Meethi Seviyan (Sweet Vermicelli) – Dry/Sukhi version!

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A childhood memory for many Desis, Meethi Seviyan is a humble dessert of wheat vermicelli cooked in a cardamom-infused simple syrup. It is one of those last-minute, low-effort desserts to make any occasion festive and nostalgic. This foolproof recipe makes flavorful but not-too-sweet, perfectly moist Seviyan in 20 minutes flat!

Sukhi, Meethi Seviyan

Last Ramadan, I shared this Sukhi Seviyan as a bonus recipe with my Ramadan Meal Plan, and since then, so many readers have asked me for the recipe. Feeling equally guilty for both sharing this exclusive recipe and gatekeeping it, I ultimately decided to share…all that nostalgia I’m holding back!

In our home, though the milk-based Seviyan is essential on Eid, this dry version makes a more frequent appearance year round.

This recipe is just what you’d expect – a wholesome and nostalgic dessert with foolproof instructions. A combo of salted butter + ghee, and properly toasting the seviyan adds depth. Lately I’ve found adding crushed nuts on top really amps it up for me. (For extra oomph, you can even toast the nuts.)

What You’ll Need + Notes on Seviyan

• Seviyan/Vermicelli: Different from the thick, broken or rice vermicelli you’ll find at supermarkets. These are thin, in tact, Desi-style seviyan (often labeled roasted vermicelli) that you can find at any Indian or Pakistani grocery store. Seviyan comes in standard 150g packets. I buy the untoasted kind, but pre-roasted also works in this recipe. My favorite version has been when my aunt made this dessert with hand-rolled vermicelli noodles that she brought from Pakistan. (My grandmother tells me that she also used to roll these noodles by hand as shown in this video.)

How to make Sukhi Seviyan

How to serve, store and reheat

You can serve Sukhi Seviyan warm or at room temperature, topped with slivered or finely chopped blanched almonds and/or pistachios, and khoya for extra decadence. 

Tried this recipe? If you have a minute, please consider leaving a comment telling me how it was! You can also take a quick picture and upload it directly into the comments. If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I truly love hearing from you. Thank you!

Meethi Seviyan (Sweet Vermicelli) – Dry/Sukhi version!

Yield: 8

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 20 minutes mins

A childhood memory for many Desis, Meethi Seviyan is a humble dessert of wheat vermicelli cooked in a cardamom-infused simple syrup. It is one of those last-minute, low-effort desserts to make any occasion festive and nostalgic. This foolproof recipe makes flavorful but not-too-sweet, perfectly moist Seviyan in 20 minutes flat!

• 3 tbsp salted butter
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 1 packet (150 g) seviyan (vermicelli), Note 1
• 2 cups water
• ¾ cup + 2 tbsp (175 g) raw cane sugar, or white granulated sugar
• 3-4 green cardamom pods, slightly broken open
• slivered/finely chopped almonds and/or finely chopped pistachios, for garnish

1. Using your hands, crush the vermicelli within the closed packet.

2. Melt the butter and ghee in a nonstick Dutch oven or other deep pan over medium heat. Open the packet and add the crushed vermicelli to the pan. Toast for 6 minutes, until it goes from golden to dark caramel in color and becomes aromatic. Use a wooden spoon to further mash the vermicelli into small pieces within the pan. Turn off the heat.

3. Meanwhile, place another small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the measured water, sugar, and cardamom pods and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sugar has dissolved, about a minute. Turn off the heat.

4. Pour the sugar water into the vermicelli and stir to combine. Turn on the heat to medium-high. Once the liquid comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low. Cover and gently simmer for 5-6 minutes, until all of the water has absorbed or evaporated. Turn off the heat and allow it to rest, covered, for another 5 minutes. Transfer to your serving dish and garnish with finely chopped nuts.

Note 1: To make this recipe, you need South Asian vermicelli used specifically for making Seviyan/Sheer Khurma. It’s finer than other vermicelli pastas. A few brands I’m familiar with are Ahmed Foods, National, and Shan. They’re often labeled as ‘Roasted Vermicelli’, but we’ll be toasting them anyway.
If you’re only able to find thicker vermicelli, you can still make this! With the current cook time, there’ll still be a bit of a bite to the vermicelli. Add ½ cup of water and continue to cook them on low/medium heat for another 5 minutes, or until tender.

Calories: 176kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 0.1g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 26mg, Sodium: 37mg, Potassium: 18mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 26g, Vitamin A: 131IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 6mg, Iron: 0.1mg

Cuisine: Indian, Pakistani