My Instant Pot version, takes just a few minutes to put together and you have a decadent seviyan kheer in no time. So no more stirring or worrying about spilling. Just stir, lock, pressure cook and enjoy!!
About the Recipe
Being a Hyderabadi, I love all the delicious local dishes from the region. Some of my favorites are Hyderabadi veg biryani, flavorful veg haleem or this amazing phirni. Here, I have yet another decadent recipe from Hyderabad. Sheer khurma or khorma is a popular dessert that is made for Eid Al-Fitr. It is a 3-day long festival that marks the end of Ramadan or the Muslim holy month of fasting. Sheer khurma can be made anytime during the year. But making and relishing it on Eid after 30 days of fasting is one of the most satisfying experiences. It is made with great love and care and distributed to friends, family and neighbors to celebrate the festival of Eid. My version is made entirely in the Instant Pot. This eliminates the stirring and baby sitting the milk. It also removes the chance of milk spilling over or scorching the bottom of the pan. Pressure cooking the milk will make it slightly curdled or separated. But do not panic. Stirring in cream or half-n-half after cooking, will make it smooth again. Try this no- nonsense, dump and forget recipe that is fool proof and delicious.
Difference between Sheer Khurma and Kheer
Sheer khurma literally means milk and dates in urdu. Surma or khurma refers to ‘dates’ in Persian. So basically this is a vermicelli pudding made with milk and dates. Seviyan kheer on the other hand is made just vermicelli and milk. Dried fruit and nuts are added, but these are not required to make the recipe.
Ingredients
For the details of the exact quantities of each ingredient and the list of ingredients needed, check the printable recipe card below. To make Hyderabadi Sheer khurma, you need the following ingredients:
Vermicelli or Seviyan or Semya - I like to use thin vermicelli for this recipe. They are easily found in Indian grocery stores. But feel free to use regular size seviyan as well. If you can’t find either of these, use Mexican thin noodles called Fideo noodles.Milk - Whole milk or full fat milk is recommended for the best creamy texture. Canned evaporated milk can also be used.Light or Heavy Cream or Half-n-half - adding this helps to get the smooth and creamy texture to the dessert.Dates - Use the best quality dates that you can find. I use either medjool or deglet noor variety. Make sure that they are pitted.
Dry fruits - Chopped almonds, cashews, pistachios and raisins. Chiroli or chironji seeds are also very commonly used.Sugar - granulated sugar or even jaggery powder can be used to sweeten the kheer. Condensed milk is also used sometimes.Ground Cardamom and saffron Ghee
Instructions
For the detailed instructions on how to make the recipe with exact timings, check the printable recipe card below. Sheer Khurma can be made either in an Instant Pot or on the stove top. For the stove top method, refer to the recipe card below. Turn the Instant Pot on ‘Sauté’ mode. Once hot, melt ghee and add all the chopped nuts and raisins. Cook stirring for 1 minute or until the nuts are golden brown. Add the chopped dates and cook for a minute. Remove half of the toasted nuts and dates into a small bowl and reserve to use as topping. Stir in the vermicelli and mix well to coat them with ghee. Cook for 1 minute. Add water and mix well. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any stuck on bits. Stir in milk, sugar, ground cardamom and saffron. Give a nice stir. Lock the lid and set the steam valve to sealing. Cancel the Sauté mode. Select Porridge and adjust the time to 6 minutes. Instant pot will take about 8 minutes to come to pressure. Once the timer beeps, let the Instant pot release pressure naturally for 15 minutes, quick release the remainder. Open the lid. At this point there might be some separation of milk fat, don’t worry. Add ½ cup cream or half-n-half and stir until the the contents are well mixed. By this time, the mixture should be non-curdled and creamy. Add more cream to get to this consistency. Serve sheer khurma warm or chilled topped with the reserved nut mixture.
Tips
I like to use thin vermicelli for this recipe. But feel free to use regular size seviyan as well. If you can’t find either of these, use Mexican thin noodles called Fideo noodles.If using roasted seviyan or vermicelli, just roast for couple of minutes so that they start smelling fragrant.Whole milk or full fat milk is recommended for the best creamy texture. Canned evaporated milk can also be used.Substitute sugar with grated jaggery for a healthier alternative. Sheer khorma can be made with sweetened condensed milk too. Adjust the quantity of sugar based on personal preference. Taste and adjust accordingly.
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Few more milk based desserts that you might like: I love hearing from you!! If you’ve tried this and liked it, then don’t forget to let me know. Give a star rating and let me know in the comments below. Also tag me in your creations on Instagram @cooks_hideout. I love sharing photos when people make my recipes. You can use the hashtag #cookshideout too.
