A rich Bangladeshi vermicelli pudding cooked in milk and evaporated milk, sweetened with sugar and perfumed with saffron and whole spices. Ideal for festive occasions or as a comforting dessert.
Shemai
Ingredients
- 3 kg full cream milk
- 2 cans evaporated milk about 700 ml total
- 700 g sugar
- 1 packet about 200 g shemai (vermicelli), broken into 2″ pieces
- 4 tbsp ghee
- A pinch of saffron threads soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk
- 3 pods green cardamom lightly crushed
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 3 bay leaves
- 50 g sliced almonds lightly toasted (for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat the ghee in a pan till it melts
- Crush roasted vermicelli into pieces and fry till light golden brown.
- Remove and set aside.
- Heat whole milk. Add cardamom, bay leaves and cinnamon sticks. Add evaporated milk.
- Once milk comes to a boil, lower the heat to medium –
- The milk will reduce and thicken slightly.
- Add sugar, and stir
- Add vermicelli – mix well
- Stir often so that vermicelli doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan
- Add saffron;
- Cook for 2-3 more mins on medium low heat.
- Cool & refrigerate.
- Garnish with roasted almonds & silver foil
- Serve chilled or warm.
Notes
Shemai is the hallmark dessert of Eid ul Fitr in Bangladesh. No Eid celebration is complete without a warm or chilled bowl of “dudh shemai” or milk Shemai, lovingly served to family, friends and guests.