For this creamy pudding, thin Indian vermicelli is slowly cooked in milk,
becoming light and almost insubstantial. Its mild flavor, perfumed with
cardamom and cumin, makes it a soothing end to a spicy meal.
This is adapted from Chef Bineesh Joseph’s recipe for samya payasam, a traditional dessert made of very thin Indian vermicelli, sauteed in ghee, then slow simmered in milk and sugar. As it cooks, the vermicelli drinks up the liquid, and becomes ethereally light, almost dissolving as soon as it touches your tongue. Cashews and raisins enrich the pudding, while ground toasted cardamom and cumin seed lend a pungent aroma.
Let me add that, on the houseboat, after a spicy chicken curry, Katie, Chris and I loved it.
There are many recipes for samya payasam, some of which are startlingly complex and very rich. Chef Bineesh’s recipe, on the other hand, is quick and economical, befitting a simple dessert prepared in a galley kitchen. In his original recipe, the quantities for all ingredients are “little” and “few,” and he first simmers the vermicelli in water. The only change I made was to double the quantity of milk to produce a slightly creamier pudding.
A word about the ingredients: Do not try to make this dessert with American or Italian vermicelli. The first time I tried it, I used vermicelli from the supermarket, and had to throw out an unpleasant mess of rubbery noodles and clotted milk.
Instead, go to your nearest Indian market, where you will find fragile Indian vermicelli, made of Durham wheat. It will swell up with milk, becoming light and insubstantial as it cooks. I found two brands: Shan, which was already “roasted” to a lovely golden brown color, and Swad, which was the pale color of uncooked pasta (although the package said it too was “roasted”). You can use either, but I like the flavor of the Shan brand. If you use the lighter noodles, they must first be browned in ghee or butter.
And since you are at the market, pick up a small jar of ghee, or clarified butter. It has a wonderful nutty flavor and definitely enhances the taste of the dessert. Chef’s original recipe called for butter, though I suspect he was really using ghee.
Out of curiosity, I tried another version of semiya payaasam in Ammini Ramachandran’s Kerala cookbook, Grains, Greens and Grated Coconuts. This is a much more time-consuming recipe, involving 5 cups of milk and 2 cups of half-and-half, most of which must be absorbed by 1 cup of vermicelli during a long, slow cooking. At the end, it is richer and more liquid than Chef Bineesh’s version, and also toothachingly sweet, with 2 cups of sugar. But it is interesting to see how different cooks approach the same simple dish.
Because samya payasam is a mild, creamy dessert, it is an excellent close to a meal of fiery chicken curry or a spicy vegetable sambar seasoned with red and green chilies.
Creamy Indian Vermicelli Pudding with Cardamom and Cashews
(adapted from Chef Bineesh Joseph, Houseboat VIII, Lake Vembanad)
To serve 2
Ingredients:
1/4 teaspoon cardamom seeds
1/8 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 tablespoons cashews, raw and unsalted
1 tablespoon raisins
1 tablespoon ghee, or butter (see note)
1 cup Indian Durham wheat vermicelli, broken into small pieces (see note)
3/4 cup water
2 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar, or to taste
Method:
1. In a dry frying pan, light toast the cumin and cardamom seeds just until they release their aroma and turn slightly brown. Remove to a small plate and let cool. Grind to a powder, using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt the ghee or butter over a medium low flame. Lightly sauté the cashews until they turn a pale golden brown. Add the raisins and sauté until they puff up. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Add the broken vermicelli to the pan. If you are using noodles that have already been roasted to a golden brown color, you need only coat them in the ghee. But if you are using pale, unroasted noodles, lightly sauté them, adding more ghee if necessary, until they turn a rich golden brown. Watch carefully and stir continuously to keep them from burning.
4. Once the noodles are ready, immediately add the 3/4 cup water to the pan and stir. Reserving a few cashews and raisins for garnish, return the rest to the pan. Simmer the noodles gently for 2 minutes, or until they swell and absorb most of the water.
5. Add the milk and sugar to the pan. Raise the heat to medium and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook slowly for 8 to10 minutes, or until the noodle and milk mixture has thickened, but is still slightly liquid. Stir every few minutes. Do not let the milk boil. Lower the heat, if necessary.
6. When the pudding is done, stir in the ground spices. Pour into a serving bowl and let cool slightly—it is best served warm, but not hot. Just before serving, sprinkle the top of the pudding with the reserved cashews and raisins.
Note: Indian vermicelli and ghee are available at Indian grocery markets, or from www.kalustyans.com.