Meethi Doodh Seviyan, literally translating to sweet vermicelli milk pudding is an indian dessert made with super thin, roasted wheat noodles (seviyan), whole milk, ghee and sweetened with sugar(or in my case, condensed milk) and fragrant with green cardamom and rose water. Rich, creamy, customizable and delicately flavored, this recipe comes together in 20-30 minutes and feels like a hug in a bowl.
If you ever walk into an Indian kitchen during a festival or family gathering, it is highly likely that you will spot the aroma of either chawal ki kheer, or doodh seviyan simeering away on stove. For as long as I can remember, on Raksha Bandhan, it was the very first dish that my grandmother lovingly cooked, and then tucked into the fridge to chill to serve later in the day.
As is true with age-old indian sweets recipes, seviyan has countless variations across South Asian kitchens. Some richer, some simpler, but the soul of the dish remains unchanged. All you need is toasted vermicelli, creamy milk, and a touch of sweetness.
Here's my little trick to get them creamy without much effort. Use condensed milk, or milkmaid as my grandmother would call it. It brings in beautiful sweet creaminess without having to add heavy cream and cuts down time needed for reducing the milk considerably.
The other ingredient that I add in my version is dessicated coconut. The dried flakes rehydate in milk as they cook with the vermicelli and lend every spoonful a subtle chew of coconut sweetness. It's an optional (but recommemded ingredient) that makes your seviyan taste layered, indulgent, and unforgettable.
Ingredients
Seviyan - Many families in India also use vermicelli, the thicker, shorter plain pasta, but in ours, cooking seviyan means, we only use the golden brown, long and super fine noodles that are hallmark of the authentic recipe. They are easily avilable in indian stores. The packet will read 'roasted vermicelli', but trust your eyes over the label. Look for noodles with an even golden hue and a fine, fragile texture. I usually purchase brands like Shan, Hemani or National seviyan. And just to clear up any confusion, these are not kunafa, which is made from shredded phyllo pastry and used in a very different kind of desserts.
How To Make Meethi Doodh Seviyan
- Set milk to heat up in a heavy bottomed pot on low medium heat. Keep an eye and stir from time to time while you roast the nuts and seviyan.
- In the meantime, place a cooking pan on other stove and heat ½ tablespoon ghee on low heat. Add the chopped nuts and raisins(if using) and fry for a minute or so. Transfer to a plate.
- Add 1.5 tablespoon ghee into the pan and let melt on low heat. Break the seviyan and add to ghee. Stir using a spatula to coat the vermicelli in ghee and roast in until deep golden. Do this step slowly on low flame and with patience else seviyan will burn.
- Add the roasted seviyan and dessicated coconut(if using) to boiling milk and mix well. Let simmer for 7-8 minutes until the noodles soften. The milk will thicken.
5. Stir in the condensed milk and cardamom powder. Continue to simmer for another 5-7 minutes to thicken, stirring often, until the vermicelli is soft
6. Turn off the heat while it's still flowing easily from a spoon. Mix in the ghee toasted nuts, chopped pistachios and rose water. Let cool down and chill. Serve chilled with extra nuts and a pinch of ground cardamom(optional).
Why Roasting & Consistency Make or Break Your Seviyan
- Roast the Vermicelli- Even if the packet says 'roasted'. When roasted in ghee, not only the noodles acquire a nutty aroma, but also, they don't become soggy or clump together as soon as you add them to hot milk. Instead of pale and bland-looking strands, you get a deep golden color on them that looks very appetizing in contrast to the ivory milk.
- Don't over thicken - You can decided the consistency of seviyan depending on how you like by adjusting the cooking time. Many people prefer then quite runny, but we like them on thickish side. Seviyan continue to thicken hours after we have cooked them as the noodles keep on absorbing the milk. If you make them overly thick, they taste heavy, doughy and sticky. Keep the conistency thick yet pourable to begin with. You can always reheat gently with a splash of milk to loosen it.
Indian Seviyan Recipe (Creamy Vermicelli Kheer )
Ingredients
For Roasting Nuts & Seviyan
- 2 tablespoon ghee divided
- 2 tablespoon chopped almonds I use
- 2 tablespoon chopped cashews
- 2 tablespoon chopped pistachios
- 12-15 golden raisins
- 50 g seviyan ⅓ rd of the standard seviyan packet
For Making Seviyan Kheer
- 1 liter whole milk
- 1 can (397g) condensed milk I use about ¾th of the can
- 2 tablespoon desiccated coconut
- 3 green cardamom pods grind seeds only in a mortar pestle
- ½ - 1 tablespoon rose water depending on how strong you like the rose flavor
For garnish
- Extra nuts
- rose petals
- pinches of green cardamom
Instructions
- Place the milk in a heavy-bottomed pot and set it over low-medium heat. Let it warm gradually, stirring occasionally and bring it to slow boil. Keep a watch on it to prevent it from catching at the bottom while you start roasting the nuts and seviyan.
- Meanwhile, set a medium pan on another burner over low heat and melt ½ tablespoon of ghee. Add the chopped nuts and raisins (if using), stir gently as they sizzle, and fry for about a minute until lightly golden and aromatic. Transfer them to a plate and set aside.
- Into the same pan, add 1½ tablespoons of ghee and let it melt slowly over low heat. Using uour hands, break the seviyan into smaller pieces and tip them into the ghee. Using a spatula, stir well to coat each strand (they will fly here and there so be ready for a mini cleanup). Roast patiently over low flame until they take on a rich, deep golden hue. This step requires slow, even roasting. If you rush it the seviyan will scorch and turn blackish.
- By now, the milk would be gently boiling, add the roasted seviyan and dessicated coconut to it and stir to combine. Let the mixture simmer for 7-8 minutes, or until the noodles soften and the milk is thicker than when you started.
- Stir in the condensed milk, and cardamom powder. Continue to simmer for another 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until the kheer is luxuriously creamy yet still pourable.
- Switch off the heat while the mixture can still flow easily from a spoon. Fold in the ghee-toasted nuts, and rose water. Allow the seviyan to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled. Serve cold, garnished with extra nuts and a light dusting of ground cardamom, if desired.
Video
Notes
- Even if the packet says 'roasted', toast the seviyan in ghee before combining with milk. This prevents sogginess and the noodles clumping together.
- You can adjust the quantity of condensed milk as per taste. After chilling, the kheer tastes sweeter so don't make too sweet to begin with.
- You can add a splash of milk to loosen up the seviyan if they get thick in the refrigerator.
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