Sweet Vermicelli With Cardamom (Muzaffar Seviyan)

• 4 to 5 green cardamom pods
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron
• 2 tablespoons ghee, clarified butter or high-fat butter
• 1/2 cup chopped pistachios, plus 1 tablespoon whole pistachios
• 6 ounces vermicelli noodles, broken into 1-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons sweetened or unsweetened flaked coconut, for serving
• 1 tablespoon raisins, for serving
• 1 tablespoon slivered almonds, for serving
• 1 cup khoya (thickened milk solids) or heavy cream, for serving

1. Crush cardamom pods with a mortar and pestle or the side of a chefs knife and remove seeds (discard husks).
2. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan.
3. Remove 1 tablespoon of boiling water and use it to steep the saffron.
4. Keep remaining water hot.
5. Heat the ghee in a wok or large skillet over medium-high.
6. Add chopped pistachios and cardamom seeds and stir-fry until the cardamom is fragrant and the pistachios begin to lightly brown, about 1 minute.
7. Reduce heat to medium and add vermicelli.
8. Cook, stirring constantly, until vermicelli is browned and toasted, 3 to 4 minutes.
9. Reduce heat to medium low and add boiling water and steeped saffron.
10. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vermicelli is tender and all the water is absorbed, about 8 minutes.
11. Stir in sugar until dissolved and cook 2 minutes more.
12. Serve warm topped with the coconut, raisins, almonds, whole pistachios and khoya.

green cardamom pods, saffron, ghee, pistachios, vermicelli noodles, sugar, coconut, raisins, slivered almonds, milk

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017546 (may not work)