Indian · serves 2

Seviyan Kheer

Roasted vermicelli in thickened milk. Fifteen minutes to something that tastes like a festival.

30 min Easy Vegetarian No oven needed

Ingredients

  • 1 cup wheat vermicelli
  • 1 litre milk
  • 2 cardamoms, crushed
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp ghee
  • Pistachios or almonds, chopped

Method

  1. Fry the vermicelli in ghee until it's properly golden brown, not blonde. This is the entire flavour.
  2. Boil the milk, then add the vermicelli.
  3. Ten minutes on low, stirring, until it thickens.
  4. Sugar in at the end — add it early and the vermicelli stays hard.
  5. Cardamom off the heat, nuts on top. Hot or chilled.

Questions people ask about Seviyan Kheer

How long does Seviyan Kheer take?

About 30 minutes from starting to sitting down, and it is straightforward. Most of that is active, so read the method through before you start rather than chopping as you go.

What is the one thing to get right in Seviyan Kheer?

Fry the vermicelli in ghee until it's properly golden brown, not blonde. This is the entire flavour.

Can I make Seviyan Kheer ahead of time?

You can prepare it a few hours ahead and reheat gently. It keeps two days in the fridge, though it is best on the day.

Is Seviyan Kheer vegetarian?

Yes, it is vegetarian. It is not vegan as written because it contains dairy; swap the dairy for a plant alternative and the rest of the method is unchanged.

Can I make Seviyan Kheer without an oven?

That is exactly what this recipe is for. It uses a pressure cooker, a pan or the fridge instead of an oven, and the method here is written for that, not adapted from a baked version.

What do you serve with Seviyan Kheer?

Roti or plain rice, with something sharp on the side: curd, pickle or sliced onion. Baking is chemistry, so scale it by weight rather than by eye: double every quantity, use a tin with roughly double the area, and expect to add ten minutes or so. Judge it by the skewer, not the clock.

Don't know what to cook? Let it decide →

If you liked this