Vermicelli Paayasam

# of servings:  6-8	Soak Time:  5 mins
Preparation Time:  10 mins	Cook Time:  20 mins

This simple dessert is a traditional favorite.  This method yields a gourmet looking, smelling and tasting delicacy, without the need for condensed milk or ready-made packages that contain many unwanted ingredients.

Ingredients:

• Vermicelli - 0.5 cup
• Vanilla custard powder - 1 tbsp
• Sugar - 0.75 cup
• Milk (or) Vegan milk - 3.5 cup
• Ghee (or) oil (if vegan) - 2 tbsp
• Cashews - 1 fistful
• Saffron - 2 pinches
• Cardamom - 3 pods
• Cloves - 4 pods
• Mace - 3 pinches

Method:

• To 0.25 cup of milk, add saffron and set aside to soak and release color
• In another cup, mix custard powder in 0.25 cup of cold milk without any lumps
• Set these two aside
• In a pressure cooker vessel, heat the ghee ('Saute' mode in IP)
• When ghee is hot, add the cashews and roast till they start turning brown
• Scoop them out and set aside
• In the same ghee, add vermicelli and roast till golden brown (can buy roasted vermicelli directly instead.  In that case, roast it in the ghee till it becomes hot and aromatic)
• Add 2 cups water and 2 cups milk
• Mix well, cover the lid and pressure cook ('Pressure' mode in IP for 3 mins)
• When it is ready, open the lid and add 1 cup hot milk 
• To this slowly add the custard powder and milk mixture, along with stirring 
• Make sure no lumps are formed and stir for a couple more minutes till it comes to boil
• Add the sugar and bring to boil after sugar dissolves
• Add the saffron milk and stir
• Add more milk if needed and adjust the thickness as desired
• Powder the cardamom, cloves and mace together
• Add this powder to the vessel and stir well so the powder mixes evenly
• Garnish with the roasted cashews and serve hot or chilled, as preferred
• This dessert thickens over time.  If needed, more milk can be added later too

Tips and Tricks:

• Cooking the pressure cooker makes it faster and cuts the time in watching over
• Custard powder should be used just enough to thicken the milk and add some texture.  Avoid using too much powder
• Saffron and custard powder give the paayasam its beautiful color
• The cloves, cardamom and mace give it a gourmet feel and flavour, eliminating the need to buy ready-made packages
• Adding the cashews at the end keeps their crunch better

Pictures: 

Final Outcome: