Sheer Khurma/ Doodh Sevaiyan/ Morning Eid Milk

The unmistakable smell of sweet, fragrant milk coming from my daddyma’s (grandma’s) kitchen in the morning was the surest sign that it was Eid day. Sweetened milk steeped in browned vermicelli, heaps of toasted nuts and coconut, rosewater, condensed milk, sometimes raisins or dates and of course, a load of warming spices.

This drink is traditionally drunk on the morning of Eid day to quick off festivities and tastes like a treat breakfast drink/ dessert and special nightcap all at the same time. It’s a popular Eid drink in parts of India, Pakistan, South Africa, Afghanistan and other Muslim countries.

This is the kind of hot drink that you need a spoon for, as well as a sweet tooth and will never taste as good as the sort that daddyma ladles you into hot, glass mugs from her beaten heirloom of a pan. This drink might never taste the same for you as it does for me as it’s so loaded with nostalgia but it might be the hug in a mug that you need right now.

Sheer Khurma/ Doodh Sevaiyan/ Morning Eid Milk

4 from 2 votes

Course: DrinksCuisine: Indian, PakistaniDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Sweetened milk steeped in browned vermicelli, heaps of toasted nuts and coconut, rosewater, condensed milk, sometimes raisins or dates and of course, a load of warming spices.

Ingredients

• 1.5 tbsp ghee or butter

• 1/2 cup dried vermicelli

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 5 cardamom pods, crushed

• 2 cloves

• 1 litre whole milk

• 1/4 cup water

• 1 can condensed milk

• 1/4 piece piece ginger, peeled and sliced

• pinch saffron

• 1/4 chopped dates/ raisins/ mixture of both

• 1 tbsp ground almonds

• 1 tbsp blanched slivered almonds

• 1 tbsp chopped pistachios

• 2 tbsp rosewater

• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions

• Melt the ghee or butter in a large pot, then add the vermicelli to the fat, crushing it with your hands into smaller pieces as you do so. Allow the vermicelli to turn golden brown, stiriing often to stop it catching on the bottom of the pan.
• Add the cinnamon stick, crushed cardamom pods, and cloves to the vermicelli as it is browning.
• Once the vermicelli has gently browned, add the milk, water, condensed milk, ginger, saffron, chopped fruit, ground almonds, chopped nuts, rosewater and salt.
• Simmer gently at a low heat for around 30-40 minutes or until the milk thickens, the flavour develops and the aroma of nutty, sweetened milk fills the kitchen.
• Serve into mugs with a ladel so that you’re able to catch the softened vermicelli, chopped nuts and fruit. Drink immediately or perhaps even more delicious served the following day as the flavours have more time to mingle and mature.