Semiya payasam or vermicelli payasam is a sweet and delicious Indian dessert prepared with semiya (vermicelli), milk, ghee, sugar and roasted nuts. Normally payasams are prepared in my house for special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries or when I have guests calling over. This dish is an absolute favourite with both young and old, any time of the year. My kids love to have boli (another Indian sweet) along with this payasam……well, they make a perfect combo.
In this recipe, you can substitute milk and sugar with condensed milk also (which is what I generally do!) This payasam/ kheer can be served warm or cold according to preferences. This kheer always becomes thick as it cools. You can add hot or cold milk to adjust the consistency of the kheer before serving.
Ingredients
- 5 cups Milk
- 1/2 cup Vermicelli/Semiya
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 8-10 nos. Cashew nuts
- 3-4 nos. Cardamom, powdered
- 10-15 nos. Raisins
- 2 tbsp. Ghee or clarified butter
Method
- Heat 2 tsp of ghee in a pan and roast vermicelli/semiya until light golden brown. Remove and keep it aside.
- In the same pan, heat some more ghee and fry cashew nuts and raisins separately. Keep it aside.
- Boil milk in a heavy bottomed pan, then add the roasted vermicelli to it and cook on medium heat until it becomes soft. Keep stirring it to prevent it from getting burnt.
- Then add sugar and stir until it dissolves.
- Powder cardamom with a tsp of sugar.
- Then add cardamom powder, cashew nuts and raisins to the kheer.
- Vermicelli payasam is ready to be served.
