Sheer Khurma | Authentic & Traditional Recipe

Eid ul Fitr Mubarak! This is for the first time in years…I am writing down a post on Eid and that too about my favorite dessert Sheer Khurma or Sheer Korma. After 30 days of fasting, Eid is much awaited day. Though in many families Eid celebrations start from the day one of Ramadan, some complete it before Ramadan starts and some start their shopping just a day or two before Eid. In most of the Muslim areas last three days of Ramadan is like a grand fare. Streets and shops will be decorated with lights. You can see Itaar (scent), topi (prayer caps), flower, bangle, mehendi and semiya push carts lined on the streets.

Eid Ki Ronak

Even big branded shops and malls offer huge discounts at this time, by attracting the customers with Iftar snacks and drinks. People shop not only clothes but also buy gifts for their loved ones. In the holy month of Ramadan, at the end of fasting days, Zakat-al-Fitr (charity) is calculated and given to the poor. Eid al Fitr is celebrated with much glory and greatness round the globe.

The day of Eid starts, very early by offering early morning prayers. People take bath and wear new and clean clothes, apply scent and surma (kohl) and by eating dates and light breakfast men leave to mosque and women perform namaz at home.

Usually after namaz men hug and exchange Eid wishes. On returning home men are greeted by women and children at home and warm Sheer Khurma is served along with other festival treats. Eidhi | Gifts will be given to the younger ones in the family upon greeting as a blessing. Rest of the day vanishes entertaining guests, cooking, eating, chatting and prayers.

In some and even in my family the celebration of Eid continues for three days. For three days many different recipes will be made but among all Sheer Korma is a must. Sheer Khurma is a rich, creamy and royal dessert made by reducing milk and adding fine vermicelli also called as rumani semiya or nylon semiya (seviyah), fine sugar, chopped and ghee fried almonds and chironji.

Mom’s Special Sheer Khurma Recipe

My mom makes wonderful sheer khurma and whoever visits our house on Eid day always end up indulging  double | triple servings. Today I am going to share with you my mom’s sheer khorma recipe or sheer khurma recipe. My mom uses very fine vermicelli, as you can see in the pics to make sheer khurma. You can find this in many supermarkets or shops near mosques during Eid time. Mom roasts this semi (that what we call semiya) in ghee until nice golden brown and stores in a clean and dry air tight jar until use. You can even get roasted semi in markets, sometimes she uses that too.

The one you see in the above picture is unroasted Chuttae ki Semi. The roasted semi looks brown in color. Now coming to the recipe, the recipe of Sheer Khurma is very simple, but you need to be careful with measurements…

Sheer Khurma Recipe

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lit. full fat Milk
• ¾ cup Sugar
• ¾ cup Semiya (fine vermicelli)
• 4 tbsp. Ghee
• 2 tbsp. chopped Almonds
• 2 tbsp. Chironji | Chirangi

How to make Sheer Khurma

PREPARATION:

• Bring ½ litre water to boil and turn of the flame. Immediately add semiya to this and stir. Drain the water quickly and add normal water to stop further cooking of semiya.
• In a sauce pan, bring milk to boil and when it starts to boil, reduce the flame and add sugar. Stir till sugar melts and milk start to thicken.
• Drain above boiled semiya using a slotted spoon or fine sieve and add to the milk by stirring continuously. (Add half of the boiled semiya first and if you feel the sheer khurma is thin, then add remaining. The boiled sheer khurma can be stored in the fridge in air tight container for 2 days).
• Stir and cook for 4-5 minutes on medium flame and turn off the flame. Set aside.
• In a small kadai, add ghee and when it melts, add chopped almonds and chirongi. Fry until nice light brown and drain. Pour this over sheer khurma. Serve warm or chilled. Sheer Khurma tastes best when served warm.
• Add love to make sheer khurma taste ‘Yummy’.

Tips to make Perfect Sheer Korma:

• Peel the skin of almonds by soaking them in lukewarm water for ½ hour. Using a very sharp knife carefully cut the almonds. Spread on kitchen towel and leave to dry under fan for 1-2 hours.
• In the same way, wash and soak chironji (charoli) in normal water for 2-3 hours. Drain the water and place the chironji on dry kitchen towel and gently rub to get the skin off. Leave this to dry under the fan. Upon drying you can easily remove the skin and use chironji.
• After completely drying chopped almonds and chironji, store them in an air tight jar or you can even fry them in ghee and store them to use later. If you are frying and storing, then place the jar in the fridge.

How to make Mogziyad for Sheer Korma

• Finely chopped and fried dry dates, almonds and chironji are added to sheer khurma. This is called Mogziyad. Wash and soak almonds and chironji separately in enough water for 2-3 hours.
• Drain water and peel almonds and finely slice them. Spread them on a kitchen towel and leave to dry. Drain water from chironji and spread them on kitchen towel and rub gently to remove the skin. Leave to dry.
• After sliced almonds and chironji are completely dried, fry them in hot ghee until nice golden. Mom adds half of it to sheer khurma and reserves half for garnish. You can store this mogziyad in an clean and dry air tight container in fridge for 15 days.
• Mogziyad is even sent along with Eid gifts to the new bride on her first Ramadan after marriage.

With this 30^th recipe in the series of ‘Joy From Fasting To Feasting  – IX‘, I thank each and everyone who have been part of this event by sharing their recipes, commenting, liking and sharing. Have a blessed Eid.