Carrot Sago Semiya Payasam

At home, on Fridays especially, after a heavy lunch, everybody needs something sweet to take in. If there is nothing, at least a date or an ellunda works, but then the men, especially my brother, would make me feel very guilty that I didn't attempt a pudding or a payasam especially when it is a weekend..There is no hard and fast rule as to how it is to be. It just has to be something sweet.

During this Eid, putting in a lot of ideas in my head to work, I prepared this payasam. I was not very sure as to how the end result would be, but then the guests who came in for lunch really appreciated it and actually could not make out what all went into it because it was a nice medley of flavours. I really do not know what to call it, as it has four main ingredients which make up the payasam - carrot, semiya, coconut milk and sago. So for the sake of it, I will call it...

Carrot Sago Semiya Payasam

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 large carrot, peeled and boiled in 1 cup of water and cooled (I cooked it in the pressure cooker)

1/8 cup sago seeds

200 gm semiya (big vermicelli is the best)
1/2 coconut, grated
1 cup water for making coconut milk
1/2 can of condensed milk
A pinch of cardamom
1/4 cup of sugar (increase/ decrease as per requirement)
10 cashewnuts
10 raisins
10 badams
4 tbsp pure ghee

Method:

• First cook the carrot and allow to cool completely.
• Once done, add the second milk and sufficient water - this can be taken from the water in which you have boiled the carrot, till the semiya is covered. Close the lid and let it cook. I normally allow one whistle and switch it off till the pressure goes by itself.
• Soak sago in some water for 15 to 30 minutes. Drain and then cook it in 2 glasses of water till you can see transparent balls. This may take upto 20 minutes. Once done, drain into a sieve and run cold water through it to avoid sticking. Reserve. 
• Blend the grated coconut with 1/2 cup water, squeeze out the first milk and keep aside. Add the remaining 1/2 cup water and blend again for squeezing out second milk. Keep aside.
• Take a pressure cooker, put 2 tbsp ghee till it heats, lower the heat, add the semiya and roast till done ensuring not to burn it. Upto 5 minutes should do. 
• Blend the cooked carrot along with the remaining water and the first coconut milk into juice. 
• Once the semiya is cooked, switch on the flame again and pour the carrot coconut milk juice into this. Let it come to boil. 
• Add the condensed milk, cooked sago, sugar and cardamom and give it nice stir till all are well combined.
• Finally heat the remaining ghee in a small saucepan, fry the nuts and raisins and dump into the payasam and give it one last stir.

Yummy carrot semiya payasam is ready to be served - can be hot or cold. Once cold, it tends to solidify, so you can make it into a pudding as well!!! The pic itself shows the solid payasam that it became once it was cold. I served it in glasses and gave them a spoon because it was quite thick, but then that's how I like my semiya payasam to be! :) To make it thinner, you can add more coconut milk or plain milk as required. 


My hubby wanted me to make it once again over this weekend, but then I have to spare my time to experiment something else. :)