We're not so different...
>> Saturday, 7 March 2009
One main ingredient, with very similar modes of preparation, creates two dishes that represent two different religious foods in Guyana. The coming week will see countries with large Hindu and Muslim populations celebrating Youman-Nabi, the birth anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad and the Hindu festival of Phagwah (Holi), also known as the spring festival. We Guyanese and Trinbigonians will be part of this international celebration. Our countries observe these religious events as National holidays. Click here to read the column and learn a little more about how a dish is perceived differently and yet offers lessons in similarity that we can all learn from as a people.
So without further ado, I present to you a dish made in these parts and simply called by the name of the noodle itself, vermicelli, also known as wet-vermicelli and in other places as Vermicelli Payasam. This for us in the Caribbean is a traditional Hindu dessert.
Now this version, called Vermicelli Cake, is what Guyanese in particular consider a traditional Muslim dessert. The recipes for both of these dishes are immediately available just shoot me an email and I'll send them to you.
Enjoy the celebrations and have a great weekend everyone.
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80 comments:
We call this "melk kos", but the ingredients are so similar....You're right, we are so different.
Oh my, what heavenly, luscious-looking treats!!
Happy weekend!!
The vermicilli cake also reminds me a Jewish Kugel.
That looks great, perfectly sweet dessert :)
well I call this heavenly in my language! I would love a slice of this (not a small slice either please!) :-)
For b'days etc.... my mom made verecelli kheer.
I have never had the set cake.Looks yummy.
My Mum makes a delicious sewian that looks just like this, & I do too, with condensed milk. Both your dishes look DIVINE!! Cynthia, did you know that those red flowers are growing on a bush outside my Mom's place...
:0)
The two dishes look dellcious...I have never had the baked version although the payasam is a regular dish at our home...
I ake the first version too and it's absolutely yummy :-)
yup,u're right cynthia...recipes are more r less same,we call it by different names:)
Probably the second version of vermicelly is more like fudge /Barfi :) Both are delish!
delicious!!my grandmother (from Russia) made a noodle cake like this--kugel-with some raisins and cinnamin-yum
The cake is fab.. looks really yummy, I had tasted this at Arabian restaurant loong ago
Wet vermicelli? :-) Never thought of it that way!
For me, raised in a believing but not very ritualistic home, festivals always mean vermicelli (semiya) payasam and gaarelu (vadas), standard festival fare, more than poojas :-)
We make the first one..Cake looks too good..
Oh yum! Those remind me of rice pudding! ; )
That DOES sound like a party for your tastebuds. They both look yummy and I agree with Glamah16...the vermicelli cake looks just like kugel, but with thinner noodles. Yum!
ooh, both versions look mouth-watering. great recipes.
Missed reading all your recipes! the payasam loks divine!
We call it Semia Kheer, and cake with that looks so wonderful! :))
Nothing says festival better than vermicelli payasam and the vermicelli cake looks delicious too.
Both desserts look delicious! Yes, the muslim one is very similar to the Jewish Kugel...
Cheers,
Rosa
love the vermicelli payasam, both hot and cold :)..i would soo like to try out the vermicelli cake..my email for the recipe is on its way!! :)
O.M.G. Cynthia you should be the queen of the Caribbean! All your dishes are always amazing. I really think you should move to the USA and start your own cooking show on the food channel. I know you would be a huge success. You have so much talent!!
This reminds me of an Indian dessert which has vermicelli as the ingredient as well.
Your snaps lure me. Yummy! We call it semiya payasam.Never done the baked version.
Cynthia,
these looks so delicious and yeah one ingredient and so many variations to make ..I like both the kheer/payasam and the cake ...
Lovely pics ,makes me hungry :))...
hugs and smiles
Cynthia, this vermicelli cake looks so appetizing!! Well, I have learned something new again!!
Payasam, oh my goodness, one of my fav desserts. Your version looks wonderfully luscious.
Great use of vermicelli. I've only used them in savoury dishes like fried or in noodle soups. They look yummy!
Hope you've had a good weekend!
This cake looks delish! Yum yum.
delicious! both the variants. Loved reading your column and a wonderful thought at the end. Wish that some more people would understand that.
Happy Women's day!
I have seen these made before but they never quite looked as great as yours. Good job.
Oh the good old Kheerni as we call this,it looks so beautiful at ur place :-)
My first thought also was this dish reminds me of rice pudding ... I think sometimes people forget that we are more alike than different. I really enjoyed this post :)
Happy Holi Cynthia!
"a rose by any other name" is what these desserts are - call it what you may - the combination of vermicelli and milk make this a delicious and much loved dish!
I just love this vermicelli dessert...I did not know there is a cake version...YUM!
so true Cynthia we r not different
this is a ususl dessert at our house
love it
What fabulous sweets Cynthia!
hmm..never seen the cake version before. I've always heard of the seviyaan pudding served during ID. It looks lovely.
OMGOSH, my college roommate at Berkeley would invite me over to her house for dinner and her mom, who's from the Fiji islands, would always make that first dessert. It was sooooo delicious!! Aww, this post brings back so many memories... I love the way your version looks... thick and mm-mm luscious!
i must confess, i don't like vermicelli pudding. but the pictures are fabulous.
This must be heaven and Ive only just arrived. somebody grab me a chair........God will have to wait......Pass me the dessert please..........
its early in the morning my part of the world.....cynthia what photographs honest its taking all Ive got to stop myself licking the monitor........
very well photographed as well....and how do you manage to put your copyright on your photos....Id love to learn how to do that.........
Cynthia, you make me discover these two desserts.
