• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

My Cooking Journey logo

  • Home
  • Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
×

Home » Baking » Flatbreads

Published: Apr 21, 2017 · Modified: Sep 28, 2021 by Sandhya Ramakrishnan · This post may contain affiliate links

Sheermal | Shirmal - Saffron Flavored Flat Bread

Jump to Recipe

Sheermal / Shirmal bread is very famous in the Muslim community in India and hence is assumed that this has been passed down from the Persian culture.

Sheermal is one of the breads that was in my bookmarked list for a long time. We used to bake different breads each month with a group called 'We Knead to Bake' and this bread was one of the breads we baked in the group.

Sheermal / Shirmal - Saffron Flavored Flat Bread in a plate

I had missed baking with the group that particular month but had it bookmarked ever since then. Sheermal is a saffron flavored flatbread which is believed to have passed on to India from the Persian culture.

This bread is very flavorful and leavened with yeast. There are recipes that have egg in them, but I have made this recipe Egg less and used yogurt as a substitute for eggs. The bread is usually served with tea for breakfast but is also served as a part of the main dish along with a spicy Mutton curry called Nehari/Nihari.

Sign up to my newsletter

Sheermal is usually flavored with kewra (screw pine essence), but it is a very acquired taste. You could use rose water instead, but that again is an acquired flavor. I have left out both the kewra and the rose water and just used the saffron milk. We ate the Sheermal with our evening tea and it was a very satisfying snack.

I am going to make it again very soon for dinner with some spicy subzi as I really fell in love with this bread. It is very similar to the Indian naan, but a little more rustic in look. The Lucknowi Sheermal is topped with raisins or any dry fruits. There are some who top the sheermal with nuts or sesame seeds.

Sheermal Saffron Flavored Flat Bread  served in a plate

Preparation time - 15 minutes plus about 1 ½ hours of resting time
Baking time - 15 to 20 minutes per batch
Difficulty level - easy
Recipe adapted from - My Diverse Kitchen

Ingredients to make Sheermal/Shirmal - Makes 4

  • All purpose flour - 2 ¼ cups
  • Active dry yeast - 1 tsp
  • Lukewarm water - ¼ cup
  • Lukewarm milk - ½ cup + 2 tbsp
  • Yogurt - 3 tbsp
  • Ghee or melted butter - ¼ cup
  • Sugar - 2 tablespoon + 1 tsp
  • Salt - ¾ tsp
  • Rose water - 1 teaspoon (optional)
  • Saffron strands - few
Sheermal / Shirmal served with tea

Procedure to make Sheermal/Shirmal - 

To make the dough - 

  • Heat the water to lukewarm temperature and add the yeast along with a teaspoon of sugar. Mix it well and cover with a cloth. Let the yeast proof for about 7-10 minutes or until it becomes bubbly. If the yeast mixture does not froth up by the end of 10 minutes, discard the mixture and start with a new batch of yeast.
  • In a large mixing bowl, or in the bowl of the stand mixer, add the rest of the dry ingredients; all purpose flour, sugar and salt.
  • Mix it and then add the proofed yeast mixture. Add the melted butter or ghee and the rose water, if using.  Add the milk slowly to form a soft dough.
  • Knead the dough for 7 to 10 minutes. The dough will be very soft, but not sticky.
  • Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap and then a kitchen cloth.
  • Let it rise in a warm place for about an hour to hour and a half.
Knead a dough in a bowl

To shape and bake the Sheermal/Shirmal -

  • Preheat the oven to 375 F.
  • In a small bowl, heat the 2 tablespoon of milk and add the saffron strands to the milk. Mix it well and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
saffron dissolved in milk
  • 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. You could use a rolling pin, but I found using the hands to flatten worked much better.
  • 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 flat bread.
  • 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 vary from oven to oven.
shaping and Baking the sheermal in a oven
  • Cool on rack for 5 minutes and then place wrapped in a cloth to retain the softness of the bread.
Sheermal / Shirmal - Saffron Flavored Flat Bread served in a plate with tea

