Vermicelli -Custard- Coconut Milk Pudding

TakabAllahu Minna Wa Minkum ( May Allah accept good deads from you and me) - Eid Mubarak to all my readers..I couldn't post recipes for few days as I am busy..As soon as Eid is announced by sight of moon ( which falls on Friday 17th in UAE and other gulf countries,except Oman),a day ahead of preparation for Eid is done like cleaning home and preparing dessert or malabar special Eid payasam ( porridge) like Kaayi curry ( plaintain - chana dal coconut milk porridge) and Chakkara chor ( Whole wheat -Jaggery Coconut Milk porridge) is prepared and other stuff for next day Eid..I didn't prepare any payasam,as no one will eat in my house..But I prepared dessert next day for Eid lunch,which I am going to share now..After special Eid prayer in morning, Eid Mubarak greeting is exchanged between relatives,friends and others or exchanged through phone when one's relatives stays far away from their place..Before having breakfast or going to perform Eid prayer, traditional Eid payasam is given,if prepared or Dates and water are eaten before going to Eid prayer, as it is the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammed (P.B.U.H).. Then we had a Eid special malabar breakfast.. I made Neypathal ( Fried rice flatbread ( poori) and beef curry,which I'll share the recipe at later post...For lunch, we had Mutton Biryani and dry chicken roast ,which I'll share later post..

As temperature is very hot and humid in UAE,most of the people spent time indoor,visiting relatives or friends and shopping malls..First time of Eid,we had guests and didn't went anywhere..Second day of Eid,we went to shopping mall..Coming to the recipe, I am sharing my own experiment,tasty and successful pudding accompanied by Eid lunch as mentioned above, Vermicelli Custard Coconut Milk Pudding..Actually, I planned to make Tender Coconut Pudding..I don't have time to buy from my nearby Supermarket.so I ordered.. I found that there is no tender coconut pulp inside, so I could not make that..But there is plenty of coconut water,I soaked china grass (Agar agar)in that and remaining we drank it :)..I badly want something sweet like dessert..Then my eyes caught attention of pakistan vermicelli packet ( which I didn't open earlier) and left over custard powder and scraped coconut..I thought my self,why not combined together and make pudding..At first, I am not sure about its taste..When I served this,everyone including my kid loved this dessert..But my hubby is not fond of vermicelli,so he left that :(..Okay,let us go to the recipe;)

      Ingredients

• Thin Vermicelli ( Semiya) - 1/2 cup,broken into pieces ( I use Pakistan wheat vermicelli)
• Full Fat Milk/Low fat milk - 1 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup( I use tea cup measurement)
• Thick Coconut Milk - 1/2 cup **
• Condensed Milk - 1 tin ( 395 gm)
• Sugar - 2 tbsp ( according to your sweet level)
• Salt - a pinch ( to balance sweetness)
• China grass ( Agar agar strands) - 10 gm
• Tender Coconut/Coconut water - 1 cup ( to soak china grass) [ I used tea cup measurement)
• Vanilla Custard Powder - 2 tbsp
• Ghee - 2 tsp ( to roast vermicelli)

        For decoration ( optional)

• Ghee - 1 tbsp
• Coconut shredded - 2 tbsp
• Vermicelli - 1 tbsp
• Cashew nuts - 6 to 7 no.s
• Sugar - 1 tbsp

      Method

• Soak China grass in tender coconut water for 10 mins..

• In a pan, heat ghee and roast vermicelli for few seconds..If using roasted vermicelli, ignore this step..

• In a sauce pan, add 1 1/2 cup milk,condensed milk,roasted vermicelli,sugar and salt and mix well..Then switch on the flame and heat it in a low flame..Make sure to stir in between to avoid lumps of condensed milk and sugar..

• Another saucepan, melt china grass along with tender coconut water in low or medium flame till china grass melts completely..Make sure to stir at interval...

• Add custard powder in 1/2 cup cold milk and stir well to form paste..Then add this custard paste in a boiling milk-condensed milk mixture and stir well in a low flame..No need to get stir continuously as we are not making thick custard..Add thick coconut milk and allow to cook for sometime at low flame..Do not cook at high flame as coconut milk will curdle..Off the flame..

• When china grass melts completely,off the stove and pour the melted china grass immediately through sieve into the vermicelli-custard mixture while hot and stir well..

• Pour the mixture into the wet pudding dish..You will see that vermicelli will set on bottom...

• Allow to cool completely..Then cover it with a plastic wrap and keep it in a freezer for 15 mins till half set,in order to decorate..If you don't wish to decorate,then keep it in a fridge for 6 hrs or more till set...

         For decorating ( optional)

• Heat ghee in a pan,when heated add sugar,coconut shredded,vermicelli and cashew nuts and stir at medium flame till coconut turns brown colour...Be careful don't stir at high flame as it will burn and taste bitter..You will find,sugar also caramilise, that's fine..Off the flame..

• Transfer it into plate and allow to cool completely..

• Add the cooled roasted mixture into the grinder and grind coarsely, don't grind it into fine powder..

• Take out the half set pudding,remove plastic wrap and decorate the grounded roasted mixture according to your design or just sprinkle on top...

• Cover again with a plastic wrap, refrigerate for about 6 hours or until set..

• Cut into square shapes and serve cold..

      Notes

• To make thick coconut milk: Blend 1/4 cup shredded coconut + 1 cup water thoroughly and pour into the strainer and squeeze it..You will get 1/2 cup of thick coconut milk.

• You can use normal Indian vermicelli,if you don't have thin vermicelli..But thin vermicelli (pakistan) tastes better..

• If you don't like vermicelli,you can ignore this step..

• Decorating the top is optional..But it taste delicious..If you don't have time or don't like decorating, leave it plain otherwise...