Simui-er Payes (Indian Vermicelli and Milk Pudding)

I love Santa Claus.

No Christmas has not come early but I am definitely missing that sweet, paunchy generous old man. And the reason lies in my son’s faith in him.

Most of the days the husband comes home way past midnight and by then the baby is wide asleep. The days when his father his lat its difficult to put him to bed. He wants his father by his side and gets sad if he is not there. But now with time he also has started to understand the situation and when last week his father again could not make it for his bedtime he said something that got me thinking. After I had finished reading to him and tried to tuck him in the bed he said ‘Baba akhon Santa clause hoe geche. Ami ghumie porlei ese jabe” (father has become Santa caluse, will only come when I am asleep).

Later while cleaning up the kitchen I started thinking. This December when he was too excited to have his first Christmas tree we told him all about Santa Claus. Who he is and how he brings presents to the kids. He wanted to wait for him on the Christmas night and then we told him that he only comes when the kids gets asleep. He knows we don’t get to see Santa Clause but he definitely comes and the proof lies in the presents that he gets to see in the morning. Similarly he gets to see his father coming until in the morning. It’s a beautiful innocent world for him and a beautiful gesture on behalf of Mr. Santa Claus too. I don’t give any brownie point to my hubby for this but how I wish if everyone has been as generous as Santa. Mainly leaving behind the gifts part.

I am not keeping well for quite sometime. My hemoglobin level has gone down to its all time low which with some other problems make me feel exhausted all the time. Night sleep is also disturbed and the morning alarm at 6 makes it impossible for me to get proper sleep. but replenishing that in the afternoon is another problem. I have tried sleeping with the baby many times but with no result. The day I ever try to sleep in the afternoon someone comes for something. Either it would be the Iron wallah, the milkman, the sweeper, the courier guy, the car wash man, the paper wala, the magazine wallah, the driver or if nothing else then some phone call on the landline. And I hate Airtel or for that matter any of the mobile service companies for their scheduled 3’o clock marketing calls in the afternoon. And they are arrogant enough to tell their customers that they can call any time of the day. The frustration increases many folds when you have a small kid at home. Even just the other day I was telling friend about my relation with afternoon sleep and how its so difficult to get some quite zzzz time when you are alone in the house.

Would not it be nice if we could all do our job silently without disturbing others? I understand the need of the courier guy and he doesnot come everyday but the other people? Trust me my lil one made me fall in love with Santa clause all over again. That fat old man with his chubby cheeks and big paunch has stolen my heart with his generosity. He comes in silently when we all are asleep and leaves the gift without any expectation. Most probably along with cookies will make this simui er payes for him this Christmas. The creamy thick sweet delight will definitely will please him.

My simui er payes is almost like the famous Muslim Id special dessert sheer khurma, thick, creamy and rich with dry fruits. And I have a sure shot method to get the consistency right every time with soft and separate strands of thin vermicelli. Actually there are many varieties of vermicelli available with various thickness and its quite difficult to cook it without turning them into a mass. I prefer to cook the vermicelli separately to do away with this. Below is my method.

Simui er Payes

Ingredients:

Full fat milk: 1 liter

Indian Vermicelli: ½ cup

Milkmaid: 2/3 cup

Sugar: 1/3 cup

Ghee/ clarified butter: 2 tsps

Cashew nuts: handful

Raisins: handful

Chopped Pista: 2 tbsp for garnishing

Green cardamoms: 3 pieces

Indian bay leaf: 1 piece

Method:

Wash and soak the raisins in water. Keep aside.

In a heavy bottom pan start boiling the milk on medium flame. Once it comes to a boil take out 11/2 cups of milk. Mix ¾ cups of water to it and keep separately.

In another heavy bottom pan heat the ghee and fry the cashews till they turn light golden in colour. Drain and keep aside.

In the same ghee start roasting the vermicelli on low flame till they also turn golden (approx. 4-5 minutes). Add the bay leaf and stir a few times. Now add half of the milk-water mixture. Stir continuously or it might stick to the bottom. Cook it till its cooked through but every strand separate approx. 8-10 minutes depending on the thickness of the vermicelli. Mix in the sugar and stir till it gets dissolved. Switch off the gas and keep aside.

Mix the milkmaid to the boiling milk and stir continuously till it thickens and reduces to half of its original quantity. Mix in the boiled vermicelli, fried nuts and cook on low for another 3-5 minutes till you get your desired consistency. Mix in the soaked raisins and powdered cardamom. Stir and serve warm or chilled with some chopped pistachios on top.


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Events:
Showcase dessert at Divya's Culinary journey.

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