Sheermal Recipe (Without Yeast)

5 from 3 votes

Popular in Awadhi & Mughlai cuisines, Sheermal or Shirmal is a soft, mildly sweet, saffron-flavored, enriched leavened bread baked in tandoor or on a griddle. Sheermal recipe originates from the Mughlai cuisine, with strong influences from Persia. The rich dough is made with white flour, milk, cardamom, sugar, salt & lots of ghee. The baked Sheermal Roti is brushed with saffron milk, melted ghee or butter and typically served warm with rich spiced gravies or as a tea-time snack.

Prep Time25

Cook Time30

Resting Time35

Total Time1 30

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Mughlai, North Indian

Diet: Vegetarian

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Servings:

Calories: 302kcal

Author: Dassana Amit

Ingredients

For The Enriched Dough

2.25 cups or (281 grams) all-purpose flour (maida)
½ teaspoon green cardamom powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk - warm, or add as needed
1 teaspoon or (5 grams) sugar
1 tablespoon kewra water (pandanus water) or add ¼ to ½ teaspoon or a few drops of kewra essence, adjusting the amount based on its concentration
100 grams ghee or ½ cup melted ghee, warm

To Brush With

25 to 30 saffron strands - or about 1 pinch of crushed saffron
3 tablespoons milk - warm
3 tablespoons melted ghee - warm or can use softened or melted unsalted butter

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make dough

In a mixing bowl, first mix the all-purpose flour, salt and cardamom powder.
Next take the sugar and milk in a small saucepan.
Heat until the milk becomes warm and the sugar dissolves. Stir often so that the sugar dissolves.
Add this warm milk in portions to the flour.
Mix and then begin to knead.
Keep on adding milk in portions and continue to knead.
Knead to a smooth and soft dough. If dough is dry or floury, add 1 to 2 tablespoons warm milk. If it is sticky, add in some flour and knead again
Keep in mind that you may not need to use all of the milk while kneading the dough. Stop adding milk, once the dough turns soft, smooth and pliable.
The amount of milk needed will vary depending on the quality and texture of the flour that you are using.
Cover the dough with a moist kitchen towel and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Make saffron milk

Next crush saffron strands with your fingers and mix it with 3 tablespoons of warm milk. Set this saffron milk aside.

Adding melted ghee to dough

Melt 100 grams of ghee in a small frying pan and set it aside. Do not make the ghee very hot.
It must be warm when you add it to the dough.
After the dough has rested for 15 minutes, add kewra water and 2 to 3 tablespoons of the warm melted ghee.
Press your fingers into the dough to create indents and mix the ghee with the dough. Knead nicely so that the ghee is evenly mixed and absorbed into the dough.
Again poke the indents with your fingers on the dough and add 2 to 3 tablespoons of melted warm ghee.
Continue to mix and knead. Stretch the dough while kneading. Knead until the ghee gets incorporated into the dough.
Repeat and use up all the ghee by creating indents and adding 2 to 3 tablespoons of the ghee at a time, mixing ghee with dough and kneading until the ghee is absorbed. You will get a super soft and smooth dough.
Cover with a moist kitchen towel and rest the dough for 10 to 12 minutes.

Assembling and rolling

After the dough has rested, portion and form 8 equal sized balls from the dough.
Cover with a moist kitchen towel and rest again for 10 to 12 minutes.
Sprinkle some flour on your work surface and on the dough ball.
With a rolling pin, roll each dough ball to 6 to 7 inches circle, sprinkling flour lightly if needed.
Prick or dock the dough with a fork.

Making Sheermal on a skillet/pan/griddle

Heat a skillet, frying pan or tawa (griddle or a flat skillet) to medium-low or medium heat.
Place the rolled dough on it.
Cover with a lid and let the bottom of the sheermal roti cook.
Check after 1½ to 2 minutes and when the bottom crust has golden blisters, flip gently.
Cook the second side until golden without covering it with a lid. Press the edges with a spatula so that the edges also get cooked evenly.
Remove and brush first with the prepared saffron milk and then with the melted ghee.
Similarly make the remaining breads in batches on the skillet or tawa.
Place the saffron milk and ghee brushed sides of two breads facing and touching each other while storing.
Keep them covered in a moist cotton kitchen towel or a moist cotton napkin.

Baking Shirmal

Preheat oven at 230 degrees Celsius/445 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes, if you plan to bake these breads.
Place on a greased baking tray or a baking tray lined with parchment.
Place the tray in the preheated oven and for about 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges are golden.
Once baked well, remove the baking tray from oven.
With the help of tongs or a spatula, place the sheermal bread on a wired rack.
Brush evenly with the saffron milk. Next brush with melted ghee or softened butter.
Keep the sheermal roti covered in a moist kitchen towel.
Repeat the baking if you have a small oven or small-sized trays.

Serving & Storage Suggestions

Sheermal Roti can be paired with kahwa, chai or even a vegetarian korma, paneer korma, shahi paneer, paneer butter masala or vegetable kabab.
Refrigerate leftover sheermal bread wrapped up in a cotton napkin in an air-tight container.
The ghee in the sheermal will become solid after refrigeration leading to the bread become hard. So lightly roast the sheermal bread on a tawa/skillet until warm. You can also warm these breads in the oven before serving.

Notes

Flour: Sheermal is traditionally made with all-purpose flour which gives it the best texture. However, for a slightly healthier option, you could add in a small amount of whole wheat flour. But note that the texture will differ in this scenario.
Milk: Sheermal is basically a milk based flatbread. So as the name suggests, milk is an essential ingredient. Thus do not skip on it. For a more richer version, you can use half-half of milk and cream (malai).
Sweeteners: Usually sugar is added to give the bread a light sweetness. This recipe makes for a Sheermal roti that is mildly sweet. If you prefer a more sweeter bread, add more sugar (about 5 to 6 tablespoons) to the warm milk.
Fats: Ghee is the preferred choice of fat. Use the same amount as mentioned in this recipe. It helps in making the texture soft and gives a really good flavor.
Patience: Making Sheermal requires both time and patience. Set aside enough time to prepare this rich and royal bread. It is not a recipe that you can rush through.
Kneading: The challenging part while kneading the dough, is incorporating the melted ghee into it. Go slowly adding ghee in small batches, mixing it first and then kneading until it is fully absorbed into the dough. Remember the dough should have a soft fudge like texture.
Saffron: Soaking saffron strands in warm milk releases its color and flavor in the milk. Brushing the Shirmal bread with this saffron milk gives it a lovely aroma and color.
Leavening Ingredients: For a slightly more softer and airy texture, add about ½ teaspoon of baking powder to the dough.
Optional Toppings: You could brush some rose water or kewra water on the baked breads. Additionally sprinkle some slivered almonds or pistachios and raisins for a royal touch.
Texture: Make a note that oven baked Sheermal has crispy, flaky texture like that of a flaky cookie. The griddle/tawa or pan cooked bread will be soft as well as crispy.

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