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    Home

    Sevai Recipe (Santhagai)

    Last Updated On: Apr 6, 2025 by Aarthi

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    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Sevai recipe also known as rice sevai or santhagai served with more kuzhambu & vathal. Traditional string hoppers dish made using rice using traditional method called as sevai naali. Best combination for sevai is more kuzhambu, but you can enjoy it with chicken curry or mutton curry. Learn how to make sevai with stepwise pictures and video.

    Sevai(Santhagai)

    When i was pregnant, I craved for lots of things, Couple of them are my all time favorite chambara kozhukattai and sevai. Both recipe are time consuming and needs some hard work involved for making. And both recipe are a very traditional recipe. When I told mom about my cravings, without any delay she made immediately. The best combo for sevai is mor kuzhambu and vathal.

    Jump to:
    • About Sevai Recipe (Santhagai)
    • Watch Sevai Recipe Video
    • Sevai (Santhagai) Ingredients
    • How to Make Sevai (Stepwise Pictures)
    • Expert Tips
    • 📖 Recipe Card

    Fun fact - The sevai kattil which she used is a very old one, like more than 50 years. It is my grandma's and it is still in use.

    About Sevai Recipe (Santhagai)

    Sevai is nothing but string hoppers slightly different from idiyappam made using rice. It is made with idli rice which is soaked and ground to form a batter. The batter is then poured into idli steaming plates and steamed. This hot steamed idli is added into sevai naali which is a three legged traditional equipment and pressed to extract the hoppers. Sounds fancy right? but actually it is very easy.

    There are few important points you have to remember before making sevai. Make sure to use idli rice and not raw rice. Soak rice for at least 6 to 8 hours. Grind the rice till it is super smooth so it gets pressed easily. Also when pressing sevai, make sure to add hot idlies into the naali so it is easy to press. If idlies cools it may be slightly tough to press string hoppers.

    Best combination for sevai is more kuzhambu, but you can enjoy it with chicken curry or mutton curry.

    Similar Sevai Recipes

    Coconut Sugar Sevai

    Plain Tempered Sevai

    Coconut Sevai

    Tamarind Sevai

    Lemon Sevai

    Watch Sevai Recipe Video

    YouTube video

    Sevai (Santhagai) Ingredients

    Idli Rice - for making sevai it is recommended to use idli rice. You shouldn't use raw rice because the texture will be different. Soak the rice for 6 to 8 hours, grind to smooth batter and steam them in idli plates before pressing in sevai naali.

    For Mor Kuzhambu - We usually serve sevai with mor kuzhambu which is made with coconut, green chilli, shallots, cumin seeds. A tempering is given for flavour.

    Vadam (Fryums) - for crunchy part, we enjoy it with fried fryums.

    How to Make Sevai (Stepwise Pictures)

     
    Soak rice overnight in water
    add them in grinder
    grind them till they are smooth
    the consistency should be thick
    Pour this in idli steaming moulds
    place it in steamer
    and steam it
    now they are well steamed
    remove it in a plate
    take your sevai kattil
    place a bowl underneath
    this is sevai kattil is more than 50 years old
    place the hot steamed idlies into the kattil
    and press it
    look how thin the noodles is coming from it
    keep pressing
     
     
     
    Noodles done
    Now for kuzhmabu..take coconut in a mixer
    add in cumin seeds
    green chillies
    some salt
    some water
    puree till it is smooth
    heat oil in a kadai
    add in mustard seeds
    curry leaves and onion vadam
    add the kuzhambu mix
    bring it to boil
    transfer it to a bowl
    add curd
    mix well
    now lets fry some vathal
    add vathal in hot oil..You can see
    the bangles which i was wearing after my seematham..
    fry it
    drain it
    serve
    i totally love this meal
     
     

    Expert Tips

    • You have to grind the rice till it is smooth, so it can be pressed easily through the kattil.
    • Steaming the rice is very important. So steam it well, this will cook the rice well and sevai will come non sticky.
    • This method should be pressed only using the traditional sevai kattil. You need a lot of muscle and strength to press this using the hand sevai maker.
    • There is another method in which you can use hand sevai maker, will post that soon.
    • You can serve this with chutney or any spicy chicken curry. But the above mor kuzhambu and vathal is the perfect and traditional way of eating it.
    • Don't let the idlies cool, because then it will be hard to press it out of the sevai maker. Always press the sevai when the idlies are hot.

