Sweet vermicelli

Toast the dry strands in a little butter or ghee until golden, then stir in hot milk or water and simmer gently. Start checking after a few minutes: thin vermicelli cooks quickly, and you want to take it off the heat while the strands still hold their shape.

Yes. Toast the strands first, then simmer them in milk until tender; stir often so the milk does not catch on the pan. Add sugar near the end, since sweetened milk can stick more readily.

Raisins, chopped nuts and cardamom are classic additions; saffron, cinnamon or a little citrus zest also work. Add raisins while the vermicelli simmers so they plump, and stir in toasted nuts just before serving to keep them crunchy.

Cool it promptly, transfer it to a covered container and refrigerate. Eat it within a few days; it will thicken as it chills, so loosen it with a splash of milk when reheating gently until steaming hot.

Yes, but wheat vermicelli is usually plain dried pasta rather than a ready-sweetened dessert, so cook it with milk or water and add sugar yourself. Its strands may be thicker, so follow the packet timing and stop cooking as soon as they are tender.

It is commonly served as a warm milk pudding, often called seviyan kheer or vermicelli kheer, with cardamom and nuts. It can also be cooked with sugar and dried fruit as a drier, pilaf-style sweet dish.