How to make payasam/samiya

What would tempt you to learn how to make semiya payasam, also known as vermicelli payasam or shavige payasa? Its fine taste and its ease of making are perhaps the two reasons. Semiya payasam is a dish that is made on the day of most festivals and functions. This traditional sweet does not require deep frying. Even this dish is gives health, few items are enough to make this dish.

As cooking the semiya payasam / vermicelli payasam is not complex, the steps to make this sweet are few. You can savor this food even if it is cold.

Ingredients

1-1/2 litres of milk 

1/2 cup of semiya/ vermicelli/shavige

1/2 cup sugar or to taste

3 tablespoons of halved cashewnuts and Badam

3 tablespoons of raisins/dried grapes

a few strands of saffron

1/4 teaspoon of cardamom/Elachi powder

1 + 1 teaspoon of ghee

Method:

-> Boil milk in a utensil/deep bowl/vessel. Keep aside.

NOTE: It is better to boil the milk. Otherwise, when you add sugar to it, the milk may curdle.

-> Heat ghee in a thick-bottom utensil.

Add cashew nuts, Badam and dry grapes. Fry till the cashewnuts turn to golden brown.

Remove the cashew nuts, Badam and grapes. Keep aside.

-> In the same utensil, fry semiya / shavige / vermicelli till it turns to golden brown. 

-> Add 2 cups of boiling milk and 1 cup of boiling water.

Cook till the semiya becomes soft.

-> Add the remaining milk and sugar. Boil for another 3-5 minutes.

-> Add the fried cashew nuts and grapes.

Add cardamom powder. 

Mix.

Switch off the stove.  Let the semiya absorb most of the milk.

Semiya payasam / vermicelli payasam / shavige payasa is ready.

Tips:

          *  You can cook the semiya entirely in milk, without adding water. Note, however, you may have to cook the semiya for more time, depending on the semiya.

           * To make the semiya payasam taste richer, add about 1/2 a cup of Milkmaid. Because it already contains sugar, use additional sugar only as required.

          *  I add cardamom as a whole,crushed a little.I feel this adds more flavour to the finished dish.Yo can remove the peels of cardamom before serving.Or if you prefer,add crushed cardamom seeds alone.
           
            *  Adding the nuts while the semiya is cooking makes the nuts soft and delicious.However,if you like some crunch in the nuts,add half in the payasam while cooking and the other half as garnish.