Semiya Payasam
The dessert that ends every Kerala feast. Vermicelli simmered in milk with cardamom, then finished with cashews and raisins fried in ghee.
30 minutes Serves 6 Very easy
What you need
- 1/2 cup vermicelli (semiya)
- 1 litre full-fat milk
- 1/2 cup sugar, adjust to taste
- 1/4 cup sago, soaked 15 minutes (optional)
- 10 cashews
- 1 tbsp raisins
- 2 tbsp coconut slivers
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 4 green cardamom pods, crushed
The easy way to cook it
- 1
Roast the vermicelli in 1 tsp of ghee until it turns light golden.
- 2
Bring the milk to a boil, add the vermicelli and soaked sago, and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring so nothing sticks.
- 3
Add the sugar and cardamom and simmer 3 to 4 minutes. It thickens further as it cools.
- 4
Fry the cashews, raisins and coconut slivers in the rest of the ghee until golden and pour them in.
- 5
Serve warm, or chilled as it is eaten on hot afternoons.
Cook's note: Add the sugar only after the vermicelli is soft, or the payasam stays watery.
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