cups water, 2 Tbsp oil, 1 tsp salt to make the dough. Cover and keep aside
2) Mix ingredients for stuffing with 1/2 tsp salt. Keep aside for 5-10 minutes. Drain excess water.
3) Take a fistful of dough and roll it into a circle of about 6-7 cms. Place 1 tsp of the stuffing at the centre and cover it by bringing the edges of the dough together.
4) Roll it into a paratha, dabbing it in wheat flour as and when necessary.
5) Heat up a frying pan, place the paratha on it. Add a few drops of ghee on top. Flip to the other side in a minute.
6) Now add a few drops of ghee and flip to the other side once the underside is done.
7) Remove from pan and place it in a container - covered.
DONE!!!
Serve with yogurt and pickle or coconut chutney :)

Tip: As I did not drain enough water from stuffing, while rolling it would become sticky. I used kitchen paper towel to dab the water and then apply some atta on it.