Semiya Payasam Recipe (Vermicelli Payasam)

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• 2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
• 15 each cashews
  Ingredient note

  Source: 12 to 15 cashews; upper source range endpoint used for shopping.
• 2 tablespoon raisins
  Ingredient note

  Source: 2 tablespoon raisins
• 1 cup semiya (vermicelli)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1 cup semiya (vermicelli)
• 3½ cups whole milk
  Ingredient note

  Source: 3½ cups whole milk
• 4 tablespoons sugar (or add as required)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 4 tablespoons sugar (or add as required)
• ½ teaspoon cardamom powder (or 5 to 6 green cardamoms, crushed in mortar-pestle)
  Ingredient note

  Source: ½ teaspoon cardamom powder (or 5 to 6 green cardamoms, crushed in mortar-pestle)

1. In a heavy kadai, add the ghee. Let it melt.
2. When the ghee melts, add cashews. On a low heat fry the cashews until they become golden.
3. Remove the golden fried cashews with a slotted spoon and then the raisins.
4. Fry the raisins on a low heat. The raisins will soon start to swell up. Stir often while frying.
5. Once the raisins swell, then remove them with a slotted spoon.
6. Set the raisins aside with the fried cashews.
7. In the same kadai add the broken semiya.
8. Mix well. Keep the flame to a low and begin to roast the semiya stirring often.
9. Roast until the semiya becomes golden. Stir often while roasting semiya for even browning.
10. When the semiya has turned golden, add milk. Milk can be chilled, warm, hot or at room temperature. For a thin payasam, add 4 cups milk. Do note that on cooling the payasam thickens. So add milk accordingly.
11. Mix very well.
12. Keep the heat to a low or medium-low and simmer until the semiya softens and are cooked well.Do stir at intervals so that the milk or semiya does not stick or get burnt at the bottom of the pan or kadai.
13. Simmer until the vermicelli strands are softened nicely.
14. Then add sugar. You can add less or more sugar according to your desired sweetness.
15. Sprinkle the cardamom powder.
16. Mix very well and simmer on a low to medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes more. The sugar should dissolve.
17. Turn off the heat and then add the fried cashews and raisins. You can even keep a few of the fried raisins and cashews as a garnish.
18. Serve Semiya Payasam hot or warm.
19. Semiya payasam can be served hot, warm or chilled. When it comes to a room temperature, then you can refrigerate and serve later if you prefer that.
20. On cooling and refrigerating payasam will thicken. So keep it to a slight flowing consistency when you want to serve it cold, so that it does not thicken too much. If at all the payasam has thickened too much, then simply add a bit of milk to thin the consistency.
21. If there any leftovers, then refrigerate for 3 to 4 days in a covered container. I would not recommend freezing as the taste and texture changes.
22. After refrigeration, you can reheat the payasam on low heat if you want to eat it hot or warm. Add some milk or water if the consistency has thickened too much.