Periyar

Periyar is a South Indian dessert label, and the pack we carry is built for one of the region's best-loved sweets. Semiya payasam, called vermicelli kheer further north, is thin wheat vermicelli roasted in ghee and simmered in milk with sugar and cardamom until it turns creamy and fragrant.

The Periyar mix lives in our kheer and payasam mix collection, under the wider dessert mixes shelf. It brings the roasted vermicelli and the flavouring together, so the slow work of browning the semiya evenly and getting the sweetness right has been done before you open it.

In Kerala and Tamil Nadu payasam closes the meal at Onam and Vishu sadya, on birthdays, at temple festivals and whenever guests are expected. Bring full-fat milk to the boil, stir in the mix and simmer gently, stirring often so it does not catch, until the vermicelli is soft and the milk has thickened. Fry a handful of cashews and raisins in ghee and pour them over the top just before serving. Payasam can be eaten warm in a bowl, as it is at a sadya, or chilled until it sets a little thicker. Adding a pinch of saffron or a spoonful of condensed milk makes it richer for a special occasion.

Payasam thickens as it cools, so loosen leftovers with a splash of warm milk before serving again, and keep them in the fridge for no more than a day or two. To make it from scratch, see our vermicelli and semiya range, and compare other puddings in the Laziza kheer mixes.