One of South India culinary enticements is Vermicelli Payasam, a milk based sweet dessert where vermicelli is cooked in milk and sugar, prepared for that special occasion like a birthday or a wedding anniversary. In most S.Indian homes, dessert bowls of Payasam or kheer topped with nuts or pistachios and Paramannam are offered to God during auspicious occassions like the Harvest festival of Sankranti. This is not a low calorie dessert for sure but sometimes its nice to indulge ourselves to a sweet treat on a weekend.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup fine vermicelli or semiya (Bambino variety should be available at the Indian Stores)
1 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)
1 cup water
1 litre milk (1% )
pinch of salt
1/2 -3/4 cup sugar (adjust to your choice)
1 tbsp halved cashews
1 tbsp raisins
1 tbsp pistachios (optional)
1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel and fry cashews till brown, drain from the ghee and keep aside. In the same ghee fry raisins lightly, drain and keep aside. Add vermicelli to the vessel and roast it stirring constantly till it reaches a light golden color. Add water and salt, bring to a boil and reduce to medium heat and cook till water is almost absorbed. Add milk and bring to a boil.Reduce heat and keep stirring (such that the vermicelli doesn’t form lumps) for 4-5 minutes. Now add the sugar and stir it in till it dissolves completely. Finally turn off heat and add the cardamom powder and mix.
Serve hot or chilled in individual dessert bowls topped with cashewnuts, raisins and pistachios.

Try it and once you have tasted a bowl of this intensely sweet heavenly sin called Vermicelli Payasam, you are hooked on to it for life.

Note: If you want a thicker consistency of the payasam, then use half and half.