Sheer Khurma - A Culinary Exchange

Hello Folks!!!

This morning, we woke up to a very hot and sunny day. As usual, I watered the plants and my sister plucked a few fruits, after which we sat on the cool stone bench in the garden and sipped some fresh mango juice. As we were enjoying our few minutes there in the peaceful silence, I remembered something that happened on a very similar day, many years ago during a beautiful summer in southern Africa ….

I was still a little girl who used to spend the entire holiday playing with my baby sister in a pretty little gazebo. In the evenings, when it used to become very hot, I would go swimming. I used to do the backstroke, the dog paddle, breast stroke and my most favourite way of swimming was diving deep into the pool and swim under water. I also would carry my sister on my back and swim with her!!! Such beautiful days…

One particular day, we went to visit our new neighbour. She was very welcoming and we loved her just like our granny. As per the North Indian tradition, when someone comes to your house for the very first time, you offer them something sweet to eat; so she quickly went into her kitchen and brought us this delectable pudding that was velvety and melted in our mouths – Sheer Khurma.

 

A Culinary Exchange

The name Sheer Khurma is of Persian origin, literally meaning milk with date-plum. The fragrance, taste and colours of Persia have long ago traversed to different parts of the world, including India. Sheer Khurma is a very close relative of the Persian dish made of vermicelli, rose water and fruits, the famous food of the royalty, now served in every Indian home, especially during the season of Eid.

 

Cooking Notes

·         The pudding thickens once the milk start to cool. In step 6, wait till the milk just begins to thicken and then add the sugar.

·         Use full fat milk so that the milk thickens even more to increase the flavour of the dish.

·         Add some milk if the sheer khurma becomes too thick.

 

 

RECIPE                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

1.Ghee (clarified butter) – 2 tbsp

2. Cashew nuts – 10-15 broken

3.Almonds- 10-15 chopped

4.Pistachios – 10-15 chopped

5. Raisins – 10-15

6.Dates (large) – 5-6 chopped

7.Vermicelli – 1 cup

8.Milk – 1 ltr

9.Sugar – to taste

10.Rose water – ½ tsp

11. Cardamom powder – ½ tsp

INSTRUCTIONS

1.Heat ghee in a pan on medium flame and add chopped nuts, dates and raisins into it once it becomes hot.

2.Cook until the nuts become fragrant and turn golden brown and remove them from the pan.

3.In the same pan, add vermicelli and roast until it turns light brown.

4.Next, add milk to it and stir. Increase the flame to medium high and let the milk boil. Make sure you keep stirring in between to prevent the vermicelli from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

5.Once the milk boils, leave it for some more time to boil, but now on a lower flame.

6.Once it has boiled again, the milk starts to become thick.  Add sugar to it now and mix well.

7.Put the fried nuts and fruit back into the sweet now, along with rose water and cardamom powder.

8.Cook for another 2-3 minutes on low flame.

9.Serve warm or chilled.