Shrikand
Shrikand is a yoghurt dessert from western India, native to Gujarat and Maharashtra. Yoghurt is drained in a cloth for several hours until it becomes thick and creamy like fresh cheese, then seasoned with saffron, sugar and rose water. The dessert is often served with puri or as the end of a celebratory meal.
The trick lies in the draining. Once the whey is gone, you are left with a firm yoghurt cheese — called chakka — that has concentrated tanginess and a velvety texture. That texture is what carries the dessert’s flavour.
The saffron is whisked into the drained yoghurt so the colour and aroma have time to infuse. The rose water is added a little at a time so you can stop before it becomes perfumed. Cardamom and pistachios over the top add bite and fragrance.
Ingredients
Serves 4
- 1 l plain yoghurt
- 1/2 tsp saffron threads
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp rose water
Garnish
- 1–2 tsp cardamom seeds, crushed
- 1 tbsp pistachio nuts, chopped
Directions
Line a fine-mesh sieve or colander with a piece of muslin or cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Pour the yoghurt into the cloth, gather the corners and leave it to drain in the fridge for about 6 hours. The whey will run down into the bowl, leaving a thick yoghurt cheese of around 300 g.
Transfer the drained yoghurt to a clean bowl. Whisk in the saffron threads so the colour and aroma are evenly distributed.
Add the sugar a little at a time, tasting as you go. It should be lightly sweet without covering the tanginess of the yoghurt.
Stir in the rose water a spoonful at a time until the mixture is a thick, uniform cream. Taste as you go — stop when the fragrance is noticeable but not perfumed.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate until serving. Sprinkle with crushed cardamom seeds and chopped pistachios just before bringing it to the table.
Notes
Active time is only 5–10 minutes, but the draining takes 6 hours, and the dessert needs to chill afterwards. Start the day before, or in the morning for the evening.
Use a yoghurt with a good fat content — a low-fat yoghurt will give a thin and unremarkable shrikand. Greek yoghurt can be used directly without draining, but the flavour will be slightly more closed.
The saffron can be warmed briefly in a spoonful of hot milk before being whisked into the yoghurt. This draws out more colour and flavour from the threads.
Shrikand will keep for 2–3 days in the fridge in a tightly covered bowl.
See Also
Homemade Hard Ricotta (Paneer)
