In a pan, heat 1 teaspoon of ghee. Add cashews and raisins – fry until golden. Set aside. In the same pan, add the remaining 1 teaspoon of ghee and fry the semiya/vermicelli until nicely toasted and golden on low flame.
Add 1 cup of water and keep the pan covered. In 6-7 mins, the semiya/vermicelli would be cooked with all water evaporated. Add sugar and mix well. Once the sugar dissolves, it would leave water. Cook for another 5 mins.
Once the semiya is thick again, add crushed green cardamom/powder. On a low flame, add the milk and mix well. Keeping the heat low, bring it to a boil. Add the tbsp. of condensed milk and mix well. Switch off the heat and add fried dry fruits.
Serve warm/cold as dessert/sweet.
Notes
I used roasted vermicelli but still roasted it with some ghee since I love the nutty flavor of semiya roasted in ghee. Also, the vermicelli would be non-sticky.
When the vermicelli/semiya turns almost transparent and can be mashed between your fingers, it is cooked.
Adjust sugar levels as per taste preferences.
Condensed milk is optional but gives a good sugary kick to the kheer/payasam. Also makes it rich.
Be careful when adding milk. Sometimes the milk can curdle if the heat is too much. Make sure the sugar is well cooked and the flame is low.
As the kheer/payasam cools down, it can thicken up. Add more milk and warm again before serving.
The thickness of the kheer is as per preference. I like mine with lots of milk but if you prefer thicker kheer, cook the milk further until it thickens up a bit.