Raagi (Finger Millet) Vermicelli Payasam/Kheer/Milk Dessert..Guest Post by Rafeeda

Its guest post time again and today I have my fav blogger Rafeeda from The Big Sweet Tooth  as my guest.Rafeeda was one of the first few bloggers who started following my blog and encouraged me with her lovely comments. .I really admire her writing skills the way she quotes and writes a post.She's a  passionate blogger who loves baking and trying various cuisines and her blog reflects that.I love her  recipes ,her bakes and everything that she has blogged  I have been waiting to try her roasted whole chicken biryani and  Pepper Mutton Curry .

She always encourages bloggers with her lovely comments. She's a very active blogger who loves taking up challenges .I always wanted her to do a guest post for me so when I asked her she happily accepted Thanks a lot dear for sharing a lovely post with us .

I am so excited and pleased to be on Gloria’s space today. Her blog “Pepper, Chilli and Vanilla” is a favorite of mine especially for her baked goodies! I love her collection of buns and cakes that she keeps churning out every now and then.  I am especially enthralled by her Turtle Buns that are hiding among the long list of my “to-do”s.  I sincerely thank her for having this humble me around in her beautiful space.

Before I move ahead, a brief introduction about myself! I am Rafeeda and I blog at “The Big Sweet Tooth”. Just like my blog name, I am a die-hard sweet fan, who can never resist a good bar of chocolate, a large bowl of ice cream, a big slice of cake or a lovely pudding! I am a working mother to two beautiful girls, who takes to cooking as a major stress buster and I enjoy trying out variety dishes in my tiny kitchen whenever I get a chance to do so. My major challenge is always to ensure that the kids eat what I cook, which is a big hurdle, as today’s kids are more vocal about their food likings! My critics are the men in the house, HD and B. While the HD is not a sweet fan, he is a silent critic of the main dishes I make while the B always marks on the sweet dishes!

I was really in a fix as to what to provide Gloria with. Being from the southern state of Kerala in India, I wanted to give something very close to what we make. Each state has their own way of making vermicelli kheer, and even each household has some small variations to them. I have already posted a quick version of making vermicelli payasam (as we call it) on my blog. Of late, in various shops, the availability of raagi (finger millet) vermicelli has been wide spread. During my last vacation, I had picked up a packet and bought along and it stayed hidden in my pantry for more than six months.

Finally when it caught my eye, I had no clue what to do with it. As usual, I googled through for ideas, but an upma or savory dishes with it would never be welcome at home, knowing my family’s taste buds. In between, I was also reminded about the request from HD’s staff to make something for them. That was when this Ragi Vermicelli Payasam was born. I must say that it was widely appreciated! I packed some for my colleagues who also loved their share. The men in the house had wide smiles on their faces and said that they didn’t miss the normal vermicelli. So I suggest then when you get bored of your normal vermicelli payasam, do grab a pack of raagi vermicelli and try this delicious yet healthy payasam! Off to the way I made it.

Raagi (Finger Millet) Vermicelli Payasam/ Kheer/ Milk Dessert

Serves 10-12

Ingredients

1 tsp ghee

250 gm pack ragi semiya (finger millet vermicelli)

500 ml water

1 liter milk

1 tsp cardamom powder

A pinch nutmeg powder

500 ml thin coconut milk

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

For garnishing:

2 tbsp ghee

4 tbsp mixed nuts, chopped coarsely (I took cashews, almonds, pistas)

2 tbsp raisins

Method:

Heat ghee in a wide saucepan. Add the ragi semiya and roast well for around 5 minutes on low heat. Add the water and cook till the water is absorbed in by the semiya. Now add the milk, cardamom and nutmeg powders and cook till the milk comes to a rolling boil. Cook on low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in the coconut milk and cook till it boils. The payasam will start to thicken. Add the sugar and salt and cook for a further 5 minutes. Switch off.

Heat ghee in a kadai. Fry the nuts and then puff up the raisins. Put into the payasam and mix well. Serve warm or cold!

Notes:

The payasam tends to thicken as it sits. Add boiling water till the correct consistency is reached. Do not add water and cook, otherwise the vermicelli may get all mashed up.

I sincerely hope that you liked this simple recipe of mine. I wish Gloria all the very best in her blogging journey and hope to see many many more lovely creations as time passes…