Sheer Khurma is a delicious vermicelli and milk based pudding that is a speciality during Eid. It is rich, decadent and flavored with dried fruit and cardamom.
The festival of Eid is incomplete without Sheer Khurma. Sevai or seviyan or more popularly known as vermicelli is quintessential to Eid. Vermicelli are thin wheat noodles that are cooked in milk, whole milk preferably to make the creamy and delicious pudding.
Eid is nostalgic of our growing up days in India and then grown up life in Singapore. We visited our father’s friend on Eid every year religiously. It was always a fun visit with all their festivities and good food that was integral to the festival. There was always a huge variety of festive delicacies at their house. My personal favorites were usually kebabs and sheer khurma. As young kids, we always enjoyed time spent at those get togethers.
Once we moved to Singapore, we met some fantastic people and they became wonderful friends. Because food is always so integral to people and relationships, bonding over food is always a wonderful feeling. We learn so much about each other’s culture(s) as we get to know each other.
Eid, the religious holiday is celebrated by Muslims worldwide because it marks the end of the month-long dawn-to-sunset fasting of Ramadan. That day is always so special because friends and family get together, celebrate, greet each other, pray, wear new clothes and of course enjoy a lot of very good food. Kebabs, biryani, meat curries, breads and all the delicious desserts especially sheer khurma in particular are the most popular delicacies on Eid.
I have read and heard from people that each family has their own recipe. I have also heard that while many add dates to this pudding, many do not add dates too. Over the years as well, many people add condensed milk to the milk for a quick version of the pudding. Originally, we take whole milk to start with and slow cook it so as to thicken and reduce to almost half. Thats the authentic way to reduce milk in order to achieve the creamy consistency.
A detailed recipe of how I have learnt to make a good Sheer Khurma follows. It is decadent, indulgent and very flavorful. The best part is that it doesn’t take too much time.
Sheer Khurma
Ingredients
- 1 litre Whole Milk
- ¼ cup Broken wheat vermicelli (thin)
- ¼ cup Sugar (as per taste)
- 2 tbsp Pistachios (Slivered)
- 4 tbsp Almonds (Slivered)
- 2 tbsp Chironji/ chirogi
- 2 tbsp Dates (optional)
- ½ tsp Green cardamom powder
- 2 tbsp Ghee
Instructions
- In a pan, add milk and let it come to a boil.
- Lower the heat and continue to simmer the milk on low flame, stirring every now and then so that it does not burn.
- Let the milk boil and cook slowly, until it reduces to half the initial quantity.
- While the milk simmers, in another pan, add 1-2 tbsp ghee and lightly roast the vermicelli until fragnant and light golden brown. Be careful to not burn. Remove and keep aside.
- In the same pan, add another tablespoon of ghee and lightly roast the almonds, pistachios and the chironji/ chirogi till you get a fragnant, nutty aroma. Be careful to not burn as well. Remove and keep aside in a bowl.
- Once the milk has reduced, add the sugar and roasted vermicelli and cook for another 10 minutes on low flame, stirring at the same time.
- After the vermicelli has softened and cooked, add the cardamom powder and the ghee roasted dried fruit and nuts.
- Mix everything well and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
- Switch off and remove from the flame into a serving dish.
- You may serve the sheer khurma either warm or serve chilled.
