Recipe: Sheer Khurma
Sheer Khurma is a thick, rich, creamy, flavourful vermicelli dessert that is prepared during Eid ul-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Muslims in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and parts of Central Asia prepare Sheer Khurma during the Islamic festivals. Generally enjoyed as breakfast or as a dessert on these auspicious days, it can be served warm or cold.
What Is Sheer Khurma?
In the Persian language sheer is milk and khurma or khorma is dates. Long time before modern day borders existed, sheer khurma spread to Afghanistan and then Indian Sub Continent through historic trade and cultural pathways like the Silk Route. What started out as just a date and milk in Iran, when it was introduced to Afghanistan, dry fruits and nuts were added. When it reached the Indian Sub- Continent, fried semia or vermicelli were added.
The Difference Between Seviyan And Sheer Khurma
Yes, there is a difference. Most food bloggers interchange the names but there is a difference. Sheer Khurma always has dates in it, it is thick and creamy. Will also be loaded with nuts and other dried fruits. Seviyan on the other hand is the simpler cousin – not too thick, no dates and usually the only dry fruit added is raisins with nuts like cashew or almonds. Nowadays, for health reasons, people have started adding dates to seviyan as the natural sweetener. Seviyan is also known as sevai or semiya kheer or doodh seviyan. Seviyan also refers to vermicelli dishes both sweet and savoury.
Memories
The first time I enjoyed sheer khurma was when I got married. Hubby had many Muslim friends and we would visit them during Eid. One of his friend’s mum made the best ever sheer khurma. That is when I had it – warm, thick, aromatic and so so delicious. It was totally different from the sev kheer or doodh sev my mum made. Every home has its own spice or method of making sheer khurma. It meant that the sheer khurma at other friends’ homes too tasted a bit different. But one thing was common – the thick creamy texture with well cooked vermicelli.
Sharing Sheer Khurma Recipe With The Group Sunday Funday
I am hosting this Sunday. I suggested the following, “Prepare a dish from any of the South Asian Countries. The countries in that region are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.” A good opportunity to try out cuisines from different countries.
Some Dishes From South Asian Countries You May LIke
Check Out South Asian Recipes By Members Of Sunday Funday
Ingredients Required For Sheer Khurma
SEVIYAN
4 Servings
1 cup broken vermicelli
4 cups full fat milk
½ cup mixed chopped nuts
¼ cup raisins
2 tbsps ghee (clarified butter)
½ cup sugar
½ tsp cardamom powder
¼ tsp nutmeg powder
a few strands of saffron
- Heat the milk in a pan.
- Take another pan and put the ghee in it. Heat the ghee over low heat.
- When the ghee melts, add the vermicelli.
- Roast over low heat, stirring all the time till it becomes brown in colour.Be careful not to burn it.
- Add the hot milk to the roasted vermicelli. Be careful to add the milk from the side of the pan, as steam will be created.
- Stir and let the mixture come to a gentle boil. Add the sugar.
- Mix and let the seviyan simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Stir occasionally so it does not burn at the bottom.
- Once the mixture becomes thick, take it off the heat.
- Add saffron, cardamom and nutmeg powder. Add the nuts and raisins.
- Mix very well and serve hot or put it in the fridge to chill.
- Both hot and chilled seviyan taste yummy.
- For a more liquidy seviyan, add a cup of milk after its cooked.
- For a creamier version, use 3 cups of milk to cook it and then add a cup of fresh cream just when it is done.
- Some recipes use condensed milk, but I personally do not like the taste. About a cup of condensed milk is added to the milk and boiled. Reduce the amount of sugar if using condensed milk.
- If you are going to use an artificial sweetener, then add only 3 cups of milk. Its the sugar and milk cooked that forms a thick syrup.
- Choice of nuts that can be used are walnuts, cashew nuts, almonds, pistachios.
- For a vegan version, use coconut milk or water. Cooking with water will not give you the same colour but the consistency will be thick. Roast the vermicelli in margarine.
- Use unsalted butter instead of ghee.
A little request:
If you do try this recipe then please either
- add a comment below,
- send a picture to my email mayuri.ajay.patel62@gmail.com
- tag me as #mayuri_jikoni on Instagram
- or tag me on Twitter as #Mayuri1962
You may want to check out the following kheer recipes:
