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Home > Recipes > Indian Savory Recipes

Published: Nov 4, 2020 ยท Last Updated On: Oct 6, 2022 by Natasha Minocha

Sheermal Recipe

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The royal Awadhi sheermal, flavored generously with saffron and served piping hot is something Iโ€™ve meant to make for a while now. And a post about sheermal demands a homage to Jiggs Kalra.

Sheermal breads in a napkin lined basket.

Born Jaspal Inder Singh Kalra, he was the gastronome who put Indian cuisine on the international map. Given the moniker the โ€˜czar of Indian cuisine,โ€™ he vehemently denied being a cook. 

He simply lived for epicurean pleasures and warm-hearted khatirdari or what the world calls hospitality. His profound dedication to Indian cuisine inducted him into the International Food & Beverage Gourmet Hall of Fame. The first Asian to have the honor. 

It was through his landmark cookbook Prashad: Cooking with Indian Masters, written long before gourmet writing erupted, that he acquainted the depth and breadth of Indian cuisine to every kitchen.

Meticulously researched with the help of some of the finest chefs in the nation, people use Prashad as an elementary course in Indian cooking. For me, it has been a bible for over one and a half decades.

The sheermal I made at home is an ode to the legacy Jiggs left behind. However, I will humbly accept that what I cooked was a compromise. I did reduce the amount of ghee he suggested!

But I get ahead of myself. For those who are new to Awadhi cuisine enjoyed by the nawabs, hereโ€™s a quick history about sheermal. 

Sheermal Recipe | How to make Sheermal

What is sheermal?

Sheermal is a flatbread with a tinge of sweetness. It is so flaky, fluffy, and crisp that you canโ€™t help go for second and third helpings.

The moniker takes its origins in ancient Farsi-Urdu. โ€˜Sheerโ€™ means milk, and โ€˜malโ€™ means to rub. The second half of the name denotes the gentle coating of milk-soaked with saffron thatโ€™s brushed on top. 

The milk bread was introduced to India centuries ago by the Persians. Over the years, it seeped into Awadhi states that were ruled by the Mughals and who revered culinary art.

Sheermal Recipe | How to make Sheermal

The historical recipe has varied over time, given rise to a common misconception that sheermal is same as Bakarkhani. The two are different. Bakarkhani is a Hyderabadi flatbread, far richer and made with more ingredients.

Sheermal contains no more than flour, salt, milk, and ghee and youโ€™ll find it commonly sold in the outdoor bazaars of Lucknow, the city of Nawabs.

How to make Sheermal?

Sheermal is a labor of love. It doesnโ€™t take technique, but it does ask for quality ingredients and copious amounts of ghee (clarified butter). It also demands a bit of patience, which is the most challenging part because the entire home is fragrant with saffron for the duration. 

Ingredients for making Sheermal Recipe | How to make Sheermal

Start by mixing a few strands of saffron in milk and setting it aside for a good while. It is essential to wait till the hue of the milk transforms into yellow-gold.ย 

I can honestly say that I saw the beauty and flavor profile saffron brings to food for the first time because I let the milk sit. My photos barely do justice to the real thing. 

In another bowl, mix warm milk with sugar and set it aside too. In a third bowl, sift all-purpose flour and salt. Next, stir in the milk dissolved with sugar and melted ghee.ย 

Dough for Sheermal Recipe | How to make Sheermal

By now, the saffron-infused milk would have turned a deep yellow-golden. Stir a couple of teaspoons of that in the mixture too. Donโ€™t use the whole milk + saffron mix. Youโ€™ll need it later on.ย 

Knead till you have a soft, smooth, and elastic dough. Cover it and keep it aside for 10-15 minutes. When the dough has rested, divide it equally into 8 balls. Cover and set aside again.ย 

Sheermal Recipe | How to make Sheermal

Quick note

Some sheermal recipes make use of a leavening agent like yeast or baking soda. I did not add any, yet the flatbread was pillowy soft with just a hint of crispness.ย 

Baking the sheermal

Working with one dough ball at a time, roll them into 4 ยฝ to 5-inch discs. Use a fork to prick the entire surface. The perforations allow for more even heating when you bake the sheermal. 

