Sevai Kheer

Monday was festival of Holi, the festival of colors.

No Indian festival is complete without sweets. We have some sweet associated with these festivals, typical to have it on those festival and after talking home with family i ended up preparing my customised version of "Savaiya", or "Sevai kheer" to be in-line with them. :o)

Let's collect Ingredients:

1/2 litre full-milk

1/2 cup fine vermicelli, broken

1 tsp. ghee

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. cardamom, crushed

15-20 strands of saffron, crushed in 1 tsp. hot milk ( I didn't put it, as i didn't want colour )

Dryfruits of your choice, handful ( I put thinly slivered almonds, a few cashews, a few raisins )

Let's start cooking :

* Take 2 table spoons ghee and heat it on medium high in a heavy deep pan.

* Add the half cup vermicelli to the ghee and let it roast till it becomes golden brown.

* Keep the flame on low and keep stirring as you roast to roast evenly.

* Once the vermicelli gets brown add the hot milk to it. Take care since the milk may splatter.

* Add sugar and cardamom powder.

* Keep stirring on a medium flame since milk may boil and overflow.

* Add cardamom, saffron and dry fruits. ( I added chopped almonds,cashwes and raisins )

* Reduce heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently so that it doesn't stick at the bottom of the pan.

* Once the milk reaches a desired consistency, remove from the heat.

* Serve hot, garnished with more chopped almonds if desired.

One can also serve it chilled.

Tips :

In Indian cooking, vermicelli ( We call it Sev in west - India ) that we use is a bit different in look and feel than Chinese vermicelli. (Specially in this dish ) So i call it Indian vermicelli.

Kheer is normally more liquid but i made it a bit like pudding with thickness by keeping it on stove for some more time to let milk evaporate and thicken and it was truly yummy... yummm :o)

Don't thicken it much if you intend to eat it chilled.