Vermicelli payasam or kheer is one of the traditional and common sweets prepared all across India. Vermicelli, also known as semiya or seviyan is roasted in ghee, cooked in milk and garnished with roasted nuts. As with any recipe, there are slight variations to the recipe from household to household and region to region. Vermicelli payasam ~ kheer is western version of vermicelli pudding.

The second ingredient for this week’s ingredients exchange is multicolored vermicelli from Mireille. My plan was to make savory vermicelli and had a few ideas in mind. But this morning when I opened the box to cook the vermicelli, I felt the colorful vermicelli would look better as a dessert and, vermicelli had a vanilla-ish smell to it. In the last minute I changed my mind and made vermicelli pudding ~ payasam ~ kheer, instead.

This is a simple kheer recipe, nothing specially. Second, I already have a few of sweet semiya on the blog; shevayachi kheer, instant honey vermicelli payasam and semiya payasam. To give this simple vermicelli payasam / vermicelli kheer / vermicelli pudding a twist, I added some powdered blanched almonds and cashew nuts to payasam to give it a rich, nutty consistency. However, the consistency and the color didn’t really matter as payasam tends to thicken as it cools and one has to add more milk to bring it back to desired consistency and second, once the vermicelli cooled, the colors of the vermicelli were not as vibrant as they were when hot and fresh.

Cooking Time: 20 – 25 minutes
Serves: 4 – 6

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp Butter, unsalted or Ghee
• 6-8 Cashews, broken into pieces
• 1 tbsp Raisins
• 1 cup Multicolored Vermicelli
• 3 cups Milk (I used ½ cup water and 2 ½ cups 2% milk. Can use whole milk and skip water)
• 6-8 Cashew Nuts, powdered
• 1 ½ tbsp blanched and sliced Almonds, powdered
• ⅛ tsp Cardamom Seeds
• ⅓ – ½ cups Sugar

Preparation:

• Heat butter or ghee in a sauce pan. You will need at least 1 ½ quart saucepan.
• When butter is melted, roast cashew nuts and raisins on medium flame until cashews turn brown, raisins puff up and turn brown.
• Remove from pan and keep aside.
• In the same pan, add vermicelli and roast on medium flame.
• Add ½ cup of water, when the pan cools, add 2 ½ cups of milk. Increase the flame to medium high, give a good stir and cook until vermicelli is almost cooked.
• Powder cashew nuts, blanched almonds and cardamom to fine powder. Add to vermicelli and stir until it is lump free.
• Add sugar and continue to cook until vermicelli is cooked, al dente.
• Turn of the flame, garnish with roasted cashews and raisins, and serve hot or cold.
• Consistency of vermicelli pudding / kheer / payasam tends to thicken as it cools. If the consistency is too thick, add some milk before serving.

This day in 2010: Paneer Tikka Kebab
This day in 2016: Egg Pulao

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