East Indian Farina Hot Cereal (Payasam)

Adapted from Laurel's Kitchen vegetarian cookbook-the first vegetarian cookbook I ever bought. The original recipes uses brown rice cereal, which is equally good! I've made this many, many times for breakfast. My payasam I prefer on the thick side, so feel free to add more milk or less cereal. Comforting and delicious on a cold winter day.

• Ready In: 10 mins
• Serves: 1-2

Ingredients

• 1  cup  whole milk or 1  cup  rice milk
• 1⁄3 cup farina (farina is also known as Cream of Wheat) or 1⁄3 cup  brown rice  meal (farina is also known as Cream of Wheat)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons butter (NOT margarine)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cardamom, to taste
• 1⁄2 tablespoon  unbleached cane sugar, to taste
• 2  tablespoons  raw pistachios, pieces chopped or 2  tablespoons  raw  almonds, chopped
• 2  tablespoons raisins

Directions

1. In saucepan bring milk to almost boil and stir in the cereal using a fork to break up the clumps. Stir in the salt.
2. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes for farina, 10 minutes for rice meal.
3. In a small saute pan, melt the butter on medium heat and add the cardamon, cane sugar and raw nuts. Toast for about 2 minutes, being careful not to burn.
4. Add the raisins to the butter mixture and heat through.
5. Once the hot cereal is cooked, stir the cardamom/nut mixture into the cereal.
6. Serve piping hot. Mmmm!