My other bakes in the A – Z Baking around the World Marathon

A for Almond cookies from China

B for Bretzel Rolls from Germany

C for Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting from USA

D for Danish Cookies from Denmark

E for Empanada from Argentina

F for Franzbrötchen from Germany

G for Grissini from Italy

H for Hot Cross Buns from England

I for Irish Freckle Bread from Ireland

J for Jan Hagel Cookies from Netherlands

K for Kiffles / Kiflis from Hungary

L for Lagana Bread from Greece

M for Monkey Bread from USA

N for Nazook / Nazouk from Armenia

O for Obi Non from Uzbekistan

P for Peyniril Poğaça from Turkey

Q for Quesitos from Puerto Rico

R for Rice flour Cookies from Persia

 If you made this recipe and liked it, give a star rating on the recipe card or let me know in the comments below. You could also share it with me on Instagram using #MyCookingJourney and tagging me @sandhya.ramakrishnan. You could follow me and my recipes on Facebook |Instagram | Pinterest | twitter

Shirmal – Saffron Flavored Flat Bread in a plate

Sheermal | Shirmal – Saffron Flavored Flat Bread

Sheermal is a saffron flavored flatbread which is believed to have passed on to India from the Persian culture. This bread is very famous in the Muslim community
5 from 8 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Baking, Breakfast, Eggless, Flatbread
Cuisine: Asian
Diet: Vegetarian
Prep Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 430kcal
Author: Sandhya Ramakrishnan

Equipment

  • bowl
  • Oven

Ingredients

  • 2 ¼ cups All purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Active dry yeast
  • ¼ cup Lukewarm water
  • ½ cup Lukewarm milk + 2 tbsp
  • 3 tablespoon Yogurt
  • ¼ cup Ghee or melted butter
  • 3 tablespoon Sugar + 1 tsp
  • ¾ teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Rose water optional
  • few Saffron strands

Instructions

To make the dough -

  • Heat the water to lukewarm temperature and add the yeast along with a teaspoon of sugar. Mix it well and cover with a cloth. Let the yeast proof for about 7-10 minutes or until it becomes bubbly. If the yeast mixture does not froth up by the end of 10 minutes, discard the mixture and start with a new batch of yeast.
  • In a large mixing bowl, or in the bowl of the stand mixer, add the rest of the dry ingredients; all purpose flour, sugar and salt.
  • Mix it and then add the proofed yeast mixture. Add the melted butter or ghee and the rose water, if using. Add the milk slowly to form a soft dough.
  • Knead the dough for 7 to 10 minutes. The dough will be very soft, but not sticky.
  • Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap and then a kitchen cloth.
  • Let it rise in a warm place for about an hour to hour and a half.

To shape and bake the Sheermal/Shirmal -

  • Preheat the oven to 375 F.
  • In a small bowl, heat the 2 tablespoon of milk and add the saffron strands to the milk. Mix it well and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
  • 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. You could use a rolling pin, but I found using the hands to flatten worked much better.
  • 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 flat bread.
  • 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 vary from oven to oven.
  • Cool on rack for 5 minutes and then place wrapped in a cloth to retain the softness of the bread.

Nutrition

Calories: 430kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 594mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 572IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @Sandhya.Ramakrishnan or tag #MyCookingJourney!
« Naan Berenji | Eggless Persian Rice Flour Cookies
Pineapple Quesitos - Puerto Rico Cheese Puff Pastry »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Swathi says

    September 29, 2021 at 7:20 pm

    5 stars
    Sheermal looks delicious my favorite. your version is perfect

    Reply
    • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      September 30, 2021 at 2:06 pm

      Thanks Swathi!

      Reply
  2. Gail Montero says

    September 29, 2021 at 2:42 pm

    5 stars
    Love the step-by-step instructions making it easy for me to follow this recipe!

    Reply
    • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      September 30, 2021 at 2:07 pm

      Thanks Gail. Glad you found it useful.

      Reply
  3. Natalie says

    September 29, 2021 at 10:34 am

    5 stars
    I bet this bread tastes amazing. Now I'm so excited to try this. I just saved the recipe. I will make it for weekends.

    Reply
    • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      September 30, 2021 at 2:07 pm

      Thanks! It is delicious.

      Reply
  4. Dana says

    September 29, 2021 at 8:11 am

    5 stars
    This flatbread is so easy to make - I can make my own now and not have to buy it at the store.

    Reply
  5. Claudia Lamascolo says

    September 29, 2021 at 4:01 am

    5 stars
    These look fantastic I love flat bread and buy it once a week. So glad to see this recipe to try thanks!

