Expecting the Unexpected - Anda bi Seviyan | Vermicelli Upma

The large soft snowflakes kept coming down. Snow soon covered the ground, and it was winter once again. The only catch was that it was late April and the start of spring. My spring garden was off to a roaring start, little radishes peeking out of the ground and lettuces growing. We had mulched and carefully watched the daffodils bloom into a spray of color. But mother nature had other plans. Instead, for a minute, the beautiful colors of spring disappeared under a blanket of white.

Expecting the unexpected can be difficult. We plan and plan some more. Snow in spring is at most a minor inconvenience. We might lose some flowers or plants but hopefully not too much more. Maybe the real issue is learning to live with the unexpected. Like the weather, our lives are not a straight line but instead a series of zigs and zags, and we eventually end up at our final destination or perhaps someplace new that we had not even initially imagined. Poet and Flower had fun running around covering the little plants and then jumping and playing in the snow. They quickly adapted to the situation and had fun.

In the end, we managed to cover the tiny lettuce plants and radishes. Even Poet and Flower gently covered the pansies with pillowcases. They played outside in the snow with their gloves and warm pants. And then, as quickly as it was snowing, spring was back in all its glory. Most of our plants had escaped unscathed as if to say we are resilient. A little snow won't hurt us.

The routines of the kitchen are soothing and familiar. My mother taught me about gardening and growing flowers and vegetables. One of her favorites was anda bi seviyan. We grew up calling it seviyan and eggs. It is a classic South Indian breakfast - another savory choice to add to the weekend rotation. Cook whole wheat vermicelli with tomatoes, cilantro and coriander. My mother would add eggs that would gently cook in the spiced broth as well.  I love the little vermicelli. They soak up all the delicious spices. And with a dollop of yogurt and mango pickle, it is the perfect breakfast.

We all love our routines. But sometimes, just a little shake-up of our day can help teach us about resilience. Hopefully, these are lessons we can teach Poet and Flower in their young lives.

Anda bi Seviyan | Vermicelli Upma

A classic savory South Indian breakfast. Gently simmer vermicelli with tomatoes, cilantro and coriander. Crack in a few eggs for a delicous breakfast.

4 servings

• 2 cups vermicelli or semiya
• 2 cups water
• 4 tablespoons oil
• 3 1 - inch cinnamon sticks
• 4 cloves
• 4 cardamom
• 1 inch fresh ginger (minced)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 medium tomato (chopped)
• 1 green chili (chopped)
• 1 cup cilantro (chopped)
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 3 eggs

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil. Add cinnamon, cardamom and clove. Saute 30 seconds. Add the onions and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the garlic and ginger and saute until it begins to brown and stick, about 2 minutes.

3. Add the tomato, green chili, cilantro, chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder and salt. Saute until the tomatoes are soft, about 10 minutes.

4. Add 2 cups of water and bring the mixture to a boil. Gently break the eggs into the mixture and lower heat until simmering. You want to have the eggs stay together as much as possible. Simmer 5 minutes.

5. Raise the heat to medium high and add the vermicelli. When it is bubbly, turn the heat down and gently simmer for 8-10 minutes until the vermicelli is just cooked through.

6. Serve with yogurt, or mango pickle.