"Rice and Finger Millet Flour" Noodles with Loads of Vegetables

Day2 of BM8: Last weekend I took my In-laws to NYC. My F-I-L was so excited to go to the top of Empire State Building. His excitement was infectious and I couldn't help but feel excited too. Believe it or not, in all my 13+ years of living close to NYC, I have never gone to the top of the Empire State. Additionally, I have worked in NYC for nearly 5 Yrs passing that building like thousands of time. So why didn't I ever go up and make it an affair to remember? I have no idea why. Actually I think I know -its Fear. You see, I have been on the "World Trade Center" Observatory many times since '95 and have loved every minute. But after it was gone, there was some kind of apprehension and anxiety that prevented me from going anywhere near tall buildings in NYC for quite sometime. I know I am not the only one as I am aware that 9/11 has injected a healthy dose of fear in many folks.

Anyways, we had taken the Express Pass so there wasn't much of a wait. I couldn't imagine standing in a narrow line waiting for tickets/elevator with "a restless 3-yr old whose idea of having fun was feeling up and down the legs of people in the front". LoL. Express Pass gets you to the front of line everywhere. Pricey but totally worth it. For the brief time we had to wait, I came across a screen that was flashing trivia/fun-facts about Empire state building. What caught my eye was its electricity/energy appetite -- The energy consumed to light up Empire State building for an hour equates to the same amount of energy that can light a bulb non-stop for 100 years. My jaw dropped, literally!

Being on the top of NYC felt like being on the top of the world. The narrow space where people were crammed like "cigarette butts in an ashtray" and everyone violating everyone's private space with perfume/perspiration smell and plenty of jostling around to get a better view did not put a dent on the happiness one feels when getting a "bird's eye view" of "The Concrete Jungle".

Bird's Eye View of NYC: Before Sundow:

Bird's Eye View of NYC: At Twilight

For Black and White Wednesday @ Susan's Spot::  Coffee Mugs on a Shelf. At Empire State Building's Gift Shop. Where else?? ;)

Now moving forward with the recipe:

Ingredients(For 6 Servings): For the Big Noodles:

• 2 Cups Finger Millet Flour "Ragi Flour"
• 2 Cups Rice Flour
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 3 Cups "Boiling" Water +  more as needed
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil

For the Masala:
Option1:

• 1 Small Onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 Carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• 1 Roma Tomato, finely chopped
• 3 Hot Green Chilies, vertically slit
• 1 Green Bell Pepper, cut into matchsticks
• 1/4 Cup Frozen/Fresh Green Peas
• 2 Tbsp Frozen/Fresh Grated Coconut
• 1 Tbsp Garam Masala

Option2:

• 2 Medium Yellow Onion
• 2 Roma Tomato
• 20 Haricot Beans, halved and cut into sticks
• 3 Carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• 4-5 Mini Yellow Peppers
• 1/2 Cup Fresh or Frozen Green Peas
• 1/8 Cup Mint, packed  (Optional)
• 1/8 Cup Cilantro, packed
• 1 Stalk Curry leaves
• 3 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped
• 4 Green Chilies
• 1" Ginger, finely chopped
• Olive Oil For Cooking
• Salt for taste

Tools:

• Chakli/Murukku Maker (or) Spaghetti Maker

Procedure:

• Add all the ingredients under the "Noodles" in a big wide heat resistant bowl. Using the handle of a wooden spoon keep stirring until clumps are formed.Close the lid and let it sit for 10 minutes. When the clumpy dough is warm enough to handle with hands, give it a good knead to make it glossy and clump free.

• Divide the dough into small oblong portions(just enough to fit into the murukku/chakli mould or spaghetti maker) and squeeze the noodles. I usually squeeze them directly on greased flat plates that can then be steamed for 10 minutes to cook.

• Once they are squeezed out, transfer them to steamer basket or pressure pans and steam the noodles for 10 minutes. If using Indian pressure pan as a steamer basket remove the "cooker weight" and let the steam come out.

• Let the cooked noodles rest on a wide plate undisturbed for 5-10 minutes.

• Separate the strings and snips the noodles as lengthy as one desires.

• Make the ground masala: Start of by sauteing the onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, curry leaves, turmeric powder and mint(if using) until the onions are translucent and the tomatoes lose the raw smell.

• Cool the contents before grinding them to a fine and smooth paste.

• In the same pan, add the chopped carrots, beans, peppers and saute them in 2 tbsp of oil until the tips are slightly browned.

• Add the ground masala paste and stir to combine.

• Throw in the frozen or fresh green peas and add salt. Check for taste. Add more salt or spice if needed.

• Transfer the noodles to the pan.

• Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

• Gently mix to combine.

• Transfer to a serving bowl and consume while its still hot with some hot tea. It tastes better that way.

I had this with Peanut Chutney. Yum-O!

Enjoy! Note:

• If you would rather use the Ragi string hoppers  Or Rice String hoppers for making this dish the thin strings diminish and disintegrate. For Savory versions its better to use the big fat noodles.

• For the sweet version I prefer the thin strings. Remember this??