Sheer Khurma is a traditional, rich and creamy vermicelli pudding dessert made with seviyan (vermicelli), milk, dates, sugar, and lots of dry fruits and nuts. It can be served hot or cold.
You can also try our vermicelli kheer, rice kheer, and some of the best Indian sweets and desserts.
Ramadan and Eid special
Eid Mubarak, Everyone!
One of the most significant desserts of Eid al-Fitr a Muslim festival that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. It is a traditional festive breakfast served on the morning of Eid after prayers and as a dessert throughout the day for celebrations.
This sweet and creamy dessert is rich in flavor and has a creamy and crunchy texture, making it a perfect addition to the Eid al-Fitr feast. It is believed that sharing Sheer Khurma with your family and friends is a way to spread happiness and strengthen relationships within the community.
Sheer Khorma is popular in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Central Asia, and the Middle East. The name "sheer khurma" is derived from Persian words, which means "milk with dates." It is equivalent to shemai, a Bangladeshi dessert. Seviyan (in Urdu and Hindi) is also popularly known as vermicelli English and other languages.
While here, check out popular and special Eid recipes, Ramadan and IFtar Recipes.
Why you'll love this recipe
- It has a creamy and rich texture as it is made using whole full-fat milk and dry fruits and nuts like cashews, pistachios, almonds, dates, raisins, and anjeer.
- Sheer khurma is very flavorful and fragrant.
- Adding dry fruits like dates, raisins, and anjeer adds sweetness to the kheer and comes with health benefits.
- One of the best and easy desserts you can make for special occasions like weddings, birthdays, or festivals like Eid, Diwali, and Christmas.
Ingredients
Ghee: For rich flavor and to roast the dried fruits, nuts, and vermicelli.
Dried Fruits and Nuts: Dates are very important to make a traditional shahi khurma recipe. This gives a sweetness different from regular Kheer and a unique taste. You can use dry, Medjool, or fresh dates. Along with dates, add cashews, pistachios, almonds, raisins, anjeer, chironji seeds (charoli or almondette), etc.
Vermicelli: I have used pre-roasted vermicelli, also called seviyan or semiya. If using the unroasted ones, make sure your dry roast them on a medium flame for 4 to 6 minutes or until roasted evenly and aromatic.
Milk: Use full-fat whole milk for the best result. The kheer won't be rich and creamy if you use 2 % or skim milk.
Sugar: Adds sweetness to your kheer.
Cardamom powder and Saffron: This gives the traditional flavor to the kheer.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Variations
Chocolate Sheer Khurma: A treat for all chocolate lovers and a twist to traditional sheer khurma. You can melt the chocolate using the double boiler method or microwave and add it to the milk. For a double chocolate treat, you can also garnish it with chocolate chips.
Fruits Sheer Khurma: A treat for fruit lovers. You can add chopped fruits like mangoes, chikku, strawberries, peaches, apples, jackfruit, or bananas. To avoid the kheer from curdling, you can check how to make mango vermicelli kheer.
Coconut Sheer Khurma: Add coconut (fresh, frozen, dried) or coconut milk to the recipe. This is a popular South Indian variation of kheer or payasam.
Shahi Sheer Khurma: You can enrich your kheer or kurma by adding cream or with khoya (mawa or dried milk solids). This type of kheer is specially made during festivals like Eid.
Kulfa Sheer Khurma: Kulfa, or purslane, is a herb used in Indian and Pakistani cuisine. If you want a unique flavor to your kheer, you can chop and add these leaves and dry fruits.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Add milk to a pot or pan and bring it to a boil. Add saffron or kesar and reduce to simmer for 5 minutes or until ready to use, occasionally stirring to avoid it burning at the bottom.
Step 2: Heat ghee or clarified butter on medium heat in a pan. Add almonds, cashews, pistachios, and dates and saute until nuts become golden in color. Add raisins and continue to saute for another 5 to 10 seconds.
Step 3: I have used pre-roasted vermicelli (Seviyan). If the vermecilli you have is unroasted, make sure you separately roast them in 1-2 tablespoons of ghee (or dry roast) for 5 to 6 minutes on medium flame or until aromatic before using them in the recipe.
Step 4: After adding roasted vermicelli to the sauteed nuts, mix everything together. This will take less than 10 to 15 seconds.
Step 5: Add boiled and simmered milk.
Step 6: Simmer for 6 to 8 minutes or until vermicelli is cooked.
Step 7: Next, add sugar and stir until it is completely dissolved and blended with other ingredients. Make sure not to add all the sugar at once. Start at ¼ cup and adjust to desired sweetness.
Step 8: Add cardamom powder, mix, and switch off the flame. This kheer will start thickening as it cools down.
Tips
- I have followed a simple Hyderabadi-style sheer khurma recipe. You can also add grated coconut, khoya (mawa or dried milk solids), or condensed milk to enhance the kheer's richness.
- Use full-fat milk to make this recipe. You can also combine cream and milk to make it richer.