Sheermal Recipe | How to make Sheermal

On a tray lined with parchment, place the discs and bake for five minutes. Take them out and then brush the tops liberally with the saffron-infused milk. Bake again till you have a golden hue touched with shades of brown.ย 

Sheermal Recipe | How to make Sheermal

Serving the sheermal

Sheermal should be served immediately. As soon as it is out of the oven, smear it with ghee and dig in. Traditionally, the flatbread is enjoyed unabashedly with nihari โ€“ a spicy mutton soup.  

You can pair it with any rich curry or even kebabs, but I would recommend it as a tea snack, which is how I served it โ€“ with cups of sweet kahwa. The Kashmiri tea accompanied the sheermal flawlessly.ย 

Sheermal Recipe | How to make Sheermal

You can savor the taste of ghee and saffron in every bite. The bread is gorgeously flaky and decadent. It's soft yet crisp with just a tinge of sweetness.

I advise cooking it for an intimate Diwali get-together or truly any festivities. Serve this rich bread as a snack or as part of a meal.ย ย 

You can halve the recipe or double it easily, depending upon how many sheermal you want. Going by the speed with which these were eaten in my house, a double batch would be a great idea! 

Sheermal Recipe | How to make Sheermal

๐Ÿ“– Recipe

Sheermal breads in a napkin lined basket.

Sheermal Recipe

Natasha Minocha
Sheermal - Flaky, crisp, and very delicious, this rich, saffron and ghee- soaked flatbread is gorgeous for any festive table!
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Course Bread, Dessert, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine Indian
Servings 8 Breads
Calories 277 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 1/4 cup Warm milk
  • 2 tsp Sugar
  • 1 tsp Saffron
  • 2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 cup Ghee, melted

Topping

  • 1-2 tsp Ghee

Instructions
 

  • Take out 1/4 cup of milk and dissolve saffron in it. Set aside.
  • Dissolve sugar in the rest of the 1 cup of milk.
  • In a large bowl, combine flour and salt.
  • Make a well in the center and pour in the milk sugar mixture, 2 teaspoons of saffron milk, and melted ghee.
  • Start mixing gradually. Knead to make a soft dough.
  • Cover with a damp kitchen towel and set aside for 10-15 minutes.
  • Divide the dough into 8 equal-sized portions. Shape them into balls.
  • Cover with a damp kitchen towel for 10-15 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease a baking tray or line with parchment paper.
  • Working with one ball at a time, roll it out into a disc, about 4.5"-5" in diameter. These should not be rolled out thin.
  • Prick the entire surfavce with a fork.
  • Place carefully on the prepared tray and bake for 5 minutes. Take the tray out, brush the flatbreads with saffron-infused milk. Immediately return to the oven for another 6-7 minutes or until the breads are golden and done.
  • Smear with ghee as soon as you take them out of the oven and serve warm. Enjoy!

Notes

This recipe has been adapted from Mr. Jiggs Kalra's famous cookbook Prashad.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 ServingCalories: 277kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 5gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 306mgPotassium: 101mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 64IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 54mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Sheermal Recipe | How to make Sheermal

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ashwin says

    September 02, 2021 at 10:42 pm

    Hi, this looks like an awesome recipe. I am keen in trying it. Would you think I can use Whole wheat flour instead of plain flour?

    Reply
    • Natasha Minocha says

      September 08, 2021 at 10:20 am

      Thanks so much, Ashwin. I hope you try this and enjoy it as much as we do. ๐Ÿ™‚
      I'm not sure if with wholewheat flour you'll be able to get the same melt in your mouth texture. But please do try and let me know! I'd love to hear from you.

      Reply
  2. Aman says

    April 17, 2021 at 6:35 pm

    The blog is really good. Thanks for sharing it.

    Reply
    • Natasha Minocha says

      April 21, 2021 at 11:32 am

      Thanks so much!????

      Reply
  3. Albertina says

    November 17, 2020 at 12:51 pm

    This looks amazing and so simple to make. Also, your pictures are amazing, I feel like I could eat this straight from my screen. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Natasha Minocha says

      November 17, 2020 at 1:06 pm

      Thanks so much for your wonderful comment! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  4. Varun Sharma says

    November 06, 2020 at 3:36 pm

    Sheermal is sweet and tasty, i like this recipe.

    Reply

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