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Sheer Khurma (Vermicelli & Date Pudding)
Fine vermicelli toasted in ghee, simmered in sweet cardamom milk with dates, raisins and nuts. Sheer khurma is the taste of Eid morning in Hyderabad and Lucknow — make it in Ramadan too, serve it warm or chilled, and watch the bowl empty.
Desserts · India · Ready in 35 minutes · Serves 6
Sheer Khurma (Vermicelli & Date Pudding) comes from India and belongs on the desserts table. The quantities below are written for 6 servings and scale cleanly: double them for a family iftar or halve them for a quiet suhoor for two, keeping the proportions — and especially the seasoning — in the same balance. It is tagged eid-classic, warm-or-chilled.
Dessert is Ramadan's small celebration after taraweeh, and this one is made to be shared: prepare it earlier in the day, when the kitchen is calm, and let the evening be for people rather than pans. A little goes a long way after a full iftar.
Timing matters in a Ramadan kitchen, and this recipe asks for 35 minutes from start to finish. Work backwards from the moment you want to serve: beginning 35 minutes earlier — plus five unhurried minutes for plating — lands it on the table exactly when it should arrive, neither rushed nor waiting. For a gathering, multiply every quantity by the number of guests divided by 6, round spices down very slightly on large batches, and taste before serving — big pots season differently from small ones.
Serve dessert after taraweeh rather than with iftar itself: a pause between the meal and the sweet course makes both taste better, and small portions served in small bowls satisfy more than large ones at that hour. Keep the dessert refrigerated, covered, and bring it to cool room temperature shortly before serving.
Ingredients
- 1000 ml whole milk
- 80 g fine vermicelli (seviyan)
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 90 g sugar
- 6 piece Medjool dates
- 20 g pistachios
- 20 g almonds
- 30 g raisins
- 0.5 tsp cardamom powder
Method
- Break the vermicelli into short lengths and toast it in the ghee over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until golden and nutty-smelling.
- Add the sliced almonds, pistachios and raisins and fry for 1 more minute until the raisins puff.
- Pour in the milk carefully — it will steam — and bring to a gentle boil.
- Add the chopped dates, sugar and cardamom; simmer 10–12 minutes, stirring, until the vermicelli is soft and the milk slightly thickened.
- Rest off the heat for 10 minutes; it thickens further as it stands.
- Serve warm in winter or chilled in summer, with extra nuts scattered over the top.
Tips
- Dates vary in sweetness — taste before adding all the sugar, especially with very soft Medjool dates.
- If it sets too thick in the fridge, stir in a splash of warm milk when serving.