Vermicelli kheer

1. Place the milk in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add salt and sago. Reduce the heat to its lowest setting and allow to cook until the sago is glassy.
2. Heat the ghee in a separate pan and fry the cardamom, cinnamon sticks and whole cloves until aromatic.
3. Add the vermicelli to the spices and cook, stirring continually, until golden brown.
4. Add the water to the vermicelli and cook over a low heat until soft.
5. Add the vermicelli to the milk-and-sago mixture. Add the cardamom and ginger, then add the sugar and stir well.
6. Beat the cream to remove any lumps, then add to the milk mixture.
7. Serve in small bowls. We like to eat it alongside fried papar.

Cook's note: This is the second variant of vermicelli which offers a more liquid-like consistency. I’ve grown up eating this with fluffy papar- the contrast between sweet and salty does all sorts of wonderful things in your mouth!

Extracted with permission from Naqiyah Mayat’s The Beginning: Indian recipes from my home (That Food Guy Publishing)