I first tasted Shrikhand when I moved to Pune, a big city in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, with my family. I have loved it ever since. Ideally Shrikhand should be made with whole or full cream milk yogurt but you can also make it with low-fat or diet yogurt. The nuts are optional but add that extra special touch to this simple but delicious dessert.
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours, 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 kg whole milk or full cream unsweetened yogurt
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp cardamom powder
- 2 tsps kewra essence (available at Indian groceries)
- 1 cup thinly sliced green pistachios
- A pinch of saffron strands
- 2 tsps warm milk
Preparation:
- Hang the yogurt in a clean muslin or cheesecloth for 2-3 hours to completely drain all the whey from it.
- When the yogurt is drained and ready to use, put the warm milk in a small glass bowl and add the saffron strands to it. Allow to stand for a minute.
- Now mix all the ingredients (including the milk with saffron strands in it) together in a large bowl. Mix to blend sugar fully.
- Chill for an hour and serve dollops in a bowl, like ice cream.

