Lab-e-Shireen
لبِ شیریں
Lab-e-shireen, sweet lips, is the dessert bowl that appears at almost every Pakistani dawat, Eid lunch and Ramadan gathering. It is a cold, creamy mix of custard and packaged cream with fruit, soft vermicelli and cubes of red and green jelly that make it look festive. Nothing about it is difficult; the secret is letting every component cool completely before folding them together, so the cream stays thick and the jelly keeps its shape.
- ⏱ Total: 45 min
- Prep: 30 min
- Cook: 15 min
- Easy
- Serves 8
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Dissolve each jelly packet in 1 cup of hot water in a separate flat dish. Leave to cool, then refrigerate for about 2 hours until firm. Cut into small cubes.
Bring a of water to a boil, add the vermicelli and boil for 3–4 minutes until soft. Drain, rinse under cold water so the strands don't stick, and set aside.
Rinse the pan and bring 3½ cups of the milk to a boil with the sugar over medium heat. Whisk the custard powder into the remaining half cup of cold milk until smooth.
Pour the custard mixture into the boiling milk in a thin stream, stirring all the time. Cook for 3–4 minutes, still stirring, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
Turn off the heat and let the custard cool completely, stirring now and then, then chill for 1 hour. Press cling film onto the surface so no skin forms.
In a large bowl, beat the cold custard briefly until smooth, then fold in the chilled cream. Add the fruit cocktail, apple, vermicelli and most of the jelly cubes, and fold gently.
Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. Just before serving, fold in the bananas and scatter the remaining jelly cubes on top. Serve cold in small bowls.
Kitchen notes
Never fold cream into warm custard. It melts and turns the whole bowl runny.
Add the bananas last. They brown and soften quickly in custard.
Drain the fruit cocktail well and save the syrup for something else. Extra syrup thins the custard.
The dessert of every dawat
Lab-e-shireen is a thoroughly modern Pakistani dessert, built from the packets and tins found in every grocery store: custard powder, jelly crystals, fruit cocktail and boxed cream. Its name is poetic Urdu for sweet lips, and it has become the default sweet for dawats, Eid lunches, iftar parties and wedding functions at home. It is popular for the same reasons it is easy: it is made ahead, served cold, feeds a crowd and looks bright and cheerful in a glass bowl.
Cool everything before you combine
The method is simple assembly, but temperature matters. The custard must be completely cold before the cream goes in, or the cream melts and the mixture turns thin. The jelly must be fully set before cutting, or the cubes smear and stain the custard pink and green. The vermicelli should be boiled only until soft and rinsed in cold water so the strands stay separate. Once each part is ready and chilled, folding gently with a spatula keeps the jelly cubes whole and the cream airy.
Variations
- Mango season: swap the fruit cocktail for diced fresh mango.
- Condensed milk: replace a quarter of the sugar with a few spoons of condensed milk for a richer custard.
- Nuts: scatter chopped almonds and pistachios over the top for crunch.
- Strawberry or banana custard: use a flavoured custard powder for a different colour and taste.
Storing and serving
Lab-e-shireen keeps for a day in the fridge, covered. It firms up as it chills, so give it a gentle stir before serving. Serve it cold in small bowls or glasses, alone or after a heavy meal of biryani and qorma, when something cool and light is welcome.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between lab-e-shireen and trifle?
A trifle is layered in a dish with sponge cake at the bottom. Lab-e-shireen has no cake and everything is folded together, with vermicelli giving it its own texture.
Can I make it a day ahead?
Yes, it keeps well for a day. Fold in everything except the bananas and the top layer of jelly, and add those just before serving.
Can I use fresh fruit instead of the tin?
Yes. Use about 3 cups of mixed fruit such as apple, grapes, pomegranate, mango or pineapple. Avoid watery fruit like watermelon, which makes the custard runny.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 395
- Protein
- 7 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 67 g
