Taste Of Royalty: Making Dry Fruits Sheermal From Scratch

We love our phulkas, puris and paranthas to our core and it is impossible for us to think of a spread that does not include our loaded flatbreads . Every region in India has a range of signature flatbreads and each of them taste amazing. Our hearty gravies like Rogan Josh, Shahi Paneer or yummy tandoori appetizers, demand a special pairing, and this is where our rich flatbreads come into play. Sheermal hailing from the Awadhi cuisine is a crispy, firm flatbread which is traditionally made with leavened all-purpose flour (maida), saffron and milk. This flatbread is believed to be the favourite of the first king of Awadh Ghaziuddin Haider. Sheermal has a rich intricate layer of flavours which goes with wholesome and sumptuous gravies belonging to any cuisine. You can also make them at home without any hassle. Moreover, you can also add dry fruits to the Sheermal, making it an excellent standalone dish. Conventionally, Sheermal is baked in tandoor but you can get the same flavours in your tawa as well. You just need a handful of ingredients and a couple of minutes to put together this dish. So, without further ado, here’s the recipe for dry fruit Sheermal.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (maida)
  • 2 cup milk
  • 3 tsp sugar
  • 1½ cup ghee
  • 1½ tsp elaichi powder
  • 2 cups of crushed dry fruits
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • A few saffron strands
  • A pinch of salt
  • Honey, garnish

Preparations:

1. In a small bowl mix ½ tsp of saffron strands with 3 tbsp of water. Keep it aside for a while.

2. Then in another big bowl add all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, elaichi powder milk and saffron-water. After that gently knead it into dough, you can adjust the consistency according to your needs.

3. Cover the dough with a muslin cloth and let it sit for at least 25-30 minutes.

4. After that, divide the soft dough into 16 equal balls and using a rolling pin, roll them into the shape of rotis. While rolling try to sprinkle crushed dry fruits in regular intervals.

5. Now, heat a few drops of ghee on your tawa over medium flame and place the sheermal on top of it. Make sure to flip them in regular intervals, so that it can be cooked from both sides. You can pour ½ tsp of milk on top of it as well, this will ensure that the roti is not sticking to tawa.

6. When the sheermal is golden-brown in colour. Remove it from tawa and drizzle some honey on top of it.

Your delicious sheermal is ready to be savoured.