Semiyan Payasam ( Vermicelli Kheer )

Semiyan Payasam is very simple kheer made of vermicelli. You can use either the thin vermicelli or  the slightly thicker one. I prefer the thin ones for kheer. I like the thick ones for making upma.
I usually make this for festivals for naivedyam ( offering to God ).

Ingredients:

• Semiya ( Vermicelli ) - 1 cup
• Milk - 2 cups
• Heavy Cream - 1 cup
• Sugar - 1 cup ( or to taste )
• Cardamom Powder - 1/4 tsp 
• Ghee ( Clarified Butter ) - 1 tbsp
• Cashew Nuts - 10
• Golden Raisins - 10
• Or any other dry fruits you like in your kheer.

Directions: 

• Heat ghee in a pan and roast cashew nuts till golden. Add raisins and allow them to puff up. Take it out and keep aside in a plate.
• In the same pan, add vermicelli and roast them till golden. You can avoid this step if you buy already roasted vermicelli. Just warm them in the pan for about a minute or half. 
• Boil milk in a separate deep pot. 
• Add this boiled milk in the pan containing vermicelli. Let it cook on low-med heat till the vermicelli is cooked. Keep stirring or the milk will stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Add sugar and heavy cream. Mix well till all the sugar is melted. Add powdered cardamom and mix.
• Turn off the heat and add the roasted cashew nuts and raisins.
• You can serve it hot, or cold or at room temperature.

Note : 

• You can avoid heavy cream. Add a cup of extra milk instead. 
• You can also add condensed milk instead of heavy cream. You might want to reduce the quantity of sugar in that case.