Full cream milk - ½ litre
Sago ( small transparent variety) - 1 tbsp
Broken semiya - ¼ cup
Sugar - 1/2 cups
Water - 2 cups
Cardamom powder - 1 tsp
Cashewnuts chopped - 1 tbsp
Raisins - 1 tbsp.
Ghee - 6 tsp
Boil milk & keep ready.
Smear 2 tsp ghee on semiya.
Heat 2 tsp ghee in a vessel & fry cashewnuts chopped & raisins & remove.
Add the remaining ghee & add sago.
When the sago looks fried, add semiya & fry on a low fire.
Add 2 cups of water & boil the mixture.
Keep the flame medium & add milk as soon as the sago & semiya are cooked soft.
Boil on a medium flame for 5 mts.
Lower the flame & add sugar.
Thereafter do not boil the mixture.
Keep on a low flame for 2,3 mts, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Add cardamom powder & remove.
Add the cashewnuts & raisins.
On cooling to room temperature, this has a “ sauce “ consistency.
If you plan to refrigerate & serve, add less sago.
Since some varieties of semia become thick on cooling, it is safer to keep some cold milk ready to add if necessary.
Note:
If you are making large quantities, like 2,3 litres of milk, do not increase sago & semiya proportionately.
For 2 litres of milk, double the sago & semiya & additionally add 2-3 tbsp of well cooked moong dhal. This will make the payasam thicker, without making it mushy.
Another alternative to moong dhal is adding 1 tbsp vanilla flavoured custard powder, mixed with little water.
In all cases, do not boil after adding sugar.