Daily Recco, May 14: What is Eid-ul-Fitr without the Sheer Khurma?
It is blasphemous to even think of Eid-ul-Fitr without the Sheer Khurma. It is called Meethi Eid for a good reason.
Foremost, Eid Mubarak! We wish you a lot of happiness, joy and good health.
Today we will not be talking to you about immunity, health or anything that even slightly hampers the festive mood. Instead, we bring you the mandatory Eid dessert that will light up your face (and palate) the minute we say the name. Sheer Khurma.
This must-make dessert traces its origin to Persia (Iran). Sheer means milk in Persian and Khurma means dates, which means ‘milk cooked with dates’.
Now, no Eid is complete without Sheer Khurma, and most definitely not Eid-ul-Fitr. So with no further ado, let us delve into this delight.
The rich and creamy sevai (vermicelli) pudding is made by cooking milk and dates with fine vermicelli, dry fruits and ghee, until they all combine together to form a delicacy a single serving of which will not be enough.
What you’ll need:
One litre of whole milk (full cream) — please don’t compromise on this with toned milk. You will need all the creaminess you can muster.
Ten seedless dates, chopped
150 grams of fine vermicelli
A quarter cup of sugar (optional — for the extra sweetness. Feel free to skip, if the sweetness of dates is enough for you)
Three tablespoons of ghee
Four cloves, whole
A handful of almonds, crushed
A handful of cashew nuts, crushed
A handful of raisins, whole
Two tablespoons pistachios (unsalted), crushed
2 tablespoons chironji
15-20 strands of saffron soaked in two tablespoons of warm milk (optional, but strongly recommended)
Half a teaspoon of cardamom powder
How to:
In a large heavy-bottom pan, heat the ghee on medium flame. Once it is hot enough, add the cloves, almonds, cashew nuts, raisins, pistachios and the chironji and fry until slightly browned. Remove from the fire and set aside on a plate.
To the same pan, add the vermicelli and fry it on medium flame until it browns slightly. Keep stirring constantly to avoid burning. Remove from fire and set aside.
Now add the milk and dates to the same pan and cook for about ten minutes, again on medium heat. Once it starts thickening, add the vermicelli and dry fruits.
Cook for another ten minutes stirring constantly, until vermicelli is completely cooked.
Add the sugar, saffron soaked in milk, and cardamom powder, and let it simmer for a minute.
Adjust the consistency to your preference by adding more milk if required.
Your delectable delight is ready to be served. You can either serve it warm or refrigerate and serve it cold.
Sheer Khurma stays good in the refrigerator for three days. Store it in an airtight container. Remember that it is a delicate milk-based dessert, and will go bad in a matter of hours if left outside in the heat.