Seviyan is a sweet vermicelli dessert also known as "shemai" or "sheer khurma", depending on the region. This creamy and sweet custard is flavored with cardamom, which gives it a distinctly Middle Eastern taste! Serve Seviyan topped with cranberries and pistachios, or roasted pine nuts!
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Seviyan is a popular dish across the Middle East and Asia, and it has many various regional names to prove it. These include seviyan, shemai, sheer khurma, and more!
Wheat vermicelli is roasted then simmered in sweetened milk infused with warming spices and topped with nuts & dried fruits, yielding a satisfying pudding that can be enjoyed as breakfast or as a dessert.
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🥄 What Is Seviyan?
While this pudding-like sweet vermicelli dessert is most commonly known as "vermicelli kheer" or "seviyan" (in Indian cuisine), it actually originated in Persia. Today it bears many different names throughout the Middle East and Asia.
In many parts of the Middle East such as Iran and Afghanistan this sweet vermicelli dessert is known as "sheer khurma", which means "milk and dates" in Persian. While dates are commonly featured in Middle Eastern renditions, some cultures use other dried fruits or omit them completely. In Bangladesh, it's known as "shemai".
Many cultures around Asia and the Middle East enjoy seviyan/shemai as breakfast year-round, but it is also served as a dessert! It is often served during festive occasions and Islamic holidays such as Eid and Ramadan alongside Halwa and maamoul.
😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Seviyan is a great recipe to start with if you're new to cooking Middle Eastern/Indian cuisines!
- This sweet vermicelli dessert is super easy to make and only takes 30 minutes.
- You just need a few ingredients to make seviyan/sheer khurma, all of which are very cheap.
- Sweet vermicelli pudding encapsulates the sweet and spiced flavors Middle Eastern desserts are known for.
- If you have leftover vermicelli, use it to make vermicelli rice!
🛒 What You Need For This Recipe
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Vermicelli noodles: You can also use fideo noodles or chop angel hair pasta into 2" pieces.
- Butter: I like to use unsalted butter but ghee is more traditional. You can substitute it with coconut oil.
- Milk: Whole milk, or use your preferred milk substitute.
- Condensed milk: If you don't have condensed milk, you can add 2 to 3 tablespoons of sugar and a little extra milk, if needed.
- Cardamom: Green cardamom is what you want for this recipe. I added 2 pods which yields a subtle hint that isn't overpowering, but you can add more for a stronger flavor.
- Optional Spices: I like to add whole cloves and ground cinnamon but these are optional. Saffron strands are also commonly used to flavor or garnish this dish.
- Craisins: Dates and raisins also go well with this dish.
- Pistachios: These add a nice pop of color and some crunch but you can use slivered almonds, walnuts, cashews, etc.
*See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients
🍮 How To Make Seviyan (Shemai)
Step 1: Melt butter in a large nonstick pot, then add cardamom pods and cloves and fry for one minute until fragrant. Add ground cinnamon and stir to combine.
Step 2: Add vermicelli noodles and saute over low-medium heat for 2-5 minutes or until noodles are toasted and darker in color.
Step 3: Add milk along with sweetened condensed milk and stir until thoroughly combined. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer (uncovered) for 10-15 minutes, stirring continuously until thick.
Pro Tip: Using a non-stick pot will prevent milk from sticking to the pan when boiling.
Step 4: Remove and discard cloves and cardamom pods. Let seviyan cool and transfer to a serving bowl, then top with craisins and chopped pistachios.
🥜 Serving Suggestions
Dates are commonly included in sheer khurma, but if you want to be extra fancy you can add a couple of these easy stuffed dates to your seviyan.
Some Middle Eastern variations include rose water, while other Asian variations use kewra water instead (which is extracted from pandanus flowers).
Various chopped nuts are commonly added to shemai. You can either sprinkle them on top as I do or cook them in with the other ingredients. You can even break up these honey nut clusters and sprinkle them on top of your seviyan.
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
Seviyan, also known as sheer khurma or shemai, is a sweet vermicelli pudding that can be served either hot, cold or at room temperature, depending on preference.
Sheer khurma roughly translates to "milk with dates" in English.
No, semolina and vermicelli are not the same thing. Semolina is the name of the flour used to make vermicelli noodles.
👩🏻🍳 Pro Tips
- Most grocery stores will sell vermicelli, but if you can't find it you can check at a local Asian market or get it on Amazon (currently for 50 cents).
- When it's hot the texture is similar to porridge, whereas when it cools seviyan thickens and has more of a pudding-like texture.
- Store leftover seviyan in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, though it will taste best the first few days.
- You can reheat shemai in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between until reaching the desired temperature. You can also reheat over the stove over low heat, stirring continuously.
🍐 More Middle Eastern Recipes
If you enjoy seviyan, try these other Middle Eastern dessert too!
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📖 Recipe
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Melt butter in a large nonstick pot, then add cardamom pods and cloves and fry for one minute until fragrant. Add ground cinnamon and stir to combine.
- Add vermicelli noodles and saute over low-medium heat for 2-5 minutes or until noodles are toasted and darker in color.
- Add milk along with sweetened condensed milk and stir until thoroughly combined. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer (uncovered) for 10-15 minutes, stirring continuously until thick.
- Remove and discard cloves and cardamom pods. Let seviyan cool and transfer to a serving bowl, then top with craisins and chopped pistachios.
Nutrition
Notes
- Most grocery stores will sell vermicelli, but if you can't find it you can check at a local Asian market or get it on Amazon (currently for 50 cents).
- When it's hot the texture is similar to porridge, whereas when it cools it thickens and has more of a pudding-like texture.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, though it will taste best the first few days.
- You can reheat shemai in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between until reaching the desired temperature. You can also reheat over the stove over low heat, stirring continuously.
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