Tapioca-Vermicelli Pudding (Sabudana and Semiya Payasam)

You know what goes well with Indian food? More Indian food.

Needed something sweet and summery to douse the fire from the spicy Paneer.

I love American style tapioca pudding, and I like the Indian style vermicelli pudding with dried fruits and nuts. This looks like a fun combo of them, adapted from 

https://zestysouthindiankitchen.com/2013/10/sabudana-semiya-payasam-tapioca-pearls-vermicelli-milk-pudding.html

• 1/4 cup sabudana/Tapioca pearls
• 1/4 cup Semiya/Vermicelli
• 4 cups milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2  cardamom pods (I used 8 black cardamom seeds)
• 8  cashews 
• 15 raisins 
• (I used cashews, pepitas, and cranberries)

This comes out mildly flavorful, it's fine but a bit boring. I added a big bunch of leftover mint leaves, and lime and tangerine zest, and took out the mint after 10 minutes simmering. Woah! Cool minty fruitnut flavor. Dash of cinnamon and garam masala. Bit of cornstarch in water to set up more like American style pudding. Very nice.

Post-eating thoughts: This is great for me, because it's not using a ton of sugar like other recipes. Get your dessert fix on without requiring insulin. Hm. This would make FANTASTIC popsicles.

Instructions

1. Soak the sabudana for 20 minutes with 1 cup water,  wash well and remove all the starchy particles. Cook the sabudana for another 20 minutes with 1 ½ cup  water until it becomes transparent. Wash again with water, drain and set aside.
2. Heat butter and add nuts and dried fruits about 1 minute. Remove and set aside.
3. Heat 1 teaspoon butter  and add semiya and roast until golden, about 2 minutes. Add water and cook 15 minutes or so. Add milk, cooked sabudana and sugar and cook for another 10 minutes.
4. Add crushed cardamom and fried cashews and raisins. Enjoy warm or chill.