Semya Kheer

All You Need:

• Semiya/Vermicelli – 3/4 cup
• Sago/Javvarisi – 1/8 cup ( optional)
• Milk (Fat Free) – 6 cup
• Sugar  – 1 – 1 1/4 cup (or use a combination of condensed milk and sugar)
• Cardamon – 5-6 pods
• Saffron – few pinch (Optional)
• Pachai Karpooram /Edible Camphor- tiny pinch
• Raisins / Kishmish – handful
• Cashews – handful
• Ghee – 1 – 2 tsp (for frying) 

The Recipe:

• Soak Sago in warm water for 2-3 hrs.
• In a skillet add 2 tsp of ghee. When it melts add 1 cup of Vermicelli/Semiya and roast it until it turns golden brown. If you already have roasted vermicelli you can skip this step or slightly roast it in ghee for 30 seconds for additional flavor.
• In a heavy bottom sauce pan add milk and bring it to boil.
• When the milk starts boiling add roasted Semiya / Vermicelli and let it cook for 7-8 minutes or until it is cooked.
• Then add sugar, stir and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Add Sago and let it cook for 5 minutes or until Sago is cooked. Soaking in warm water helps Sago to cook super fast.
• Remove from heat.
• Add 1/4 tsp sugar, cardamon seeds and grind it to a fine powder using a pestle and mortar.
• Add 1 tsp of ghee and fry raisins, cashews until it starts changing color.
• Add cardamon powder, a very tiny pinch of pachai karpooram, fried raisins, cashews. Stir and Serve it hot or cold.
• You can add saffron and pistachios if required.