Semiya payasam

Semiya payasam/ shahi kheer/vermicelli pudding / sheer qorma what ever you call it , it sounds so sweeeet and delicious. It has a special aroma of the Cardamom and saffron. Anything made rich with nuts and raisins is shahi. Shahi meaning " royal". This dish is enjoyed all over India by everyone on the special ocassions like festivals, pujas, Eid, birthdays, ceremonies etc. You can either make it rich and delicious with homo milk, heavy cream, ground almonds and ground cashews or make it light using splenda and skim milk and enjoy it to your heart's content.

Variation: Substitute vermicelli with rice and there you go... you got "Rice pudding".
Substitute  vemicelli with rice powder you got " Phirni / firni".
Substitute vermicelli with carrots, you got "Gajar ka halwa" .
Substitute it with sooji you got " Rava kesari" .
If you add soaked dates and rose essence it till become "Sheer Qorma". .
The basic ingredients remain the same , a simple change of the main ingredient will transform into another classic, delicious dish. If you know one dish, you know it all....

Semiya payasam
Ingredients:
Vermicelli - 1 cup
Milk - 1 lt
Sugar - 1 cup Adjust accordingly
Raisins - 2 tbsp
Cardamom - 1/2 tsp powdered or cardamom essence - 2 drops
Almonds - 1 tbsp slivered
Cashews - 1 tbsp
Saffron - few strands
Chironji - 1 tsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp

Method:
1. In a pan roast vermicelli with few drops of oil or ghee until golden brown. ( you can skip this process, incase you bought a pre-roasted vermicelli) keep it aside.

2. In a deep dish boil milk, add saffron, cardamom allow to boil. Add sugar and stir until it melts. Make sure the bottom doesn't burn. Add roasted vermicelli and allow it to cook. it should feel soft when touched.

3. While the vermicelli is cooking, In a small pan add ghee and fry cashews, almonds, chironji, raisins add it to the cooked vermicelli and give a stir. serve hot or cold. Add additional amount of milk if it is too thick or if it is very runny and watery you can add 1tsp of almond or cashew pwd to make it thick.

4. Serve either warm or chilled