Semai and roasted vermicelli
On Eid morning, kitchens across Pakistan, Bangladesh and India smell of milk, cardamom and toasted noodles, because that's when sheer khurma and semai come out. These ultra-fine wheat… 9 Products
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Semai and roasted vermicelli
On Eid morning, kitchens across Pakistan, Bangladesh and India smell of milk, cardamom and toasted noodles, because that's when sheer khurma and semai come out. These ultra-fine wheat noodles go by many names, including semai, sewaiyan, seviyan and vermicelli, and unlike Italian pasta they are usually sold already roasted to a golden brown.
We stock Danish lascha semai, a very fine, thread-like Bangladeshi style that cooks in moments, along with Bonoful lascha semai and Alibaba roasted vermicelli. Lascha semai is ideal for milky desserts, while the shorter vermicelli suits jorda semai, the dry version fried with ghee and sugar, as well as savoury vermicelli upma.
Sheer khurma literally means "milk with dates", so a handful of dates is essential. For the rest of the festive spread, have a look at our Eid sweets page. More desserts are waiting in sweets.
Sheer khurma for four
- Warm 2 tbsp ghee and toast 2 tbsp each of chopped almonds, pistachios and cashews with 1 tbsp raisins for 2 minutes.
- Add 60–80 g semai and stir for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Pre-roasted semai only needs a moment.
- Pour in 1 litre of whole milk with 3–4 lightly crushed cardamom pods and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
- Stir in 4 tbsp sugar and 8–10 chopped dates, then simmer for another 5 minutes.
It thickens as it cools, so loosen it with a splash of milk if needed and serve warm or chilled. Many families stir in a spoonful of condensed milk for an even richer finish. For more milk puddings, see kheer and payesh.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between semai and vermicelli?
They're essentially the same thing: very thin wheat noodles. Semai is the Bengali name, sewaiyan the Urdu and Hindi one, and vermicelli the English term. Lascha semai is an especially fine, thread-like style that Bangladeshi families love for milk desserts.
Do I need to toast roasted vermicelli again?
It isn't essential, but a minute or two in ghee brings out a much nuttier flavour. Keep a close eye on it, because pre-roasted semai darkens very quickly. Add the milk as soon as it smells toasty.
What is jorda semai?
Jorda semai is the dry version: the noodles are fried in ghee, then cooked with a little water or milk, sugar and cardamom until all the liquid is absorbed. Nuts, raisins and a touch of food colour are common additions, and it's served warm.
What is sehriye?
Sehriye is the Turkish word for short vermicelli. It's usually fried in butter and cooked with rice to make pilav, or added to soups. For a sweet, milky sheer khurma you'll get a better result with the finer lascha semai.