Sheer Khurma | How to Make Sheer Khurma

Sheer Khurma Recipe - A rich and delicious traditional milk sweet made during festival of Ramadan Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha. It is prepared by simmering milk with nylon vermicelli, dates, dry fruits and sugar. A popular signature Mughlai dessert adored by the Muslims across India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Eid is the festival of love, joy and happiness and last but not the least our favorite food. Sheer Korma is not just a dessert, but an exceedingly phenomenal emotion.

As another Eid of the year is around the corners, we all are deliberately waiting for this most sumptuous traditional dessert

A perfectly cooked milk delicacy, seasoned with tons of dry fruits is what we wait for the whole year. I literally get many calls and messages for to serve them this simmering hot and sweet festive delicacy.

Most of my friends crave for Hyderabadi Sheer Khurma, but, a little secret here is that I myself insanely crave for this. Omg! many of my lovely people out there says to me, that they love muslim food so much and want to enjoy it every Eid 🙂

What is Sheer Khurma?

Sheer Khurma is a Persain term which means "milk cooked with dates " in english. So, basically, sheer refers to 'milk'. Khurma means 'dates' or 'khajur'.

It is a delicious rich dessert preparation or I should say Eid special food that is enjoyed by Muslims in Asian sub continents that is India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Eid-ul-fitr and Eid-ul-Adha is never complete without this luscious dessert. It is indeed a sheer joy to see that Sheer Korma tops the list in Afghani, Pakistani cuisine and Hyderabadi Cuisine during our Eid festival.

It is made by boiling fresh milk until it turns creamish in color, similar to the colour of rabdi. Add cardamom powder, fine nylon vermicelli (brown Sevayi) and nuts to the boiled milk and then simmer it on low flame.

Then, finally pouring the cardamom pod tempering over it, finishes the dish.

I am mentioning the list of ingredients below. Check out the consistency and condiments for making truly the best Hyderabadi Sheer Korma recipe this festive season.

Making Sheer khurma with condensed milk or Milkmaid?

Condensed milk is just a second sweetener option. I do not appreciate using condensed milk or custard powder in it. As it changes the original taste of the Sheer Korma.

An authentic recipe is made out of milk and sugar and pure ghee. No extra sweetener or artificial flavors or colors are required.

But, still if you prefer to make it with condensed milk, then add one and half tin of condensed milk to 5 litres of milk measure. You may need to skip the sugar then.

However, you can add condensed milk as per you sweetness preference, do increase or decrease it accordingly. Follow the same procedure and add condensed milk instead of sugar.

In fact, I do not at all like this sevaiyan with extra flavors. Personally, I feel, it disturbs the originality of the Sheer Korma.

And when it comes to authentic Hyderabadi version, trust me I do not support any compromises there. I strongly suggest to use only full fat fresh milk. The tetra pack ones is also very well to go too.

Ingredients

Sheer Khurma recipe asks for few specific ingredients which definitely cannot be skipped. Significantly, we need whole milk, sugar, fine nylon vermicelli, almonds, pistachios, dates, chironji, ghee, elaichi powder, green cardamom pods and saffron.

Though, many do add raisins, cashew nuts, pine nuts and melon seeds as well, these are totally your choice. I do not add any of these. Also, desi and vanaspati, both the ghee will do fine, but do avoid refined vegetable oil.

Yes, slivered, roasted nuts are the backbone of the Hyderabadi Sheer Khurma. You can pick up any dry fruits as per your requirement. But, almonds, pistachios and charoli seeds are amongst the most favorable dry fruits to go in this amazing festival dessert recipe.

However, sometimes I do add little cashew nut paste and sometimes I don't.  But trust me, only almonds, pistachios and chironji along with sevayin gives the best sheer khorma to devour it happily along with your family and friends.

to peel chironji (charily nuts)

First, soak the chironji or charoli nuts in enough water, over night or atleast 2-3 hours (in hot water).

There are two ways of peeling it

1. After it is soaked well, either gently rub the chironji within your palms in water bowl itself Charoli nuts will release the skin off and will split into two. Skin will float on the top of the water, then strain it in strainer. You will get clean peeled chironji in bowl and peel in a strainer.
2. The another method is, place it on clean kitchen towel and rub gently with towel itself. Then transfer the chironji into a bowl with enough water and shake, skin will float and then strain it.

Important Tips

Always use fine nylon vermicelli to make the dessert. However, only in case of non availability, you can use the thick roasted ones like Bambino brand.

Use full fat milk only, to give the best rich creamy consistency and taste to this dessert. Low fat milk is big NO if you want to relish authentic creamy milk sheer khorma.

Do not skip dried dates as the dish itself says milk cooked with dates. Use good quality dates, de seed it and slightly fry ghee for few seconds before adding it to the milk.

Most Noteworthy, please do not add dry fruits with out soaking or blanching it. Significantly, always soak them over night for best results, peel and slice them and then proceed. However, if you have time crunch, then blanch them for couple of hours, peel and slice them and use.

Remember, authentic sheer khurma recipe do not call for addition of dry fruits and nuts without soaking. So, I would strongly urge you, do not compromise on this step. And mark my words, you will make the best sheer korma ever.

Most of the time, I also, freeze the ghee roasted sliced nuts in a zip pouch. It becomes handy whenever you want to make it for your family or on sudden guest arrival.

You will find that addition of saffron is not usual in other khurma recipes on the net. You can skip it.

However, if you can, I would recommend you to add few strands for richer flavor and aroma. Nevertheless, it wont alter the authenticity and flavor if you skip it.

Storage and Freezing

Well, this is most important thing and of course a secret, that I should tell you 😛 .

