Sheer Khurma is a rich, creamy milk based vermicelli pudding made with thin, fine vermicelli, whole milk, dates, dry fruits and ghee. This dessert is prepared during Eid celebrations across India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and parts of central Asia. Let's see how to make sheer khurma with step by step pictures and full video.
Sheer Khurma is a traditional dessert in Muslim communities, especially during Eid al-Fitr and is also enjoyed during other festivals and special occasions.
Check out my Ramadan nonbu kanji recipe and also this shahi tukda recipe in my website.
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About Sheer Khurma
The name comes from Persian - Sheer means milk and Khurma means dates. So sheer khurma literally translates to "milk with dates", a beautifully simple name for a dessert that is anything but simple in flavour.
Traditionally, Sheer Khurma is just dates simmered in milk. Over centuries, as the dish travelled along the Silk Road from Persia through central Asia into India, it evolved into the rich nut studded pudding we know and love today.
This special dish is served on the morning of Eid day after Eid prayer, throughout the day to all visiting guests. The morning of eid ul-fitr smells like ghee roasted vermicelli, saffron laced milk and dates. In some regions of Pakistan, it is often thickened with khoya (mawa), some with dried coconut to add a tropical note.
About this recipe
I posted a microwave thin vermicelli payasam long time back when I was initially blogging. My Sindhi friend Sangeeta introduced this fine vermicelli and always used to make semiya payasam with it. I never knew about sheer khurma those days. Now thanks to the popularity of the dish I tried this traditional Sheer Khurma recipe.
Sheer Khurma Ingredients
Below are some of the ingredients you need to make sheer khurma, but don't forget to check out my substitutions & variations.
- Fine vermicelli - Thin vermicelli (seviyan) is typically used for this traditional dessert. I used roasted seviyan, you can use anytype, but make sure to use this thin variery.
- Milk - I used full fat fresh (whole milk). You can also use UHT tetra pack.
- Dates - The main ingredient, I used medjool dates, but you can use any variety.
- Sugar - White sugar used for sweetening.
- Condensed milk - For richness as well as sweetening purpose.
- Evaporated milk - Optional, but it quickens the process as well as adds a caramel flavor to the dessert.
- Nuts - Pistachios, almonds, cashew nuts, raisin, chironji (I used melon seeds as I did not have chironji)
- Saffron - I add it for flavor and color.
- Ghee - To make sheer khurma flavorful, rich and mainly used to roast vermicelli and nuts.
- Cardamom & Rose water - for exoctic flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
Step by step images
Now, let's see how to make sheer khurma with step by step images. Before measuring, break the vermicelli noodles shorter.
1. Heat a tablespoon of ghee in a pan firstly and add fine vermicelli to it.
2. Then stir in low flame to roast evenly without burning it.
3. Once done, add 1 cup water, 2 cups milk to it.
4. Heat it furthermore to bring to boil. Then, simmer it for 5 minutes to cook it soft.
5. After that, add saffron soaked in milk.
6. Then, add sugar, condensed & evaporated milk and cardamom.
7. Switch off the flame and set aside.
8. Now, heat a pan with a tablespoon of ghee and add cashews, almonds, pistachios and chironji seeds (i added melon seeds). Roast well until crisp in medium heat.
9. Then, add dates and raisins and fry until the raisins bloat.
10. Finally, add rose water and the roasted nuts to sheer khurma.
Creamy and delicious sheer khurma is ready!
Substitutions & Variations
Make it Vegan - Substitute ghee with coconut oil or any neutral smelling oil. Use Almond milk in place of Dairy.
Evaporated milk - It is nothing but reduced milk (unsweetened) So, instead of boiling to reduce it for richness, you can partially use this. Of course you can skip it if you can't get it. Just use more milk and reduce it by boiling as needed.
Condensed milk - Added for richness and for quick results as well. So if you do not want to use it, just use more milk and sugar for balancing the taste.
Dry fruits & Nuts - Please feel free to use according to availability. I was waiting for long time to buy chironji but instead I used magaz seeds though it is not authentic. You can skip if it is not available.
Cardamom, rose water - You can also use cinnamon, but use only if you would like it's flavor in a dessert as it will be over-powering other flavors.
Instead of rose water, you can also use kewra water. Please note, rose water and rose essence are not same, essence is much concentrated one, so use just one or two drops if using essence.
Storage
Sheer khurma stays good for couple of days in fridge. Since it uses dairy products, I would not recommend storing more. So finish as soon as possible.
Top tip
- Do not use more evaporated milk than mentioned because it might change the color.
- Fine vermicelli gets cooked in no time, so try not to overcook.
- You can use more milk for runny consistency or to loosen thickened kheer, but make sure to balance sweetness with more sugar.
- In case you do not want to use white sugar, you can also use unrefined sugar.
FAQ
Sheer khurma typically uses thin vermicelli or fine vermicelli. Dates, dry fruits & nuts are added generously in it. It is richer while kheer can be made with ingredients like regular seviyan/ semiya, rice or other ingredients and less rich.
"Sheer" means milk and "Khurma" means Dates. At some parts of world, sheer khurma is just Dates with milk according to Wiki.
Recipe card
Sheer Khurma Recipe | Quick Video, Step by step pictures
Ingredients
- 1 cup Vermicelli thin semiya
- ½ cup Sugar
- 2 tablespoon Ghee
- 1 pinch Saffron
- ¼ cup Condensed milk
- ¼ cup Evaporated milk
- 1 cup Water
- 2 cups Milk
- 1 Cardamom
- 8 each sliced nuts
- Almonds cashews
- 12 Pistachios
- 1 tablespoon Chironji
- 2 Dates
- 1 tablespoon Raisin
Instructions
- Before measuring, break the vermicelli noodles shorter.
- Heat a tablespoon of ghee in a pan firstly and add fine vermicelli to it.
- Then stir in low flame to roast evenly without burning it.
- Once done, add 1 cup water, 2 cups milk to it.
- Heat it furthermore to bring to boil. Then, simmer it for 5 minutes to cook it soft.
- After that, add saffron soaked in milk.
- Then, add sugar, condensed milk, evaporated milk and cardamom.
- Switch off the flame and set aside.
- Now, heat a pan with a tablespoon of ghee and add cashews, almonds, pistachios and chironji seeds (i added melon seeds). Roast well until crisp in medium flame.
- Then, add dates and raisins and fry until the raisins bloat.
- Finally, add rose water and the roasted nuts to sheer khurma.
- Creamy and delicious sheer khurma is ready!
Video
Notes
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- Do not use more evaporated milk than mentioned because it might change the color.
-
- Fine vermicelli gets cooked in no time, so try not to overcook.
-
- You can use more milk for runny consistency or to loosen thickened kheer, but make sure to balance sweet with more sugar.
-
- In case you do not want to use white sugar, you can also use unrefined sugar.
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