Vermicelli - Semiya Payasam

Ingredientsfor 10 servings

• 3 litre Thick milk
• 100 g Semiya/Vermicelli
• 700 g Sugar
• Fresh ghee A tbsp
• 100 g Split cashews
• Raisins A, a few
• 1/2 tsp Cardamom — powdered (Elakka)
• 1/4 tsp Saffron — optional

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Transfer milk into a broad flat thick bottomed vessel.

2. Step 2

   Simmer when milk starts to boil, stirring occasionally, using a flat ladle.

3. Step 3

   When the milks gets thicker, after simmered to about 20 minutes, crumble semiya into almost one inch pieces and add to it slowly, stirring all the time, carefully to avoid lumping up.

4. Step 4

   If you use regular semia which is not pre roasted, you may have to fry the semia in a little of ghee separately and set aside.

5. Step 5

   Simmer the mixture again, thickening it to about 15-20 minutes, stirring all the time.

6. Step 6

   Add sugar.

7. Step 7

   When sugar melts, the payasam turns a little watery. So it`s necessary that the payasam is thick just before adding sugar.

8. Step 8

   In this stage, the payasam should have reached almost its semi thick consistency and should Not be allowed to boil much as the payasam tends to turn `red` when the sugar content caramelises. Therefore simmer only for another 15 miutes, in the final stage.

9. Step 9

   Remove from fire.

10. Step 10

    Fry cashews till golden and sautT raisins, using ghee in a separate pan.

11. Step 11

    Use the same pan if you had fried the semiya earlier. I didn`t use raisins, as there are raisin haters in my home.

12. Step 12

    Stir in both into the payasam.

13. Step 13

    Add cardamom powder.

14. Step 14

    The payasam turns thicker when cools up and can be served hot or cold, sprinkled with saffron.