15) SEMIYA PAYASAM

SEMIYA PAYASAM

A SPECIAL VERMICELLI PAYASAM

Ingredients:

1)    Wheat vermicelli – 200 gm.

2)    Coconut milk of 2 coconuts (Method of extraction in VALVAL recipe)

3)    Jaggery (Unrefined cane sugar) – 500 gm.

4)     Sugar – 1 table spoon

5)    Cardamom – 4 pods

6)    Raisins (dry seedless green grapes) – 50 gm.

7)    Cashew nuts – 50 gm.

8)    Ghee or clarified butter – 50 ml.

To Cook:

Melt and sieve the jiggery as given in KAPSI GUNTAYI recipe. Set aside. Shell and crush the cardamom seeds. Break the vermicelli into smaller pieces (1 to 2 inches long). Chop the cashew nuts each into roughly 4 pieces.

Pour the ghee into a thick flat bottom vessel and set on the stove on low heat. Tip in the cashew nuts and stir. When the cashews start to brown, drop in the raisins. Stir for 1 minute. Add the vermicelli and stir till it turns golden brown (If you are using pre roasted vermicelli, you need to stir for only 2 minutes). Pour in the dilute coconut milks (Nos. 2 & 3) and stir continuously to avoid burning at the base. The vermicelli will soak up much of the water and become thicker and softer. Now, add the melted jaggery and the sugar and stir well for 2 minutes.

Now pour the thick coconut milk and keep stirring. Taste and add more sugar if needed. When it starts to boil, sprinkle the crushed cardamom seeds and put on the lid simultaneously turning off the heat. Your delicious COCONUT VERMICELLI PAYASAM is now ready. Enjoy both hot and cold.

Correctly prepared, you will crave for this dessert dish over and over again.

Note:

If you find it difficult to prepare fresh coconut milk, you can use canned coconut milk.