Kerala Vermicelli Milk Pudding

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A beloved Kerala-style sweet pudding made with roasted thin vermicelli simmered in milk, sweetened with sugar, and finished with ghee-roasted cashews, raisins, and cardamom. Served warm at festivals, weddings, and temple offerings, it is light, fragrant, and gently sweet.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 320 kcalCalories
• 11 gFat
• 5 gSaturated Fat
• 48 gCarbs
• 1 gFiber
• 28 gSugar
• 9 gProtein
• 95 mgSodium
• 320 mgPotassium
• 280 mgCalcium
• 1 mgIron
• 1 mgVitamin C
• 240 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the pudding

• 1 cup thin roasted vermicelli (semiya)
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup sugar, or to taste
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 1 pinch saffron strands (optional)
• 1 pinch fine salt

For the ghee tempering and garnish

• 1 tbsp ghee
• 2 tbsp raw cashews, broken into halves
• 1 tbsp golden raisins
• 2 tbsp slivered almonds (optional)

Directions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat and add the vermicelli. Roast, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes until evenly golden and fragrant, then transfer to a plate.
2. In the same pan, add the remaining ghee and fry the cashews and almonds until light golden. Add the raisins and fry for 20 seconds until they puff up, then set the nuts and raisins aside leaving the ghee in the pan.
3. Pour the milk into the pan, scraping up any toasty bits, and bring it to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring often to keep it from scorching on the bottom.
4. Add the roasted vermicelli and the pinch of salt, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vermicelli is fully tender and the milk has thickened slightly.
5. Stir in the sugar and crushed cardamom until the sugar dissolves completely, then add the saffron if using and simmer 2 more minutes. Loosen with a splash of warm milk if the pudding looks too thick, since it will continue to thicken as it cools.
6. Remove from the heat and fold most of the fried cashews, almonds, and raisins into the pudding, reserving a small handful for garnish.
7. Let the payasam rest for 5 minutes so the flavors meld, then ladle into small bowls and top with the reserved nuts and raisins. Serve warm, or chill and serve cold.

Cook’s Notes

• Use thin roasted vermicelli for the most authentic Kerala texture; thicker varieties will need extra simmering time and a splash more milk.
• Stir the milk frequently while it heats to prevent a thick skin from forming or the bottom from catching and burning.
• For a richer Onam-style payasam, swap 1 cup of milk with 1/2 cup of evaporated milk or add 2 tablespoons of condensed milk and reduce the sugar accordingly.
• A tiny pinch of edible camphor (pacha karpooram) stirred in at the end gives a fragrant temple-style finish, but use it sparingly as it is very strong.
• The pudding thickens noticeably as it cools, so always err on the slightly loose side when you take it off the heat.

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