Authentic South Indian Semiya Saggubiyyam Payasam recipe made with roasted vermicelli, soft tapioca pearls, milk, sugar, and ghee-fried dry fruits.
- 1/4 cup Saggubiyyam Sabudana / Tapioca pearls, medium size
- 1/2 cup Semiya Vermicelli
- 4 cups Full-fat milk boiled and warm
- 1.5 cups Water
- 3/4 cup Sugar granulated
- 2 tbsp Ghee
- 10 –12 Cashews halved
- 1 tbsp Raisins kishmish
- 1/2 tsp Cardamom powder freshly ground
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Soak Saggubiyyam: Rinse 1/4 cup saggubiyyam under cold water until clear. Soak in 1/2 cup water for 30–45 minutes. Drain excess water before cooking.
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Fry Nuts & Semiya: Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a pot over medium heat. Fry cashews until light golden, add raisins until plump, and set aside. In the same ghee, roast 1/2 cup semiya on low-medium heat for 3–4 minutes until golden brown; remove and set aside.
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Parboil Saggubiyyam: In the same pot, bring 1.5 cups water to a boil. Add the soaked saggubiyyam and cook for 6–8 minutes on medium heat until the pearls turn translucent on the outside.
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Simmer with Milk: Pour 4 cups of warm boiled milk into the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer for 3 minutes over medium-low heat.
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Cook Semiya: Add the roasted semiya to the milk. Simmer for 4–5 minutes until the vermicelli is soft and the saggubiyyam pearls are fully clear like glass beads.
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Sweeten & Flavor: Lower the heat. Stir in 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp cardamom powder. Simmer for 2 minutes until the sugar dissolves completely. Turn off the heat while the consistency remains pourable and light.
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Garnish: Stir in the fried cashews, raisins, and remaining ghee from the plate. Serve warm or chilled.
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Turn off the heat while the mixture looks slightly thinner than desired; it thickens significantly as the tapioca cools.
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Never add sugar before the saggubiyyam is completely soft, or the pearls will remain hard.
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Loosen chilled, thickened payasam by stirring in 1/4 to 1/2 cup of warm milk over low heat.