Ingredients
Base
- 1 tbsp ghee
- ½ cup (50g) thin seviyan (roasted vermicelli, or plain thin vermicelli)
- 1 litre full-fat milk
- ½ cup (100g) sugar, adjust to taste
- ½ tsp cardamom powder
Optional aromatics
- Pinch of saffron strands, soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk
Garnish
- 2 tbsp cashews, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp raisins
- 2 tbsp slivered pistachios
Instructions
Toast the seviyan
- Heat ghee in a wide, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat.
- Add cashews and fry 1–2 minutes until golden. Remove and set aside.
- Add raisins to the same ghee and fry 30 seconds until they puff. Remove and set aside.
- Add the seviyan to the pan (add a small knob of extra ghee if the pan looks dry). Toast on medium heat, stirring constantly, for 2–3 minutes until the strands turn an even golden brown and smell nutty. They color quickly — don't leave the stove.
Simmer
- Pour in the milk carefully — it will bubble and steam. Stir to distribute the seviyan evenly.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook uncovered for 8–10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until the seviyan is soft and the milk has thickened slightly.
- Add sugar and cardamom. Stir well and cook another 2–3 minutes. The seviyan may look slightly undercooked when you add sugar — that's fine; residual heat and absorption will finish it.
- Add saffron milk if using and stir through.
Finish
- Remove from heat. The kheer should be a little thinner than you want it — it thickens noticeably as it sits and cools.
- Transfer to a serving dish or individual bowls. Top with fried cashews, raisins, and pistachios.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. For a chilled version, let it cool completely before refrigerating.
Storage
- Fridge: Up to 2 days. The seviyan continues to absorb milk — it will be considerably thicker the next day. Stir in warm milk to loosen before serving.
- Reheat: Stovetop over low heat with a splash of milk, stirring frequently.
- Freeze: Not recommended.
Variations
- Sheer Khurma style: Use less milk (600–700ml) and cook until quite thick. Add dates, dried figs, and more nuts — this is the richer Eid version served in a small cup rather than a bowl.
- Condensed milk: Replace 200ml of milk with sweetened condensed milk for extra richness and reduce the added sugar accordingly.
- Dry seviyan: Cook down until almost all the milk is absorbed for a semi-dry, almost halwa-like texture.
Notes
- Thin seviyan (angel hair thickness) is the classic choice. Thicker vermicelli takes longer to soften and can become stodgy.
- Pre-roasted seviyan is widely available and can skip the toasting step, but roasting it fresh in ghee gives noticeably better flavor.
- If the kheer thickens too much before serving, warm milk is the fix — add it a tablespoon at a time and stir.
- See also: Sooji Kheer for a similarly quick kheer with a smooth, lump-free texture.
Added Oct 6, 2026 · Updated Oct 6, 2026