Semiya payasam or instant sevai kheer is an easy-to-make Indian dessert prepared with milk and vermicelli (semiya / sevai) along with the choicest of ingredients such as cardamom and saffron. While this semiya payasam recipe is traditionally made during the holy month of Ramadan, a period of fasting and feasting, it is enjoyed through the year due to its deliciousness and ease in preparation to satiate post-meal sweet cravings. This enticing vermicelli dessert is made across communities in slightly varying methods (a nnorth Indian variation is known as seviyan kheer) and is enjoyed by all.
Our Kerala semiya payasam recipe is made using ghee, cashew nuts, raisins or kishmish, vermicelli or semiya / sevai, sugar, full-cream or whole milk, green cardamom powder, and saffron soaked in warm milk. If you prefer, you can use toned or skimmed milk for a lighter version of instant sevai kheer though that is not something we would suggest. Read our simple semiya payasam recipe below for a complete list of payasam ingredients, quantities, and method to make this delightful dessert.
Semiya Payasam or instant sevai kheer served in a beaten silver bowl
Loose seviyan appear at various street side shops during the month of Ramadan. Though machine-made seviyan are finer and better as they use the right type of flour compared with the handmade ones, there are takers for the hand-made semiya too. Some people make it at home using flour, salt, and water.
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Roasting peanuts, raisins, and vermicelli (semiya) for Semiya Payasam recipe
Payasam encompasses a range of milk-based desserts, including kheer, and versions of it are popular across the Indian subcontinent. Typically, milk is boiled with rice or vermicelli, sugar, and a range of other ingredients such as sago / tapioca balls, nuts, cardamom, etc. In south Indian homes, payasam is made often but is always made during the festival of Onam in Kerala and the Tamil New Year.
Eid festivities are incomplete without seviyan as these are served during sehri, the pre-dawn meal post which the fasting commences. This is considered Ramadan special food. You can make them in myriad ways - by boiling in sweetened milk like our sheer khurma, or cooking in condensed milk, or even by simply frying in ghee and sugar. Khoya is sometimes used in this dessert for a rich mouthfeel though we prefer the dish without khoya.
Roasting semiya in ghee till golden
To make the instant sevai kheer use a kadhai or heavy bottomed pan or wok. This ensures the ingredients do not catch the bottom of the pan and cook evenly.
Fry the cashew nuts till they turn golden but don't leave the kadhai unattended as the cashews can burn in an instant. Next, fry the raisins till they plump up. The seviyan in this semiya payasam recipe need to be roasted to a light golden. However, if you want to save on cooking time and use less ghee, roasted vermicelli / seviyan are available online.
300 ml water is added to the semiya
Cardamom powder and the saffron soaked in milk are added towards the end of the recipe as we need the aroma and flavours of these ingredients to shine through in the final dish.
Traditional Kerala semiya payasam recipes from maybe fifty years ago, would have prescribed more sugar for this dessert. However, the amount of sugar used in our semiya payasam recipe makes for a perfect dessert that is not overly sweet. If you do not have any health issues and have an unfulfilled sweet tooth, you can try increasing the sugar to suit your taste buds. You must keep in mind though that the level of sweetness tends to increase as the dessert cools, so do not make your decision based on the hot payasam.
Adding sugar and stirring till dissolved while making semiya payasam
Semolina vermicelli is traditionally used in the making of semiya payasam, but variations abound. You can try rice or ragi vermicelli with this same recipe.
Semiya are also used in making vermicelli pulao, which is a savoury breakfast dish in which seviyan are stir fried with vegetables and spices.
Pouring milk into the semiya while preparing semiya payasam
Yes, kheer and payasam are very similar and can be called versions of each other. Kheer is made using a combination of rice and milk (reduced over a long period of time) while payasam can be made with regular milk or coconut milk. It can be made with vermicelli or rice.
Our semiya payasam recipe results in a consistency thinner than a traditional rice kheer or phirni which are thicker in consistency. If, however, you prefer a thick consistency for this recipe, increase the vermicelli used to 75 grams and cook it in the milk for about 10 minutes.
Green cardamom powder and saffron soaked in milk is added to the semiya payasam
Follow the step-by-step recipe with pictures and video which handholds you through the process of making semiya payasam.
Leftovers, if any, can be refrigerated for two to three days. Freezing semiya payasam is not recommended as both the texture and taste get compromised.
Semiya Payasam served in a beaten silver bowl with flowers to create a festive mood
Semiya Payasam can be served hot or cold. Before serving payasam, garnish it with additional fried cashew nuts and food grade rose petals if desired.
The addition of dates or other nuts of your choice to the semiya payasam are a delicious option. Other variations of this vermicelli dessert include coconut semiya and mango semiya.
Semiya Payasam ready to eat served. Garnish with fried cashew nuts and rose petals if you like.
If you don’t like using refined sugar in your desserts, then substitute sugar with jaggery (gur). Jaggery will change the colour of the payasam and bring with it a deep, earthy flavour.
Try our Kerala semiya payasam step by step recipe with pictures and video. Learn how to make instant Ramadan special food semiya payasam at home with all ingredients and easy cooking method.