Sheer Khurma Recipe
Updated: April 23, 2023, By Swasthi
Sheer Khurma is a classic Mughlai dessert made with milk, dates, fine vermicelli, nuts & ghee. It is a traditional festive delight and is made during Eid ul-Fitr, Ramadan. Sheer Khurma is very popular in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. If you have never tried this before, you are really missing out the most delicious Mughlai treat. Hyderabadi Biryani, Mirchi ka Salan, Raita and Sheer Khurma make for a celebration meal!
About Sheer Khurma
Sheer Khurma is a festive pudding made by simmering fine vermicelli with milk, dates, nuts and sugar. Sheer khurma is a Persian term, where ‘sheer’ means โmilkโ and ‘khurma’ means โdatesโ. This delicious and rich dessert is made on the day of Ramadan. Most Muslim homes make this in large quantities as they share it with friends & relatives.
Though the name Sheer khurma literally indicates the presence of dates in the pudding, a lot of households also make this without using dates. So in a way it is made similar to the seviyan but here milk is cooked down longer to thicken so it imparts a sweeter tone naturally.
Sheer Khurma is made slightly different in every country/region. Some use condensed milk, mawa, saffron etc. I have shared a simple recipe made in the traditional Hyderabadi style.
So it uses only pantry staples and does not need any condensed milk or mawa or cream. However if you prefer to use them, you can check the recipe notes. I have shared some tips.
Sheer Khurma vs Seviyan Kheer
Sheer khurma though seems similar to vermicelli/ seviyan kheer, it is very much different in taste and flavor.
Dates: The key ingredient dates makes all the difference in a sheer khurma which not only adds sweetness but also imparts a texture to it.
Vermicelli: Also seviyan kheer is made with different kinds of vermicelli, thin or thick but sheer khurma is always made with thin vermicelli.
Ghee: A lot of people make seviyan kheer without any ghee. But sheer khurma is always made with ghee and it just makes a huge difference to the final dessert.
Cooking: There are different ways of making sheer khurma. A lot of people boil and simmer milk until slightly thick then add vermicelli. This step not only imparts an aroma similar to mawa/khoya but also thickens the dessert & tastes rich. This step is not done in seviyan kheer.
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Photo Guide
How to make Sheer Khurma (Stepwise Photos)
Preparation
1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a bowl or pot. Pour the water to 2 bowls. Soak almonds, pistachios and cashews in one bowl for 30 mins. Similarly soak chironji seeds in another bowl for 30 mins.
2. Drain the water from both the bowl and rinse them in cold water. Drain the water completely. Peel the skin of the almonds and pistachios. Add all of them back to the same bowl and soak for 1 to 2 hours.
3. Add the drained chironji seeds to a clean cloth and rub them gently. The skin from the seeds will peel off easily. If you find any discoloured seeds discard them as most times rancid seeds get discoloured. Soak the seeds back in regular water for 1 to 2 hours.
4. Meanwhile chop the dates to bite seized pieces. Set aside. Drain the water from the nuts and seeds completely. Slice the nuts thinly. Keep these aside.
Roasting nuts
5. Heat a heavy bottom pot with 2 tbsps ghee. When the ghee turns hot, add almonds and cashews. Fry them for 1 to 2 mins and then add the chiroli and pistachios.
6. Saute all of them until crisp and lightly golden. This takes a little longer than roasting the regular nuts as these are soaked here. Remove to a plate and set aside.
7. To the same pot, add dates and saute until you begin to smell them good. Transfer them to a plate.
8. Add 1 more tbsp ghee and add seviyan. Fry them on a medium heat until golden. If using preroasted vermicelli like me, then it only needs about 30 to 50 seconds to coat them in ghee. Be careful as the fine vermicelli tends to burn faster. Remove to a plate.
Simmer Sheer Khurma
9. Pour milk to the same pot and bring it to a boil on a medium to low flame. Leaving a ladle in the pot will prevent the milk from overflowing.
10. Next when the milk begins to boil, reduce the flame and simmer for 5 minutes. Later add roasted vermicelli and half of the fried nuts, seeds and dates.
