Sevai is similar to
idiyappam, in the ingredients and preparation. Sevai, unlike idiyappam, is typically broken or cut up rather than in piles of noodles. In this way, sevai is treated almost as a substitute for rice. Idiyappam, by contrast, is served almost as a substitute for
appam with side dishes like curries or
kormas. The presses used to make sevai and idiyappam are essentially the same. Sevai is also typically not served with curries like other side dishes but rather mixed with a flavoring like lemon, tamarind paste, coconut, or
uddina pudi (a type of powder made from black gram dal in Karnataka). Called
shavige in
Karnataka, it can also be prepared with cooked vegetables and tempered with spices with a dash of lemon juice. Sevai is typically served in Tamil Nadu and other South Indian communities and in
Sri Lanka as a breakfast or tiffin dish, but also served as a dessert such as
payasam when cooked in milk with
cardamom or other
spices and
sugar. The cuisine of Kongu region in Tamil Nadu has a variation of this called Santhagai and is included in wedding rituals of the region. In the
Malnad region of Karnataka, it may be served with
chicken curry, unlike how it is usually served in other parts of South India.
Sankethi communities also differ from the norm in that they serve idiyappam like sevai, flavored with lemon, tamarind, or
uddina pudi. Other variants of sevai made with
ragi,
jowar, or other grains are served plain with accompaniments like sweetened
coconut milk and various edible powders including powdered
chickpea and
sesame. In
Tamil Nadu, santhakai is often flavoured with
lemon,
tamarind, tomato, coconut, and curd and is usually eaten warm. == See also ==