The payasam most South Indian households can make without thinking, and the one most often made badly. The fault is nearly always the same: pale vermicelli.
Roast it in ghee until it goes a shade darker, even if the packet says pre-roasted. That colour is the entire flavour of the dish. Vermicelli tipped straight into milk gives you something sweet and milky and characterless.
The other thing to know is that it thickens a great deal as it cools. Take it off the heat looking thinner than you actually want it, or you will be serving a solid block an hour later.
Everything you need for this recipe is on the shelf at One Place Bazaar, delivered to all 32 counties. See the rest of our Ganesh Chaturthi recipes.
