Semai Payesh

"Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all." ~ Harriet Van Horne

So well, there’d be lots of places where you can get fancy ways of cooking Semai (Sweet dish using semolina). But here, I am going to write about the easiest method which takes the least amount of time and tastes just as good. The fast-food way of preparation.

• Take some milk, preferably full cream and some Semolina.
• First put some butter in a vessel (preferably one that has a thicker bottom) and then fry the vermicelli till it turns golden brown. Keep stirring continuously since it might get burnt very easily. 
• Add two bay leaves (tej patta) to it and fry for a few seconds. 
• Add milk and keep stirring. 
• After some time add sugar (as per taste) and raisins. 
• And other dry fruits, if you so desire.

This is what it looks like on the stove. Unfortunately, the payesh became too thick after I cooled it so had to add some more milk. Hence don’t keep it on the flame for a really long time. Serve cold, tastes best.

Just to wrap up - In ingredients (which I realise should have been in the beginning but am too lazy to rewrite the post)

(1) One (or a little less) cup of Semolina

(2) one litre of preferably full-cream milk. Skimmed milk is also fine (as long as it tastes like milk).

(3) Butter - one and a half tablespoon

(4) Four green cardamom or small elaichi

(5) Raisins (as many as you want :-) )

(6) Unsalted Cashew nuts (if you want to spoil the taste by overcrowding it)

(7) Two Bay leaves

All the Best !