By Aditi Saraswat
April 17, 2026
A bowl of South Indian-style chilled payasam is a satisfying dessert that can soothe you during the hot summer season, as it is light and also gently sweet. Prepared with milk, vermicelli, and nuts, it feels refreshing on the palate and is perfect to have after a simple meal.
1 cup vermicelli (seviyan) 4 cups milk ½ cup sugar 2 tbsp ghee 10–12 cashews 10–12 raisins ½ tsp cardamom powder
In a pan, heat ghee and add cashews and raisins to it and fry until it turns golden and fragrant. Remove and keep aside
In the same pan, add the vermicelli and roast it lightly on a low flame, while stirring it constantly until it turns golden and you smell a nutty aroma.
Pour some milk over the pan and let it boil gently, keeping the flame medium. Let it boil until you see the vermicelli turning soft.
To this, add sugar and mix it well. Let the mixture simmer for a few minutes so that it thickens a bit.
Sprinkle some cardamom powder from the top and mix everything gently. Take the pan off the flame and let the payasam cool down to room temperature before you keep it in the fridge.
Refrigerate for a few hours, then serve chilled paysam, garnishing it with some fried cashews and raisins.