Semiya payasam - Rice vermicelli and milk pudding

Semiya payasam - Rice vermicelli and milk pudding

by Hb ~ Tuesday, September 15, 2009

This post is kind of out of schedule. No, I don't make a plan of when to post which dish. After I entered blogger world, I started to celebrate all the festivals which were not introduced to me earlier. When I read about Onam from various blogs, it truly struck a chord of nostalgia in me. Though the way we celebrate a festival is different, it's the same warmth and togetherness that we look forward for .

In the whole process of these festivals, food plays the role of a super star. More often than not we associate a particular dish with a festival and vice versa. Since, I badly wanted to get into the celebration mood, I made this simple sweet dish. More than the recipe, I want to share the sheer enthusiasm.

Semiya payasam/kheer is a staple sweet dish in many Indian house holds. It is a pudding where strands of vermicelli/semiya is cooked in milk to perfection. It is topped with ghee-roasted dry fruits and then savored by all :).

Ingredients:
Semiya/Vermicelli - 1/2 cup
Milk - 2cups(400ml)
Sugar - 1/3 cup(adjust)
Salt - a pinch(Purely optional)
Ghee - 1/2 tb spoon
Cardamom powder - 1 pinch

For garnishing(Essential!)
Ghee - 1 tb spoon
Raisins - 8-10
Broken cashewnuts - 10

Procedure:
1. Heat ghee in a wok. Roast the vermicelli till it turns a good brown.
2. Heat milk in a vessel. Let them boil and add the sugar and star stirring till it dissolves.
3. Now add the roasted semiya/vermicelli and let it cook in milk for about 8-10minutes.Add cardamom powder.
4. Heat ghee in a kadai and roast the cashew nuts and raisins till they turn golden brown. Add this to the semiya in milk and serve.
This tastes best when served chilled!

Note:
1. You may add little milk before serving since it tends to thicken as it cools.
2. Adding condensed milk might be a good change.
3. Don't ever add water when making this sweet.

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