Semiya/Vermicelli Payasam

Payasam / Vermicelli Payasam / Semiya payasam

Paayaasam is an easy south indian dessert which looks simple yet divine in taste! The fewer the ingredients of the recipe.. the better we can feel the flavour of them in the dish. Payasam is one such dish with minimal ingredients and makes a heavenly dessert. When i talk about payasam.. the cashews and raisins which we add to this dessert are not only for garnish but also for taste.. i remember the days when we used to fish out the cashews and raisins from the main payasam bowl to our cups.. :). Its easy to make and good to eat.

For more festival foods click here - Festival Foods

For more Sweets/Desserts click here - Sweets

Ingredients:

• Milk - 1 litre
• Vermicelli/semiya - 1 and 1/2 tea cups.
• Sugar - 1/2 to 3/4 tea cups
• Cardamom - seeds of 3 pods
• Saffron - one pinch 
• Cashews and raisins - roasted in ghee.. definitely for taste.
• Water - 1 and 1/2 cups boiled.

Procedure:

• Boil the milk and keep it ready. Take a tablespoon of this hot milk and add the saffron to this and keep aside to soak. For better colour and flavour from saffron.. take the saffron strands in a dry cup and with the tip of the small kitchen scissors cut the strands into tiny bits and then add the hot milk to it. This brings out more colour and flavour from the saffron. 

• Keep the pan on stove and roast the cashews and raisins in little ghee and keep aside.

• Add another spoon of ghee to the same pan and roast the vermicelli/semiya. Simultaneously boil 1 and 1/2 cups of water and add to the roasted vermicelli and let it cook till done. You can add more vermicelli if you prefer a thick payasam.

• Once the vermicelly is cooked add the hot milk to it along with the saffron milk.
• Add the sugar to the milk and vermicelli mixture. Let it simmer for 5-10 mins.

• Add the cardamom powder just 2 mins before turning off the heat.
• Add the roasted cashews and raisins to the payasam. 
• Now the payasam is ready.. you can serve it hot or cold. This paayaasam makes any ordinary day a festival day!

Happy cooking !!