Recipe Cooked, Photographed and Written by Praveena
PrepTime:5 mins CookTime:15 mins Cuisine:Indian
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Semiya Kesari / Seviyan ka Halwa / Meethi Seviyan / Sweet Vermicelli Pudding, this dessert has many names. As vermicelli is called as Semiya in South India while it’s called as Seviyan in North India. Referred to as Kesari as we add Saffron (kesar).
This is my younger darling daughter’s favourite Indian sweet dish. So this might be some nth time I am making this.
Its our go-to kind of dessert, which I can make perfectly with ease and even without using any measuring & stuff.
Whenever I make this, I definitely hear a scream (out of joy) from my DD “Woow! semiya halwa…Thank you, Amma(Mom)!!” 🙂 🙂 🙂 Ya, simple things make kids happy, right!

Table of Contents:
- How to serve, ‘Semiya Halwa / Meethi Seviyan / Kesari / Vermicelli Pudding’:
- Possible Alterations for the recipe, ‘Semiya Halwa / Seviyan Kesari / Vermicelli Pudding (No Milk)’:
- Other recipes from my blog:
- Step Wise Pics Procedure for ‘Semiya Halwa / Vermicelli Halwa (No Milk)’:
- Tips:
- Result:
- Ingredients, Accessories on ‘AMAZON’ to ‘SHOP’:
- Recipe Card & Print:

How to serve, ‘Semiya Halwa / Meethi Seviyan / Kesari / Vermicelli Pudding’:
The first best combination is to have warm Semiya Halwa, along with Ice-Cream. It tastes really great. In South Indian functions it is served just this way.
This recipe being a very simple & quick to make Indian sweet, it is one of the Most Preferred dessert recipes, for South Indian Bhojanam / Meal Platters. My Collection of Platters⇒ Vindhu Bhojanam / Festive Lunch
For Individual servings also, this sweet is very economical, just wrap them in parchment paper before gifting.

Possible Alterations for the recipe, ‘Semiya Halwa / Seviyan Kesari / Vermicelli Pudding (No Milk)’:
To thicken: For the sake of thickening the dessert, at the final stage, you might use, 2 tablespoons of desiccated coconut.
Sometimes I do add ¼ teaspoon of food colour to the same recipe, aloong with water. Here, I have skipped adding.
Colour of the dish: The colour of the above pics is almost light brown, just because I have used Un-refined Cane Sugar. If you are using white sugar, the outcome would be bright in colour.
Other options for sugar, are to add date syrup or maple syrup or grated jaggery. I used Un Refined raw sugar.
Using Pre-Roasted Vemicelli, In this case, you need not roast the vermicelli. Just skip that step and proceed with the next step of the below recipe.
To make into shapes: After switching the flame off, transfer the whole content onto a greased plate. Leave it for 20 mins, to set. Then cut into desired shapes with a wet knife.

Other recipes from my blog:
Before starting to cook, don’t forget to see the Tips mentioned at the end.
Dessert / Mithayi recipes collection⇒ Desserts / Mithayi
Traditional Indian recipes collection⇒ Traditional Indian Recipes for Festivals / Panduga Nayivedyalu
Festive thali / platters collection⇒ Vindhu Bhojanam / Festive Lunch
Related Posts:
- Pineapple Halwa (Kesari) with Oats
- Sweet Potato Halwa (Instant Pot, Stove Top)
- Semiya Payasam / Kheer / Vermicelli-Milk Pudding
- Bread Burfi / Bread Halwa
- Masala Vada / Lentil Masala Nuggets (Stove Top, Air Fryer, Oven Baked)
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Ingredients:
- Semiya / Vermicelli – 1 cup
- Sugar – 1 cup
- Water – 1 cup
- Raisins / Kishmish – 10
- Cashew nuts – 10
- Almonds – 10
- Cardamom pods (or) powder – 4 (or) ¼ teaspoon
- Saffron / Kesar / Kumkumapuvvu – 8 strands
- Ghee / Butter – 5 tablespoons
- Any Food Colour – ¼ teaspoon (optional)
Special Ingredients:
- Saffron / Kesar / Kumkumapuvvu

Step Wise Pics Procedure for ‘Semiya Halwa / Vermicelli Halwa (No Milk)’:








Tips:
- Vegans can use a non-dairy (plant based) butter.
- You can avoid the food colour, if you wish to.
- Be generous while adding the ghee/butter, its the main ingredient here.
- Be careful while you sauté the semiya / vermicelli, such that it doesn’t burn.
- It can be served warm or chilled.
- Storage: This dessert stays good at room temperature for 2 days and up to a week when refrigerated.
- You need not thaw, just take out and reheat before serving. This way the ghee would melt back again.
Result:
- The taste of this, Semiya halwa / Seviyan Kesari / Meethi Seviyan / Vermicelli Pudding (No Milk), is quite enticing.
- I like to have it warm, along with a scoop of ice-cream. Its a great combo!

Ingredients, Accessories on ‘AMAZON’ to ‘SHOP’:
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Recipe Card & Print:

Semiya Halwa / Vermicelli Pudding (No Milk)
Equipment
- Sauce Pan / Vessel (for stove-top method)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Semiya / Vermicelli
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 cup Water (preferably hot boiling water)
- 10 count Raisins / Kishmish
- 10 count Cashew nuts
- 10 count Almonds
- 4 count Cardamom Pods (or ¼ teaspoon powder)
- 8 strands Saffron / Kesar / Kumkumapuvvu
- 5 tablespoons Ghee / Butter
- ¼ teaspoon Any Food Colour (optional)
Instructions
PREP WORK:
- First, chop the nuts. And powder the cardamom pods. Get the water boiled.
COOKING:
- Put a thick bottomed pan / vessel on stove under a medium flame. Add one tablespoon of ghee and all the dry fruits & nuts. Fry them for a min, by stirring continuously, until they turn light brown in colour. Take them aside into a separate plate.
- Add one more tablespoon of ghee to the same pan. And one cup of semiya/vermicelli.Saute till they turn light brown by stirring continuously.
- Now, lower the flame. Slowly pour the hot boiling water onto the semiya. Close the pan with lid, let it cook for 3-4 mins until the water is completely absorbed the semiya.
- Open the lid, add food colour (optional), saffron strands and cardamom powder. Mix up everything.
- Now, add 1 cup of sugar and mix up everything thoroughly. Add the dry fruits & nuts & the remaining ghee.
- Leave it on stove, for 5 mins. Until the content leaves the side of the pan. Then switch the flame off.
- Transfer the content onto serving dish, Garnish with the remaining dry fruits & nuts. Done!!
Notes
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I can totally relate to why your daughter loves this dessert. Looks so delicious
🙂 🙂 Thank you, Vidya!
Superb! Sharing this..
Thank you so much 🙂 But I cant see my pic for this recipe in your blog? why so?
Have again published it..
Yep! now its up there! Thanks! 🙂
I really wanted to try out a south Indian dessert after seeing the tempting pictures on your blog and I must say we loved it. Thanks.
Hi Bharti Gupta, Thats an amazing compliment, thanks a lot for trying and letting me know. 🙏