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Indian Vermicelli with Peas and Cilantro
Semiya upma, which inspired this recipe, is an Indian noodle dish commonly eaten for breakfast or as a snack. With bold flavors from spices, chili and herbs, we find it also makes a satisfying vegetarian dinner. This is a one-pot dish that doesn’t require boiling then draining of the noodles, so it can be on the table in well under an hour.
4-6
Servings
Tip
Don’t forget to thaw the peas. They’re added at the very end, so if they’re still frozen, they’ll cool the dish. Vermicelli cooks quickly; refer to the package for the approximate cooking time, but to avoid soggy noodles, make sure to check for doneness a minute or so before.
30 minutes
Ingredients
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3
tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil
-
2
medium shallots, halved and thinly sliced
Directions
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01In a large pot over medium, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the shallots and ginger, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cumin and turmeric, then cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the chili, cilantro stems and pasta. Add 3 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, then bring to a simmer over medium-high. Cover, reduce to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente.
Reviews
April 23, 2026
makes a lot
more like 6 servings (4 with teenagers). 4 minutes was plenty long enough. Middle Eastern stores have the vermicelli in the perfect length. Arabic rice and chicken is great!
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We sourced Indian vermicelli and it became al dente REALLY fast. So much so, we barely got the final ingredients into the pot and by then the vermicelli was pretty mucky. Will try again allowing less time for the (Indian) vermicelli...