Semiya Payasam

This is my very favourite all time payasam J .. Very tasty and can be made quickly for an occasion

Ingredients:

1.       Roasted Semiya: Handful / 50 gms (I prefer MTR/Bambino roasted vermicelli)

(If there is no roasted Semiya available, buy the plain one and dry roast it for a few mins in the kadai till golden colour)

2.       Sugar: ½ Azhakku or 150 to 170 gms

3.       Boiled Milk: ½ litre

4.       Cardamom: 5 (take the powder)

5.       Cashew Nuts: 10 to 15

6.       Pachai Karpooram (optional) : small pinch

7.       Water

8.       Kismis (dry grapes) & saffron (optional)

Preparation Procedure:

1.       Cook the dry roasted semiya (vermicelli) in a pressure cooker.  You can chose to cook this in a cooker partition while cooking rice and other recipes by adding around 200 ml water.

2.       Cook for three to 4 whistles.

3.       Take the cooked semiya and transfer it to a vessel. Usually, the semiya will not have any water left after the cooking.

4.       Add sugar to the vessel and stir well and keep in on the stove.

5.       Do not add water since the sugar along with semiya will tend to become watery while it is on flame.

6.       When the sugar dissolves and becomes watery, add the boiled milk and keep stirring for 5 minutes.

7.       Roast the cashews and kismis in a tsp of ghee and add them to the payasam.

8.       Add cardamom powder and saffron if available.

Switch off the stove..delicious hot Semiya Pal Payasam is ready…tastes excellent when refrigerated and consumed after 4 or 5 hours as a cool kheer. J