Every year, when we make sheer korma in bulk (atleast 10 litres of milk), I especially do save a small pot of it and freeze it for myself. And when, I want to have it, just that I have to thaw it at the counter fully and reheat it in either microwave or stope top.

Furthermore, do not keep Sheer Khurma out on counter for more than 12 hours in warm or too hot place for longer time, as it is a delicate dessert.

Also, heat it on a very low flame in the evening if you have made it in the morning. This may prevent curdling of milk, and would not smell stale.

You can easily refrigerate it in clean air tight container for 3-4 days and in freezer for 2-3 months.

Some of the best Eid Recipes and sweets recipes you may want to try:

• Yakhni Pulao
• Kala Jamun
• Zarda Pulao
• Lauki Ka halwa
• Kashmiri Pulao
• Afghani Tangdi Kabab
• Chicken Kali Mirch
• Shahi Tukda

How To Make Best Sheer Khurma Recipe - Step by Step

To start with, first, spread the peeled chironji on a plate and allow it to dry for some time. (photo 1)

Then, in a pan, heat ¾ cup of ghee. (photo 2)

Once the ghee heats up, add peeled and slivered almonds, pistachios and peeled chirongi. (photo 3)

Fry them until it just picks up golden colour, but not burnt. (photo 4)

Once they are done, immediately take it out on to a plate and set aside. (photo 5)

Then add dates and fry for few seconds until aromatic but not burnt), remove and keep it aside. (photo 6)

After that, in the same pan with ghee, add fine vermicelli (photo 7)

Roast the vermicelli until just golden and aromatic, please do not burn. Carefully keep an eye, as fine vermicelli tends to burn fast. Take it out and set aside. (photo 8)

Simmering the nuts and vermicelli in Milk

Once the dry fruits and vermicelli is ready, then pour milk in a large heavy bottom pot and place in on the stove top. Bring the milk to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. (photo 9)

Then add cardamom powder and simmer for another 5 minutes until aromatic. (photo 10)

Next, add saffron strands mix and simmer for 10 minutes. (photo 11)

Now, its time to add all the ingredients when milk releases fresh aroma of saffron and cardamom. Add fried dry fruits, dates, vermicelli, sugar and mix. Also, add all the remaining ghee (if any) in which we had fried dry fruits and vermicelli. (photo 12)

Simmer for another 10 minutes atleast. I usually prefer a little longer simmer time (20 minutes) after adding all the ingredients until turns nice creamish pink in colour similar to rabdi. (photo 13)

Then, switch off the heat and prepare for tadka. Heat remaining ghee in a small pan. (photo 14)

Once the ghee is hot enough,  add green cardamom pods, fry for few seconds. (photo 15)

Finally, pour the cardamom tempering over the sheer khurma and it is ready to serve. (photo 16)

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Sheer Khurma Recipe

Sheer Khurma is a rich traditional dessert of milk simmered with dates, sugar, dry fruits and nylon vermicelli made especially during Ramadan Eid as well as Eid-ul-Adha.

Course Dessert, Sweets

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 30

Calories 235kcal

Author Farrukh Aziz

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 5 litres Full Fat Milk
• ▢ 1 ½ cups Sugar (  (may vary according to the amount of sweetness you prefer))
• ▢ 250 g Fine Vermicelli
• ▢ 100 g Almonds ( soaked overnight, peeled and slivered)
• ▢ 75 g Charoli nuts ( (chironji), soaked overnight and peeled)
• ▢ 100 g Pistachios (  soaked overnight, peeled and slivered)
• ▢ 75 g Cashew nuts (soaked and sliced (I have not added here))
• ▢ 18-20 Dates (deseeded and chopped or sliced)
• ▢ 1 cup  Ghee
• ▢ 2 tsp Cardamom Powder
• ▢ 6 green cardamom
• ▢ Few strands of saffron

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Spread the peeled chironji on a plate and allow it to dry for some time.
• Ina pan, heat ¾ cup of ghee, sauté slivered almonds, pistas, chirongi  until it just picks up golden colour, but not burnt.
• Immediately take it out on to a plate and set aside.
• In a same pan, add dates and fry for few seconds until aromatic, ensure it does not burn. Take it oit and keep it aside.
• Add fine vermicelli and roast until just golden and aromatic.
• Carefully keep an eye, as fine vermicelli tends to burn fast. Take it out and set aside.
• Pour milk in a large heavy bottom pot and place in on the stove top. 
• Bring the milk to a boil and then simmer on low heat for 10 minutes
• Then add cardamom powder and simmer for another 5 minutes until aromatic.
• Add saffron strands mix and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Now, add fried dry fruits, dates, vermicelli, sugar and mix.
• Simmer for another 10 minutes atleast. I usually prefer a little longer simmer time (20 minutes) after adding all the ingredients until it turns creamish in colour for the best sheer khurma taste.
• Switch off the heat and prepare for tadka. Heat remaining ghee in a pan and add green cardamom pods, fry for few seconds.
• Finally, pour the cardamom tempering over the sheer korma and it is ready to serve

Notes

• The above mentioned measure is for 5 litres of milk. If you want to make it for 1 litre of milk then use, 4-5 dates, 20 grams of almonds (20 pieces atleast), 20 grams of pistachios (25-30 peices) and 2 tablespoons of charoli nuts.
• 1 litre of milk will make use of approx 50-60 grams of fine nylon vermicelli and 50 grams of ghee. Sugar can be added as per you taste. Preparation time and cooking time will also differ here, it will take much less time for 1 litre of milk.

Nutrition

Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 73mg | Potassium: 278mg | Fiber: 82g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 240IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 179mg | Iron: 0.9mg

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