This treat is a perfect combination of milky, nutty, and sweet! Enjoy this creamy milk pudding sweetened with dates, sugar added to vermicelli noodles, almonds, and pistachios. While people often prepare sheer khurma for Eid-ul-Fitr, you can serve the dish hot or cold as a dessert for family and friends to enjoy any time of the year.
What is Sheer Khurma?
The dessert is classic vermicelli, milk, and date pudding traditionally made for Eid. The host will often prepare the dates and nuts the night before; the following morning family gathers to enjoy a bowl of fresh Sheer Khurma along with other Eid recipes before dressing in their new shalwar kameez to leave for prayer. For many Southeast Asian families, it’s a deeply sentimental dessert that evokes feelings of family and celebration.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Milk: Make the dessert traditionally by using powdered milk and whole milk. Modern recipes also contain evaporated or condensed. However, if you include condensed milk, reduce the sugar added.
- Vermicelli Noodles: Pre-toasted wheat vermicelli noodles are a game-changer to making this quick dessert. If using uncooked noodles, prepare them by breaking them into thirds and toasting them in ghee until they turn golden brown to get the same effect.
- Cardamom: Roast cardamom pods in a pan to draw out the flavor and aroma, then grind seeds into a powder.
- Sugar: Because of the natural sweetness from the dates, you don’t need to add much sugar. Substitute with palm sugar, maple syrup, coconut sugar, or a sugar-free alternative like Monk fruit.
- Dates: Dates are central to this dessert, and the dried fruit provides a deep caramel-like sweetness and texture.
- Garnish: Use chopped almonds and pistachios to garnish the dessert and add textural variation.
Additions and Substitutions
Like many traditional recipes, sheer khurma evolved, adapting to the tastes and customs of the generations and regions from which it is made. So don’t hesitate to add your personal touch and experiment with the recipe to make it uniquely yours.
- Chironji Seeds
- Rose Water, Kewda Water
- Saffron
- Shredded Coconut
- Raisins
- Cashews
How to Make this Easy Sheer Khurma Recipe
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Warm a saute pan over medium heat. Then, pour in the milk.
Step 2: Bring the milk to a boil, and add sugar, dates, two tablespoons of chopped almonds, two tablespoons of chopped pistachio, ground cardamom, and pre-roasted vermicelli noodles.
Step 3: Reduce the heat to low and simmer. Stir continuously until the noodles become tender.
Step 4: Crumble milk powder (khoya) over the top, and stir to combine.
Step 5: Scoop Sheer khurma into small serving bowls and garnish with chopped almonds and pistachios.
Expert Tips
- Soak the dried dates for at least 1-2 hours before using them in the dessert.
- Roast the nuts before adding them to the dish – this will help enhance their flavor and give them a nice crunch.
- Roast the cardamon pods, peel the green shell, and grind the seeds into a powder for deep flavor.
- Cook the vermicelli until tender – be careful not to overcook it, as it can quickly turn to mush; they will soften and droop over the spoon when they finish cooking.
- Add sugar gradually and adjust to taste – sweetness levels can vary based on personal preference and the sweetness of the milk.
If you enjoy this recipe, try one of these Indian favorites!
What to do with the Leftovers
Sometimes food tastes even better as a leftover, which is the case with vermicelli noodles which have more time to absorb the flavor of the sweetened milk and the other ingredients as they sit in the fridge.
- Refrigerate – Store the leftovers in an airtight container; it will keep for up to 3 days.
- Freeze – Let the dessert cool, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Our sheer khurma recipe will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months.
- Reheat – While you can reheat the dessert, I don’t recommend it. The heat from the microwave changes the consistency, also chilled sheer khurma is wonderful!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is sheer khurma called in English?
The word sheer, derived from a Persian word, refers to milk, while khurma translates to dates referring to the main ingredients in the classic dessert.
What does it taste like?
The sweet milk pudding has a nuttiness from the almond and pistachios, but what truly makes this dessert stand out is the consistency; it’s super creamy, but the tender vermicelli noodles and chopped nuts give it the perfect textural variation, making each by feel like an adventure.
Where did sheer khurma originate from?
The dish traces back to the Middle East and Central Asia, particularly Persia and the Mughal Empire (modern-day India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh).
Over time, the dish spread to other parts of the world and has become a popular dessert during the Islamic holiday of Eid-al-Fitr, and other celebrations and special occasions.
What is the difference between sheer khurma and seviyan?
Seviyan is the Urdu word for vermicelli noodles. It’s simple to prepare and highlights the noodles; however, unlike this dessert, seviyan doesn’t usually include dates and nuts.
Can I make this recipe dairy-free?
Absolutely! Simmer coconut milk or almond milk in place of whole milk in this recipe and omit the milk powder.
More Dessert Recipes:
Sheer Khurma Recipe
- 1 liter milk, about 4 cups
- 1 cup roasted vermicelli noodles, broken into thirds
- ½ teaspoon whole green cardamom, toasted, greens removed, and seeds ground
- ¾ cup sugar
- 4 dry dates, soaked in water, and chopped lengthwise
- ¼ cup unsalted pistachio, soaked in water, chopped, and divided
- ¼ cup almond, chopped or sliced, and divided
- ¼ cup milk powder (khoya), crumbled
- Warm a saute pan over medium heat. Then, pour in the milk.
- Bring the milk to a boil, and add sugar, dates, two tablespoons of chopped almonds, two tablespoons of chopped pistachio, ground cardamom, and pre-roasted vermicelli noodles.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer. Stir continuously until the noodles become tender. Crumble milk powder (khoya) over the top, and stir to combine.
- Scoop Sheer Khurma into small serving bowls and garnish with chopped almonds and pistachios to serve.
- Soak the dried dates for at least 1-2 hours before using them in the dessert.
- Roast the nuts before adding them to the dish – this will help enhance their flavor and give them a nice crunch.
- Roast the cardamon pods, peel the green shell, and grind the seeds into a powder for deep flavor.
- Cook the vermicelli until tender – be careful not to overcook it, as it can quickly turn to mush; they will soften and droop over the spoon when they finish cooking.
- Add sugar gradually and adjust to taste – sweetness levels can vary based on personal preference and the sweetness of the milk.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.