Shrikhand is one of my favourite Indian desserts. Sometimes I end up fantasising about eating Shrikhand and Puri meals in the summer time. Making Shrikhand starting with milk is a simple enough process but with the availability of Greek yogurt (mostly outside of India) it has become even more simple.

Kesar Shrikhand

Ingredients

1. Greek yogurt or regular yogurt hung for an hour in a cheese cloth or muslin cloth (full fat version preferred but it tastes amazing even with the non-fat version) – 1kg
2. Sugar – 100g (2/3rd cup) or to taste
3. Saffron – 15-20 strands
4. Cardamom – seeds from 3-5 pods, crushed (if not sure of this flavour, skip or start with a smaller amount)
5. Milk – 30ml (2tbsp) to soak the saffron
6. Chopped nuts like cashew, pistachios, almonds – handful to add texture to the yogurt and to garnish

Equipment

1. 1 big bowl – to mix the yogurt
2. 1 mixing spatula (silicon preferable)
3. Whisk
4. 1 small bowl – soak the saffron in the milk
5. Mortar & pestle – if using freshly crushed cardamom

Method

1. In the small bowl take some milk and heat for 5-10 seconds in the microwave. Then add the saffron strands and let it stand for 15-30 min. This will release colour of the saffron into the milk, which is easier and faster at higher temperatures.
2. In the big bowl take the yogurt and add sugar to it and whisk it until you cannot see any granularity from the sugar.
3. Taste for sweetness and adjust sugar if necessary.
4. Then add the saffron milk and cardamom and mix well, ensuring uniform mix. The white yogurt will streak against the saffron colour if it is not scraped from the bottom. If you would like more saffron colour, add more strands of saffron in the milk.
5. Add the nuts and mix. Taste and adjust the quantity of cardamom and nuts.
6. Garnish with sliced nuts while serving