The Saudi version of Indian dum seviyan

Name: The Saudi version of Indian dum seviyan (Sh’Ariyah)
Cuisine: Saudi Arabian
Ingredients: 200 ml (7 fl oz/scant 1 cup) milk (can be replaced with water for a lighter version or a non-dairy option like virgin coconut oil or plant-based butter); 200 ml (7 fl oz/scant 1 cup) milk (can be replaced with water for a lighter version or a non-dairy option like virgin coconut oil or plant-based butter); 200 ml (7 fl oz/scant 1 cup) milk (can be replaced with water for a lighter version or a non-dairy option like virgin coconut oil or plant-based butter); 200 ml (7 fl oz/scant 1 cup) milk (can be replaced with water for a lighter version or a non-dairy option like virgin coconut oil or plant-based butter); 200 g (7 oz/1 cup) white granulated sugar; A few strands of saffron; 4-6 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed; A pinch of yellow or orange food colouring (optional); A pinch of yellow or orange food colouring (optional); A few drops of rose water; 100 g (3½ oz/scant ½ cup) ghee; 200 g (7 oz) thin vermicelli (seviyan), broken; 200 g (7 oz) thin vermicelli (seviyan), broken; 40 g (1½ oz/¼ cup) almonds, chopped or slivered; 40 g (1½ oz/¼ cup) cashews, chopped; 35 g (1¼ oz/¼ cup) pistachios, chopped or sliced; 40 g (1½ oz/¼ cup) raisins; 20 g (¾ oz/¼ cup) coconut flakes; 100 g (3½ oz) crumbled khoya; Nuts of your choice, chopped or slivered, to garnish

Sh’Ariyah

Preparation info

Serves
6-8

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Red Sea Cookbook

By Madeeha Qureshi

Published 2026

About

If you have a sweet tooth, you will be addicted to this no-fuss treat. It is a crowd-pleaser that is super quick to put together. Khoya are milk solids, easily found at Asian grocery stores, but you can substitute with plain burfi or clotted cream with a sprinkle of raw cane sugar.

Ingredients

For the saffron-infused sugar syrup

200 ml (7 fl oz/scant 1 cup) milk (can be replaced with water for a lighter

Asia
Saudi Arabia
India
Dessert
Vegetarian
Gluten-free

Method

Prepare the saffron-infused syrup by combining all of the syrup ingredients with 200ml (7fl oz/scant 1 cup) water in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil, then let it simmer on a low heat for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a wide frying pan, melt the ghee, then add the broken vermicelli. Toast for 3-4 minutes until golden in colour, then add the nuts, raisins and coconut flakes and sauté for anothe