    Reply
  6. Rohini says

    March 03, 2018 at 10:40 pm

    Great recipe. Turned out perfect

    Reply
  7. Sharmila - The Happie Friends Potpourri Corner says

    May 29, 2017 at 2:39 am

    Sounds yummy and the saffrons infused breads are just out of the world!!

    Reply
  8. Pavani says

    May 15, 2017 at 7:09 pm

    I had made these long time ago and wanted to try it for the marathon, but ended up making something else for letter S.
    Your Sheermal look so soft and delicious. You are tempting me to try these some time soon.

    Reply
  9. Sapna says

    May 06, 2017 at 4:24 pm

    Sheermal sounds like a royal flatbread and would pair well with any curry.

    Reply
  10. harini says

    April 29, 2017 at 11:15 pm

    Very flavorful with saffron and rose water!

    Reply
  11. Priya Suresh says

    April 29, 2017 at 4:05 pm

    Sheermal rocks, saffron and rose water makes this flat bread more flavourful and fantastic. Just love this flatbread.

    Reply
  12. Srividhya Gopalakrishnan says

    April 29, 2017 at 2:40 pm

    Saffron and rose water sure make it flavorful. Thanks for sharing the eggless version Sandhya. Will try this out soon. 🙂

    Reply
  13. Namratha says

    April 26, 2017 at 8:03 pm

    Gorgeous color from the saffron and must have tasted delicious. I did come across this when I was making my list and decided to do it another time instead of a marathon bake. I have a whole other list for post marathon baking ?

    Reply
  14. Sowmya says

    April 26, 2017 at 7:18 am

    Sheermal looks awesome Sandhya. I read about it while baking Taftan for T which has similar origins with Sheermal. Saffron and rose water would have made it a very flavourful bread! Bookmarking this

    Reply
  15. Sowmya says

    April 26, 2017 at 7:17 am

    Sheermal looks awesome Sandhya. I read about it while baking Taftan for T which has similar origins with Sheermal. Saffron and rose water would have made it a very flavourful bread! Bookmarking this

    Reply
  16. Mayuri Patel says

    April 25, 2017 at 1:43 pm

    Sandhya I make this flatbread quite often. Simply love it especially with a mughlai dish. Tastes great even with a cup of masala tea.

    Reply
  17. Anlet - Annslittlecorner says

    April 25, 2017 at 10:40 am

    This sounds interesting a must try

    Reply
  18. Vaishali Sabnani says

    April 24, 2017 at 11:23 pm

    Sheermal is on my to do list too since so so long , after seeing your fantastic bread , I am motivated . Saffron flavour sounds great though I wouldn't mind Kewra or Rose and yes those nuts too .

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Sandhya

I am Sandhya Ramakrishnan, author, recipe developer and photographer in this journey! 'My Cooking Journey' is all about family friendly Vegetarian and Vegan recipes from around the World with focus on Indian cuisine.

Learn More about me →

Popular Posts

  • Boulanee Katchalu | Afghani Bolani | Stuffed Flatbread
  • Xian Bing | Chinese Stuffed Pancake - Vegetarian
  • Spicy Roasted Makhana | Roasted Foxnut
  • Gur Papdi | Gol Papdi | Sukhdi
  • Saag Aloo | Vegan Spinach And Potato Curry
  • 4 Ingredients Fruit Salad With Mango Pulp
  • Ginger Chutney | Andhra Allam Pachadi
  • Kerala Style Peas Masala Curry

Street Foods

  • Spicy Schezwan Fried Rice
  • Bhutte Ka Kees | Indore Style Grated Corn Snack
  • Churumuri | Beach Style Masala Pori
  • Green Peas Kachori | Bengali Matar Kachori
  • Air Fryer Arancini | Italian Rice Balls
  • Gobi Manchurian | Cauliflower Manchurian
  • Masala Chaas | Spiced Buttermilk
  • Dry Garlic Chutney Powder Recipe

Sign Up to Newsletter

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • About

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2022 · MyCookingJourney LLC

Sign Up to Newsletter

We'll keep you in the loop with our latest news and new content that we add at MyCookingJourney.com.

Enjoy the journey with us and share it with your family and friends!