Shevai…using white rice/dosa rice and coconut

Shevai served with pickle, oil and sweetened coconut milk

1. 1 heaped cup of  white rice ( dosa rice/ regular cooking rice) soaked for 2-3 hours.
2. 3/4 th cup leveled grated coconut(can also use bit more than 1/2 cup).
3. Salt to taste

• Drain and wash the rice thoroughly and grind with coconut to a smooth paste.Should be a bit watery .
• Heat a pan and add few drops of coconut oil and half a cup of water .
• When the water is heated add the paste,salt and start stirring …

  After 8-10 minutes of continuous stirring it will look like a mass as shown in below picture.

                    Allow it to cool slightly and when you are able to handle the dough ,mix it well and make cylindrical balls by wetting your palms.

BEFORE STEAMING

• This whole procedure can be done at night so that you can save your time in the morning.This was usually followed in large families making large amounts ,as I make with very less quantity I do the whole procedure in the morning itself but of course on weekends.
• Next morning steam the balls in the steamer for 25 to 30 minutes.
• Grease the shevai mould or the traditional press(called dante) and put the ball one by one while it is still hot and press it to get the shevai.
• Collect the shevai on a plate and arrange them on a wet towel or muslin cloth.
• You might have to adjust the balls as per their size or the size of the mould.

hindalium shevai dante / press

• This is how the shevai’s are collected on a wet cloth and covered with another layer of wet cloth so that it doesn’t dry up.

             

                  Serve it with spicy accompaniments like pickle ,soungh or batate humman (recipes can be found in blog) drizzling with coconut oil.

1. As I get good quality dosa rice I have used the same here..you can also use sona masoori or any other cooking rice too.
2. Using too much of coconut will result in sticky shevai.
3. Dont grind the rice too thick and not watery either as too much of water will make them mushy.
4. Keep stirring continuosly and stop when it forms a mass or else it will become dry and the shevai will turn hard.
5. Press when the balls are still hot as you cannot press if they get cold.