I've never ate sweet vermicelli...
Both look yummy !
Really these festivals teach us a lot. However far or however diffrent we are.....we are all guiding by the common faith and love. Vermicilli cake looks tempting....
Oh my, the vermicelli cake is to die for...wonderful reads here, as always.
The two dishes look scrumptious treats!!
Rosie x
rWe call vermicelli semia, and semia payasam is definitely celebratory fare.
The vermicelli cake is similar to what I have had at Muslim friends' homes for Id. They call sevaiyan and it is made with a thinner vermicelli and is thicker(than for the wet version) in consistency yet not so thick as to cut it into pieces.
I just made and posted your dhal puris and curried potatoes and was just thinking how we all have more in common than many of us realise.:)
Happy Holi and Id, Cynthia.
The vermicelli cake looks delicious! My kids are pasta fanatics. I once made a baked dish (not a dessert, more like spaghetti with tomato sauce, but solid like the cake) that my son loved - and I have yet to replicate! I'm still trying to recreate it. :)
Would luv luv luv the recipe for the Vermicelli Cake...looks fantastic..and what a g8 post..makes u realize how alike we all are irrespective of region, religion and the like!
I have had the payasam, tho rice kheer is more prevalant in the eastern parts of india from where i come. My daughter loves this, tho I am not too fond. I remember seeing something similar as the cake in a Turkish Restaurant but do not recollect eating it. What else does it have it?
Just to let u know, I made the curry goat with coconut milk.. LOVED IT!!! posted it in my blog. Thanks:-)
My mother in law makes the Vermicelli cake, but with the payasam recipe. I just had some a few hours ago :) Gorgeous pics!
cynthia, I would have probably picked up the bowl of vermicelli payasam if I could :) love the title too!
Good to know Holi is a National Holiday in the Caribbean. Is Diwali and other festivals too?
Delicious Payasam. I am not familiar with the cake though.
Although I have never tried it before, it sounds so delicious. Definitely taste heaven! Luv it!
I'm so glad you mentioned about Muhammad's(pbuh) b'day,we had a big gathering last weekend in his remembrance.Both the variations of sevia look luscious and rich,I must mail you for the second recipe:)
A wonderful-looking and sounding dessert. Best wishes to those celebrating the holiday.
Oh, my goodness! Your buljol looks so scrumptious! I love it! Do you have a recipe in the archives? ;-)
Paz
Beautiful, just beatiful. Dear Cynthia, I wish you the best in these days of celebration.
I`ve been quite busy, we're are moving back home in three weeks, my house is already a very organized mess, hope to survive, as I have to so many other movings.
Big hug, keep in touch
Just perfect Cynthia. Such a talented woman you are. When I have a bit more time to play in the kitchen, I suspect I'll be emailing you for the recipes.
Wow, I'd have never thought :)
Awesome pictures girl! Never seen it before.
A wonderful post that reminds one of the unity in cultures. I love payasam! Happy holi!
Hmmm...lovely pics! YOu know the 1st pic which is prepared by Hindus...infact in India, Muslims prepare this for Eid and distribute among neighbours. Its called seviyaan in India. The second one is something new and unique! Love both the dishes.
First time here..Im speechless after seeing your blog..Its lovely with superb photographs.
Both versions of vermicelli pudding looks absolutely delicious :)
I've not seen anything like this before--looks interesting, but probably a little sweet for me. Happy holidays!
That is one glam sevaiyyan cake
Yes, we are not that different from each other. :)
Iv found a few Malaysian dishes called something else but sharing almost the same recipe.
The vermicelli pudding looks yummy but im gonna need a few other people to eat it wit me before i attempt to make it. lol.
We call the first version as 'Sheer Qorma', made especially on the 'Eid-ul-Fitr', and also on other occasions.
But I never had the second version till now. Looks delectable!
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that vermicelli cake looks delish!
I love the theme of your post - we are all alike and all different. And we all love dessert ;)
Thanks for mentioning the Prophet(PBUH)! We call the vermicelli with the milk( Kir) and the vermicelli cake is new to me. Your pictures are so yum!
what a great post name - I absolute agree with you. We are not so different.
Lovely looking dishes. In Azerbaijan we make a somewhat similar vermicelli dessert with milk and it is usually served for breakfast. Kids love it:) Love your photos.
Payasam!!!!My mom always made the top dessert on special religious holidays!
Oh my, you have me mouthwatering. Beautiful pictures.
Cake version of such a traditional sweet wowwwwww thats brilliant.Looks super moist and delicious.
The vermicelli payasam is about the only traditional sweet I know how to prepare! :) So wonderful to read about Hindu and Muslim holidays being celebrated in the Caribe!
Nice payasam...we are always looking out for the finest vermicelli for this. You've reminded me it's time to make some again.
As for the cake...Maharashtrians (
people from the southwest of India) make something similar about 1/8 inch high.
That's such an interesting post - how the same basic ingredients prepared slightly differently can be perceived as different dishes altogether, appropriated by different cultural groups. I think the idea of some sort of dough in a milky, spicy mix is a pretty universal thing - universally delicious, that is!
First off I would like to say as a newcommer to your blog,how delighted I am to be here,I enjoy your posts tremendously!
Secondly,I just love the way the dual preparation of this dish shows that thread of us being similar and different at the same time!
To add an extra punch to this,I just have to share another duality of this dish as I personally know it:My mother prepares this cake dish as a Kugel being jewish from the Alsace region,and on the other side my father is from Egypt and knows the porridge version as Belila!Talk about different..The beauty is the dish itself that is just sooo good it brings us ALL together,right?! :)
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