Ivory pudding in a wide white bowl, rippled with amber-roasted apricots and glossy mate syrup, flecked with lemon zest and cardamom, finished with fresh mint for a cool green pop.

Mate-Roasted Apricots Vermicelli Pudding

A sunny Sunday bowl for sharing: silky vermicelli pudding gently folded with honeyed red lentils, crowned with apricots roasted in a fragrant yerba mate syrup. July's stone fruit sings, while lemon and cardamom keep it bright and celebratory.

Dessert
Prep 45m · Cook 50m · Total 1h 35m
20 ingredients
~820 kcal/serving · 20g protein

Yerba mate is Argentina's heartbeat, poured from thermoses in plazas and outside stadiums where a certain No. 10 keeps rewriting endings. Across the Atlantic, vermicelli puddings (seviyan) traveled through South Asia into British kitchens, where Sunday desserts lean creamy and communal. I wanted a bridge: apricots, peaking in a Belgian July, glazed and roasted in mate and brown sugar until their edges caramelize; a base of toasted vermicelli simmered like a kheer-meets-rice-pudding hybrid; and red lentils folded through for gentle bite and plant protein, a nod to everyday pantry pragmatism amid big, abstract debates. Lemon zest, vanilla, and cardamom offer perfume; a quick chill firms the spoon trails, perfect for a table that needs a little respite. It is quietly worldly: Buenos Aires' gourd-and-bombilla spirit meeting the British-Indian comfort that shows up in U.K. homes and American potlucks alike, then landing in a Belgian kitchen with ripe, local apricots. Inspired by Some of Us Got Tired of Lionel Messi, but He Won Us Over. Again. and Don't Let This Useless Debate Distract You, Democrats.

To drink: Serve with a chilled Belgian witbier; its citrus and coriander lift the apricots and cardamom without overwhelming the delicate mate.

Why this dish?

Menu slot: Sunday Table

Today's draw: legumes · roasting · noodles · Dessert · geographical connection

Front-page mood: serious with a celebratory respite

Why this concept: It's a true dessert centered on roasting fruit, not resembling any recent savory mains; it uses common Belgian July produce, a noodle base, and legume protein (red lentils) in an elegant, chilled-yet-roasted format, while tying Argentina (mate) to U.K./U.S. pudding traditions.

Drawn from:

That day's New York Times front page

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 200C (392F). Set a kettle to boil. Line a small rimmed baking tray with baking paper. Zest the lemon, then juice it and measure 15 ml; set both aside. Rinse the lentils and let them drain in a sieve. Lightly crush any long vermicelli into 3-4 cm pieces for even cooking.
  2. Make the mate syrup: Pour 120 ml just-boiled water over the yerba mate tea bags in a heatproof jug. Steep 5 minutes, then squeeze the bags firmly and discard. Stir in the light brown sugar and 1 g fine sea salt until fully dissolved; the syrup should look glossy and smell malty-herbal.
  3. Roast the apricots: Arrange apricot halves cut-side up on the lined tray. Spoon over half the lemon zest, then pour the mate syrup evenly over and around the fruit. Dot with the 20 g butter. Roast 18-22 minutes, basting once, until the edges are bronzed and the syrup is bubbling and slightly thickened. Remove and rest 5 minutes; they will continue to soften in the hot syrup.
  4. Par-cook the lentils while the apricots roast: In a small saucepan, combine the rinsed lentils with 400 ml cold water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then cook 6-8 minutes until just tender but still holding shape. Drain well and rinse briefly under cool water to stop cooking. Spread on a plate to steam-dry.
  5. Start the pudding: In a wide saucepan, melt 20 g butter over medium heat. Add the vermicelli and toast, stirring, 3-4 minutes until evenly pale-golden and nutty.
  6. Add the dairy: Pour in the milk and cream. Stir to release any clumps, then bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Do not boil hard; aim for a small, steady bubble.
  7. Sweeten and scent: Stir in the granulated sugar, remaining lemon zest, ground cardamom, vanilla extract, and 2 g fine sea salt. Simmer 8-10 minutes, stirring every 30-45 seconds and scraping the bottom, until the noodles are tender and the mixture is thick but still pourable. If it thickens too fast, lower the heat and splash in a little extra milk.
  8. Fold and finish: Stir in the drained lentils and the honey. Simmer 2-3 minutes more to marry flavors, then remove from the heat. The pudding should coat the back of a spoon; it will thicken further with carryover.
  9. Rest and quick-chill: Cover and rest 10 minutes, then transfer to a wide serving bowl to increase surface area. Chill over an ice bath or in the fridge 20-30 minutes, stirring once or twice to prevent a skin, until cool and softly set.
  10. Serve: Spoon the roasted apricots and all their mate syrup over the pudding. Drizzle over the reserved 15 ml lemon juice, lightly bruise the mint leaves between your fingers to release aroma, then scatter them over and bring to the table. Ladle into bowls, making sure everyone gets fruit and syrup.

Cook's note

If you cannot find yerba mate, use strong black tea brewed at double strength. Ripe peaches or nectarines work well in place of apricots; adjust roasting time by a few minutes if larger. For a looser pudding, stir in 50-80 ml hot milk just before serving. Leftovers keep refrigerated up to 2 days; if reheating, warm gently on the stove and ensure the pudding reaches 74C before serving.