11. Stir well and simmer until the vermicelli is soft and cooked. This took about 10 mins for me on a medium flame. Keep stirring once in every few minutes to prevent the milk getting burnt at the bottom.
12. Add cardamom powder and sugar or condensed milk at this stage. If using mawa, add it too now. I used only sugar here.
13. Next mix and continue to simmer for another 3 to 5 mins until slightly thick yet runny. Sheer khurma will thicken upon cooling so turn off when it is of runny consistency. Add rose water if using.
After simmering for a while it turns thicker, aromatic and deeper in color. Serve it warm or chilled. Sprinkle the rest of the nuts, seeds and dates over the sheer khurma before serving.
Instant pot Sheer Khurma
- Prepare the nuts and chironji seeds as mentioned in the preparation section.
- Press saute button on the Instant pot and pour ghee.
- Add the nuts and fry them until light golden. Press cancel and remove them for later. Stir in the vermicelli & fry in the residual heat for 1 to 2 mins until golden. If required press saute and fry them until golden.
- Pour milk and add sugar. Give a good stir. Add the dates & half of the nuts and seeds.
- Press pressure cook button and set the timer to 1 minute. After it is done the instant pot beeps.
- Wait for the pressure to release naturally for at least 10 minutes.
- Open the lid and with a fork gently mix. Add cardamom powder and gently mix. If you want you may add mawa or rose water at this stage.
- It will be runny and thickens as it cools down. If you want it thicker, cook on a saute mode for a few minutes.
- Garnish sheer khurma with the other half of nuts.
Tips & substitutes
Vermicelli: To make sheer khurma fine vermicelli or thin seviyan is used. There are pre-roasted and unroasted vermicelli available in the market. If using pre-roasted like me, cut down the roasting time.
Dates: I have used medjool dates here. You can also use fresh dates or even dried dates. If using dried dates soak them in hot water until soft.
Nuts: I have used almonds, cashews and pistachios to make sheer khurma. You can replace any of these for the other. I soaked the nuts first in hot water for 30 mins and removed the skin. Then soaked them for 1 hour. Then chopped them finely. Alternately you can also soak them for 4 to 5 hours and remove the skin.
Chironaji seeds: Also known as charoli seeds or almondette seeds. These seeds are said to be the main ingredient in a Hyderabadi sheer khurma. They have the aroma similar to that of almonds. If you do not have them, just skip.
Chiroli seeds go rancid too quickly so buy them from a store where the stocks are fresher.
I have soaked these seeds in hot water for 30 mins and rinsed them well. Rubbed them off on a clean cloth to remove the skin. After this step discard any discolored seeds as they would be rancid.
Milk: Traditionally only milk is used to make the dish. So I used only whole milk/ full fat milk. You may also use condensed milk or mawa for flavor. If using condensed milk you can skip sugar. I have added more details in the recipe notes below.
Flavoring: Cardamom powder is the main flavoring ingredient used in hyderabadi sheer khurma. However for variations you can also use edible rose water, kewda water or saffron.
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Recipe Card
Sheer Khurma Recipe
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
- 4 cups milk (whole milk/ full fat)
- 1 cup thin vermicelli (50 grams) (fine seviyan)
- 4 tablespoons sugar (or 3 to 4 tbsps condensed milk) (adjust to taste)
- 8 dates fine chopped
- 2 tablespoons chironji seeds
- 15 almonds (20 grams)
- 15 cashew nuts (20 grams)
- 20 pistachios (10 grams)
- 3 tablespoons ghee (or as needed)
- ยฝ teaspoon cardamom powder
Optional
- 1 teaspoon rose water (optional)
- ยผ to ยฝ cup mawa (or khoya)
Preparation
- Bring 2 cups water to a boil. Pour half of the water to another small bowl. Soak almonds, pistachios and cashews in one bowl. Soak chironji seeds in another bowl.
- After 30 mins, drain the hot water and pour cold water in both the bowls.
- Meanwhile chop the dates to bite sized pieces and set aside.
- Drain the water completely and peel the almonds and pistachios. Discard the skin and soak them in fresh room temperature water for at least 1 to 2 hours.