- For flavor, you can also add rose water, kewra (kewda), etc.
- If you are adding condensed milk, skip the sugar.
- Because you are adding dates, adjust the amount of sugar. Start with 4 tablespoon and add more only if needed.
- Always keep stirring to avoid the kheer from burning at the bottom.
- Kheer thickens as it cools down. Adjust the thickness to desired consistency by addition of hot water or milk.
- Refrain from overcooking, as the vermicelli will become mushy.
Storage instructions
If there are any leftovers, you can let the khurma cool completely to room temperature. Transfer it to an air-tight container and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days.
You can serve it chilled, but if you want it warm, add a little milk or water or cream and warm it on low heat, stirring it occasionally until it reaches the desired temperature.
Recipe FAQs
During Eid celebrations, Sheer Khurma is a customary dish often served as a dessert or breakfast to show hospitality and spread joy among loved ones and friends.
Sheer khurma can be served cold or warm. Garnish it with more dried fruits and nuts for flavor and texture. You can also add a drop of rose water for fragrance.
Shahi khurma is richer and more creamy than the regular kheer, and lots of dry fruits and nuts, especially dates, are added. Kheer is made during special occasions like Birthdays and Anniversaries, and Shahi Khurma is specially served during Eid.
Do not throw any curdled kheer. Curdled kheer does not mean that the dish is ruined. It is just that the dish may not look appealing but no compromise on the taste. Kheer or khurma may curdle if the heat is too much. Make sure the flame is medium-low to low while making such desserts. The kheer thickens as it cools down. Add more milk and warm it up just before serving.
Another reason is that dried fruits such as dates and raisins containing natural acids can cause the milk to curdle. To prevent this, once you saute the dried fruits in ghee, you can transfer it to the plate and only add it at the end once you remove the milk from the heat.
More Kheer Recipes
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Recipe card
Sheer Khurma | Seviyan Kheer
Equipment
- 2 Pan or Pot
Ingredients
- 1 litre Milk (approx. 5 cups)
- 8 to 10 Saffron stands or Kesar
- 1 tablespoon Ghee or clarified butter
- 10 to 12 Cashews, chopped
- 10 to 12 Pistachios, chopped
- 10 to 12 Almonds, chopped
- 10 to 12 Dates, chopped
- 3 to 4 Fig or Anjeer (optional)
- 2 tablespoon Raisins
- 1 cup Roasted vermicelli (semiya, seviyan)
- ½ cup Sugar (adjust to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon Cardamom powder
Instructions
- Add milk to a pot or pan and bring it to a boil. Add saffron or kesar and reduce to simmer for 5 minutes or until ready to use, occasionally stirring to avoid it burning at the bottom.1 litre Milk, 8 to 10 Saffron stands or Kesar
- Heat ghee or clarified butter on medium heat in a pan. Add almonds, cashews, pistachios, and dates and saute until nuts become golden in color. Add raisins and continue to saute for another 5 to 10 seconds.1 tablespoon Ghee or clarified butter, 10 to 12 Cashews, chopped, 10 to 12 Pistachios, chopped, 10 to 12 Almonds, chopped, 10 to 12 Dates, chopped, 3 to 4 Fig or Anjeer (optional), 2 tablespoon Raisins
- I have used pre-roasted vermicelli (Seviyan). If the vermicelli you have is unroasted, separately roast them in 1-2 tablespoons of ghee (or dry roast) for 5 to 6 minutes on medium flame or until aromatic before using them in the recipe.1 cup Roasted vermicelli
- After adding roasted vermicelli to the sauteed nuts, mix everything together. This will take less than 10 to 15 seconds.
- Add boiled and simmered milk.
- Simmer for 6 to 8 minutes or until vermicelli is cooked.
- Add sugar and stir until it is completely dissolved and blended with other ingredients. Make sure not to add all the sugar at once. Start at ¼ cup and adjust to desired sweetness.½ cup Sugar
- Add cardamom powder, mix, and switch off the flame. This kheer will start thickening as it cools down. Garnish with rose petals, more dried fruits, and nuts.¼ teaspoon Cardamom powder
Video
Notes
- I have followed a simple Hyderabadi-style sheer khurma recipe. You can also add grated coconut, khoya (mawa or dried milk solids), or condensed milk to enhance the kheer's richness.
- Use full-fat milk to make this recipe. You can also combine cream and milk and also increase ghee up to 3 tablespoon to make it richer.
- For flavor, you can also add rose water, kewra (kewda), etc.
- If you are adding condensed milk, skip the sugar.
- Because you are adding dates, adjust the amount of sugar. Start with 4 tablespoon and add more only if needed.
- Always keep stirring to avoid the kheer from burning at the bottom.
- Kheer thickens as it cools down. Adjust the thickness to desired consistency by addition of hot water or milk.
- Refrain from overcooking, as the vermicelli will become mushy.
nancy
wow this dessert pudding was really lovely. I love how you can enjoy it hot or cold