My neighbor has sent over some Seviyan Kheer she has fixed for Eid-al-Fitr, one of the biggest Muslim festivals. It marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, a time of fasting and prayer. Celebrating religious festivals was special in India due to the diversity of faiths. It was common for neighbors to share the sweets prepared to celebrate their festivals, irrespective of religion. This was especially so in smaller towns than big cities.
Seviyan, is made out of roasted vermicelli, milk, sugar, plums, cardamom, and almonds. It is a quick fix and a dish most Indians like to make as a dessert. There is also Sweet Seviyan, a dish that does not involve milk.
Seviyan Kheer (Vermicelli Pudding)
Seviyan is a delicious dessert made from roasted vermicelli,milk, sugar, plums, cardamom, and almonds.
Ingredients
- 1 cup roasted vermicelli/seviyan (available at Indian grocery stores—see notes )
- 5 cups milk
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup roasted slivered almonds (save some for garnish)
- ¼ cup golden raisins (save some for garnish)
- ⅛ tsp green cardamom powder (or take 2 cardamom pods and crush it in a mortar pestle till coarsely powdered—remove husks)
- 2 drops Kewra water (optional—available at Indian grocery stores)
Instructions
- Break the roasted seviyan into several bits.
- Heat a heavy-bottomed large saucepan on medium heat and add the tablespoon of butter and the seviyan. Stir for about 1 minute.
- Pour it onto a plate and set aside.
- Return the pan to the stove, and on medium heat, add the milk and bring it to a boil—about 10 minutes.
- Once it boils, reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Add the crushed cardamom and let it simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes until the milk is reduced slightly. Stir often, scraping the sides and bottom to avoid the milk sticking and burning.
- Add the roasted vermicelli and let it cook for about 2 minutes.
- Add the sugar and stir to dissolve. About 3 minutes.
- Do a taste test and add more sugar if desired.
- Add almonds, golden raisins, cardamom powder, and kewra drops.
- Simmer for another 5 minutes,stirring gently, until the pudding mix is creamy.
- Pour into a serving dish and garnish with reserved almonds and raisins.
- You can serve Seviyan warm or chilled.
Notes
1. If you cannot get roasted vermicelli, you can roast it yourself. Add 2 teaspoons of ghee or unsalted butter into the pan and roast the vermicelli for 3-4 minutes on medium heat till golden. Be careful not to burn. Remove from pan and set aside. Now add your milk to the pan and follow the rest of the instructions.
2. Seviyan kheer will thicken as it cools and get a film on top. If you plan to serve it chilled, cover it with cling wrap and keep it in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, mix it well. You can add some heavy cream or half-and-half to thin it out if it is too thick. It should have the consistency of porridge. You can then pour it into a serving bowl or individual bowls and garnish it.
3. Tip: When using a stainless steel pot to boil milk, rinse it with water first, as the milk tends to form a quick film at the bottom that tends to burn.
The milk is delivered from the local doodhwala (milkman), who rides in on his bike with two huge milk cans of fresh milk tethered to either side of the metal back seat. It always amazes me how he manages to balance those heavy-laden cans that are strapped to his bicycle. He arrives diligently twice a day, morning and evening, ringing his bicycle bell loud and clear to announce his arrival. He dips a measured ladle with a large handle into the can and pours the milk into the dekchi (a flat-bottomed cooking pot) held out to him. Since it is not pasteurized, the milk has to be boiled.