    More Idiyappam (String Hoppers) Recipes to Try

    • Idiyappam Recipe
    • Carrot Idiyappam Recipe
    • Ragi Idiyappam Recipe
    • Wheat Idiyappam Recipe
    • Thinai Idiyappam Recipe
    • Beetroot Idiyappam Recipe

    📖 Recipe Card

    Sevai Recipe | Santhagai Recipe

    Sevai recipe also known as rice sevai or santhagai served with more kuzhambu & vathal. Traditional string hoppers dish made using rice using traditional method called as sevai naali. Best combination for sevai is more kuzhambu, but you can enjoy it with chicken curry or mutton curry. Learn how to make sevai with stepwise pictures and video.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 302kcal

    Equipment

    • Sevai naali
    • Idli Steamer
    • Grinder or Blender

    Ingredients

    For Rice Sevai (Santhagai)

    • 2 cups Idli Rice
    • Water as needed
    • Salt to taste

    Mor Kuzhambu Ingredients

    • 1 cup Fresh Coconut grated
    • 4 no Green Chillies
    • 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
    • Salt to taste
    • Water as needed
    • ½ cup Yogurt / Curd

    For Tempering

    • 2 tsp Coconut Oil
    • 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
    • 1 tsp Split Urad dal
    • 1 sprig Curry leaves
    • 5 piece Onion Vadam (Thalippu Vadam) or use 5 shallots

    For Fryums

    • Koozh Vathal or Rice Vadam
    • Oil for Deep frying

    Instructions

    • Soak rice overnight. Next day grind it in a wet grinder or mixie till it is smooth and soft. The batter has to be thick. Mix salt in this thick batter, and steam it in idli steamer for 10 to 15 mins.
    • Once it is steamed, remove it from the idli steamer and take the sevai kattil, and put the steamed idlies in that and press to get fine rice noodles. Dont let the idlies cool, it should be pressed when it is hot. Thats it sevai done.
    • Now lets make the more kuzhambu. Take all the ingredients given for kuzhambu except curd and make it into a smooth puree. Set aside till use.
    • Now heat oil in a kadai. Add all the tempering ingredients in it. Saute it for a min.
    • Pour the ground coconut mix and some water, this kuzhambu has to be watery. Now mix this well and bring it to boil. Once it reaches boil, take it off the stove and pour it into a bowl. Add in curd and mix well. Mor kuzhambu done.
    • Now to make vathal, heat oil for deep frying, add in koozh vathal and fry till it is well fried. strain and set aside. Serve.

    Video

    YouTube video

    Notes

    • You have to grind the rice till it is smooth, so it can be pressed easily through the kattil.
    • Steaming the rice is very important. So steam it well, this will cook the rice well and sevai will come non sticky.
    • This method should be pressed only using the traditional sevai kattil. You need a lot of muscle and strength to press this using the hand sevai maker. There is another method in which you can use hand sevai maker, will post that soon.
    • You can serve this with chutney or any spicy chicken curry. But the above mor kuzhambu and vathal is the perfect and traditional way of eating it.
    • Don't let the idlies cool, because then it will be hard to press it out of the sevai maker. Always press the sevai when the idlies are hot.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1servings | Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 18mg | Potassium: 160mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 37IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @yummytummyaarthi or tag #yummytummyaarthi!
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    More Breakfast Recipes to Try

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    • Triple Veg Grilled Sandwich Recipe
    • Homemade Oat Flour Recipe
    • Chilli Cheese Toast Recipe
    • Chicken Club Sandwich Recipe
    • Udupi Sambar Recipe

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    Aarthi

    About Aarthi

    Over the past few years I’ve been on a mission to find and create recipes that I can make from scratch. I hope you enjoy the recipes on this blog as they are tried and true from my kitchen to yours!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anonymous

      at

      where do we get that nazhi from online

      Reply
    2. pavi

      at

      Lovely sevai.. One quick question, where did u get ur kattil from?? The holes are tiny and the sevai is very thin and nice..

      Reply
    3. Aarthi

      at

      @AnonymousI am not sure..this is the one which my grandma gave me

      Reply
    4. Aarthi

      at

      @paviThis is my grandmas, it is more than 50 years old.

      Reply
    5. Savita Sawant

      at

      My one of the favorite thing....at our place we eat this sevai's with sweet coconut milk...owww my mouth is watering now

      Reply
    6. Lekshmia Raja

      at

      One of my favourite dishes... yummy yummy 😛😛

      Reply
    7. Anonymous

      at

      Is there any alternative for this mould?

      Reply
    8. Anonymous

      at

      Hi Aarthy
      Can I use a wooden Idiyappam maker.?

      Reply
      • Aarthi

        at

        NO i dont think it will work, since this is really hard to press you need that press to make it.

        Reply
    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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