Sheermal is a mildly sweet flatbread. It is made out of maida, leavened with yeast, baked in a tandoor or oven. Sheermal was traditionally made like roti, though current chefs make it more like a naan as well. When you are making as a naan, the warm water is replaced with warm milk sweetened with sugar, saffron. So the final bread tastes sweet with saffron flavours highlighted a lot.
Though I had another flatbread from Yemen called the Saluf or the Salouf, I had to stick to Sheermal or Shirmal for the fact that I had to make six Indian Sweets and this one fitted the bill well. Also, this has been on my list for a while and I was only too glad I could finally make it. I referred quite a few sites for the recipe and finally checked out the recipe from this video.
Sheermal is my pick for S in my A to Z International Flatbreads. If you are interested to know what's S for Street Food, Check my other space.
In A to Z International Flatbreads
A for Afghan Flatbread
B for Bale Hannina Chapathi
C Cascioni Romganoli
D for Dhal Puri
E for Emirati Khameer Bread
F for Focaccia di Recco
G for Gur aur Til ki Roti
H for Harcha
I for Injera
J for Janta Roti
K for Khobz al Tawa
L for Laffa Bread
M for Mitho Lolo
N for Nicaraguan Quesillo
O for Obi Non
P for Podpłomyki
Q for Qutab
R for Roat
Step By Step Pictures for making Sheermal
Sheermal ~ Awadhi Flatbread
Ingredients Needed
2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 tsp Instant Dry Yeast
3/ 4 cup Milk
1 /4 cup Ghee
1/ 4 cup Sugar
3 /4 tsp Salt
Few Strands Saffron
For the Sheermal Dough
Soak the saffron in warm milk. Save a little for brushing later.
In the mixing bowl, take the flour, salt, sugar, and ghee. Mix well.
Slowly add warm milk and knead to a soft dough.
Cover and let it rest for until it doubles.
To shape and bake the Sheermal/Shirmal –
Preheat the oven to 200C
Once the dough has doubled in volume, punch it down gently and then divide it into 4 equal balls.
Working with one ball, flatten it evenly to about 6 to 8 inches circle. Place the shaped dough on a parchment lined baking tray. Repeat the same with the rest of the dough pieces.
Using a fork, make prick marks evenly all over the dough.
Using a pastry brush, evenly brush the saffron milk all over the shaped dough. Make sure you brush the saffron milk liberally over the shaped flatbread.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the Sheermal is golden brown in color. Do not overcook the bread. Keep an eye from about 12 minutes as the cooking time varies from oven to oven.
You can easily cook this on the stovetop as well. Repeat the same process.
Serve hot.
Recipe
Sheermal ~ Awadhi Flatbread
Ingredients
- 2 cups All purpose flour
- 1 tsp Instant Dry Yeast
- 3/ 4 cup Milk
- 1 /4 cup Ghee
- 1/ 4 cup Sugar
- 3 /4 tsp Salt
- Few Strands Saffron
Instructions
For the Sheermal Dough
- Soak the saffron in warm milk. Save a little for brushing later.
- In the mixing bowl, take the flour, salt, sugar, and ghee. Mix well.
- Slowly add warm milk and knead to a soft dough.
- Cover and let it rest for until it doubles.
To shape and bake the Sheermal
- Preheat the oven to 200C
- Once the dough has doubled in volume, punch it down gently and then divide it into 4 equal balls.
- Working with one ball, flatten it evenly to about 6 to 8 inches circle. Place the shaped dough on a parchment lined baking tray. Repeat the same with the rest of the dough pieces.
- Using a fork, make prick marks evenly all over the dough.
- Using a pastry brush, evenly brush the saffron milk all over the shaped dough. Make sure you brush the saffron milk liberally over the shaped flatbread.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the Sheermal is golden brown in color. Do not overcook the bread. Keep an eye from about 12 minutes as the cooking time varies from oven to oven.
- You can easily cook this on the stovetop as well. Repeat the same process.
- Serve hot.
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vaishalisabnani says
Sheermal is a lovely bread and it has been on my mind since a long time . I see that your Sheermal is beautiful laced with saffron giving it such a pretty look , flavour and aroma .
Sandhiya says
Sheermal looks so soft. With those saffron flavor, it must be absolutely delicious. Great share, will try it on sometime.
Sharmila - The Happie Friends Potpourri Corner says
Aromatic saffron tinted flatbread.. Love this.. will be on my to do list soon!!
Harini says
The saffron strands peeking make an awesome impression. this bread sounds very flavorful as well.
srividhya says
I have heard about sheermal, but never tried it. Great pick for S... between 6 sweets on day why?
Priya Suresh says
Love sheermal especially for their rich ingredients like ghee and saffron. And this bread is definitely a beautiful flatbread to make without any hesitation. I have already tried them still now am tempted to make some rite now.
Gayathri Kumar says
Sheermal has been in my to do list for a long time. Those saffron strands on the bread makes it so nice and I am sure it tastes amazing too..
Pavani says
Sheermal looks so soft and fluffy. I love this flavorful and saffron laced flatbread.
mayurisjikoni says
Your Sheermal looks delicious. It reminds me that I haven't made this rich and flavorful flatbread in a long time.
manjulabharathkumar2016 says
I have made sheermal before too but your version looks so amazing and perfectly made !! The light tinted yellow from the saffron makes the sheermal look so beautiful, am drooling !!
sapna says
Sheermal is in my to do list since forever and yours looks so soft and delicious. Very well made sheermal, bookmarking to try later.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
This was one of my favorite flat bread when I made it with a baking group. Love the flavor of saffron and a little bit goes such a long way right!
Suma Gandlur says
This looks fantastic, Valli. I have yet to try sheermal and yours seem very soft.
Simply Tadka says
Love sheermal because of taste and aroma.. love sweet breads.. So tempting.
Padmajha PJ says
Nice choice of bread Srivalli. Some years back I made this for another event and I still remember how aromatic it was!! This was one of the breads that my kids ate without complaints!
Priya Srinivasan says
Lovely bread valli, i too tried it for an bread baking group and still remember how i made my bread so chubby!!! 🙂 love that beautiful aroma of saffron in the soft bread!! Looks yum!0