- Drain the water from the chironji seeds and transfer them to a clean cloth. Pat them dry and rub gently. The skin begins to peel off. Discard the skin and any brown seeds that seem to be rancid. Keep the seeds in a small bowl and set aside.
- When the nuts are soaked well after 1 to 2 hours, chop them very finely. Keep them aside. Ensure the nuts are dry before frying them.
- Fine vermicelli is usually long and not broken. You will need to break them a bit and measure 1 cup (50 grams) and keep aside.
How to Make Sheer Khurma
- Heat 2 tbsps ghee in a heavy bottom pot. Fry cashews and almonds in hot ghee for about 1 to 2 mins.
- Then add pistachios and chironji seeds. Fry all of them until crisp and golden. This takes about 5 to 6 mins as the nuts are soaked. When done, remove to a plate.
- To the same pot, add dates and fry until they begin to smell good. Remove to a plate.
- Pour 1 tbsp more ghee and add the seviyan. Saute on a low to medium heat until golden. Remove to a plate and keep aside.
- To the same pot, pour 4 cups milk and bring it to a boil on a medium to low heat.
- When the milk begins to boil, simmer for 5 minutes stirring often. Later add the roasted vermicelli, half of the fried nuts, chironji seeds and dates.
- Stir and cook until the vermicelli is cooked. You have to keep stirring every few mins to avoid the milk scorching. This took about 10 mins on a medium heat.
- Add cardamom powder & sugar or condensed milk (optional). If using mawa (optional) add it now.
- Simmer for a few more minutes until slightly thick yet runny. Sheer khurma will thicken upon cooling so turn off when it is of runny consistency. Add cardamom powder & rose water (optional).
- Serve warm or chilled. Garnish with fried nuts, chironji seeds and dates.
- Pat dry the soaked nuts and seeds before frying to avoid hot ghee splatters.
- If you prefer to use saffron, soak a few strands in hot milk. Add it along with sugar.
Watch Sheer Khurma Video
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Sheer khurma recipe is from the Archives, first published in July 2015. Updated and Republished in April 2022.
About Swasthi
Iโm Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthiโs Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me
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Thank you for sharing this recipe. My mother would always make sher Khurma on Eid, but she recently passed away and I never got the chance to get her recipe. The way you have detailed and made it is most similar to how hers appeared. I canโt wait to try it. Thank you!
You are most welcome Ayesha. Sorry to hear about your mom. Have a Blessed Ramadan!
I like it
Swasthi, you amaze me with your detailed, well thought out recipes. One simply can’t go wrong with such expert guidance. Thank you, and keep them rolling!
Hello Daulat,
Thank you so much!
This was delicious. Thank you you made our day special
Brenda, thanks for sending the pictures.
๐
Thank you,
Our sheer Khurma turned out delicious
Swasthi, is there a substitute for chironji. Do you think I can skip
Hi Rekha,
you can skip them
This looks delist. Can you please tell me where to buy this in KL. I donโt get them in the Indian stores. Any info is appreciated. Thank you
Hi Asal,
Thank you! I have no idea where you get in KL. I think you should check in places where groceries for Ramadan are sold. I buy mine from a similar place here.
give me a all desserts recipe and making prosess
It turned out fantastic. Thank you
Welcome Reema
Looks so yummy ?. I made your hyderabadi biryani last night. My family is in love with it. I will be making it again with this sheer khurma. Thanks for sending the recipes.
Welcome Reena
Glad to know your family loves it.
Thank you
Yummy going to make this soon. Love love your simple recipes. Jazaak allahu khairan.
Sheer kurma is very delicious?
Thanks
its also helpful for projects
Hi
It’s very useful for those who looking something special for their beloved. And thanks too for explaining very well. Thank you so much…..
Welcome Sulekha
Glad to know it was useful
Awesome recipes for babies. Thank you.
Welcome and Thank you Liza
Hey i am tried this recipe at my home.my friend loved so much that
sheer khurma.i am used fresh cow milk i guess thats why the sheer khurmas taste was so yummy..
thanks and keep sharing
welcome sabah
Lovely recipe and very well explained
Thanks Alka