Eid Mubarak And A Traditional Eid Recipe - Sheer khurma

Eid Mubarak everybody! I am so excited today as we are going to Latifs' cousins house to celebrate with family. Since we only have two festivals in the whole year, I always look forward to celebrating Eid. After a month of fasting it is now time for some fun. I really miss my parents and all the things we do back home every year. There are so many things that have become a tradition for us and every year we know what to look forward to! The new clothes, the delicious biryani, intricate mehendi designs, getting eidi from my dad, the smell of attar in the air when dad goes for the eid prayers, clicking crazy pictures with my sister... oh the list just goes on! There are so many memories of every eid celebrated back home and I look forward to many more to come.
Latif and I go to his cousins place every year for lunch and spend the whole day there. We are going there today and I am taking dessert! I have two amazing cakes lined up which I will post shortly. Till then you enjoy this Sheer Khurma recipe which is the traditional dessert for eid. Sheer Khurma literally means Milk with Dates and it is basically sweetened milk with dry fruits and vermicelli. Everyone has their own style of making this so I have provided the recipe that my mom has taught me and what we personally prefer. You can add more dry fruits, more vermicelli, raisins etc.

Recipe

Ingredients

1 Litre Milk (1000 ml)

1/2 Cup Sugar (More if Needed)
2 Tbsp Ghee
1/2 Cup Fine Roasted Vermicelli (Thin Long Variety)*
4 Cardamom Pods (Elaichi)
1 Cinnamon Stick (2 Inch) (Dalchini)
1/8 Cup Almonds (Sliced)
1/8 Cup Pistachios (Sliced)
1/8 Cup Cashew nuts (Coarsely Chopped)
1/8 Cup Dry Dates (Sliced)
1/4 Cup Dry Dates (Soaked In Warm Water and Pureed)**
A Pinch of Saffron (Zafran)
1/4 Cup Sweetened Condensed Milk

*Note - The vermicelli to be used is the thin long variety that needs to be gently broken into one inch long pieces. See picture below.

Roasted Vermicelli

** Note - The dates add an authentic flavor to the sweet and thicken the milk. However it is OK to skip them if you cannot find the dry dates. I have made it many times without the dates and it turns out just as good.

1. Heat the ghee in large frying pan. Add the almonds and fry till golden brown. Do this on medium heat to prevent burning or over browning. Remove the almonds with a slotted spoon and keep aside. Repeat the same with the pistachios, cashew nuts and sliced dates. Remove and add the vermicelli along with the cardamom and cinnamon stick and toast for 5 minutes. Remove and keep aside. Add the date puree and cook well for few minutes till you get a nice aroma. Remove from pot. The remaining ghee in the pot will not be needed.

2. Bring the milk to a boil in a large heavy bottomed pot (preferably non stick). Lower the heat and add the sugar (Start with a little, keep tasting and gradually add more - remember we will be adding the condensed milk also). Keep the heat on low and keep stirring for 5 minutes.

3. To the milk add the condensed milk (check the sweetness and add accordingly), pureed dates paste, toasted vermicelli and all the dry fruits. Stir and cook till the vermicelli is soft.

4. Soak the saffron in hot milk and add at the end. Serve hot or cold.

Store in the fridge and reheat serving portions as reheating causes the sweet to thicken.

Happy Eating!!