Kerala Semiya Payasam

Roasted vermicelli in sweetened milk with cardamom, ghee and cashews

Origin: Kerala, South India

From the journey of Cardamom.

Payasam is the soul of the Onam Sadya (the grand feast of Kerala's harvest festival, served on a banana leaf in a precise sequence of twenty-eight dishes. Without payasam, there is no sadya. Semiya payasam, made with wheat vermicelli roasted in clarified butter until golden, is the most common home version: quick enough for a weekday yet festive enough for a wedding. The cardamom here is not incidental) it is the defining flavour of Kerala's entire dessert tradition, grown in the same Western Ghats forests where the spice originated. The Cardamom Hills rise just inland from the Malabar Coast, and their harvest has scented Kerala's kitchens for at least three thousand years. A pinch of freshly powdered green cardamom in warm milk is one of the oldest flavour pairings in human food history.

Ingredients

100 g fine wheat vermicelli (semiya)
2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
750 ml whole milk
200 g sweetened condensed milk
2 tbsp sugar, to taste
6 green cardamom pods, seeds extracted and finely ground
30 g cashew nuts, halved
25 g golden raisins
pinch saffron strands (optional, for colour)

Method

Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the cashews and fry, stirring constantly, until golden: about 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the raisins to the same ghee and fry for 30 seconds until they puff up. Remove and set aside.
Add the remaining tablespoon of ghee to the pan. Add the vermicelli and toast over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it turns a deep golden-amber colour and smells nutty: about 3–4 minutes.
Pour in the whole milk gradually, stirring as you go to prevent lumps. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer.
Simmer for 10–12 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the vermicelli sticking to the base, until the milk has thickened slightly and the vermicelli is completely tender.
Stir in the condensed milk, sugar, and saffron if using. Simmer for a further 3 minutes. Taste and adjust sweetness: the payasam should be generously sweet.
Remove from heat and stir in the freshly ground cardamom. Add most of the fried cashews and raisins, reserving a few for garnish.
Serve warm or at room temperature, scattered with the remaining cashews and raisins. Payasam thickens as it cools: thin with a splash of warm milk if needed.

Notes

The finest Kerala payasam is made with freshly crushed cardamom from whole pods: pre-ground cardamom powder loses its fragrance within weeks of opening. For the most traditional version, use jaggery (raw cane sugar) instead of refined sugar and condensed milk; the result is a darker, more complex, slightly caramel-toned payasam called parippu payasam. Pal payasam (rice and milk) is the richer elder sibling, made with raw rice slow-cooked in whole milk for up to two hours.

The Gastrographer

Name: Kerala Semiya Payasam
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: South India
Ingredients: 100 g fine wheat vermicelli (semiya); 2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter); 750 ml whole milk; 200 g sweetened condensed milk; 2 tbsp sugar, to taste; 6 green cardamom pods, seeds extracted and finely ground; 30 g cashew nuts, halved; 25 g golden raisins; pinch saffron strands (optional, for colour)

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control