Shrikhand

5 from 3 votes

Shrikhand is a rich, creamy, delicious, and easy-to-make Indian dessert made from thick yogurt, sugar, and flavored with saffron and cardamom.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Keyword how to make shrikhand, shrikhand recipe, shrikhand with greek yogurt

Diet Gluten-Free, Vegetarian

Method No-Cook

Prep Time 10

Resting Time 12

Total Time 12 10

Servings

Calories 243kcal

Author Bhavana Patil

To start with, place a strainer on a medium-sized bowl and line a muslin cloth or cheesecloth inside.
Then pour the yogurt (dahi) into the lined strainer. Then bring the edges of the muslin cloth together and gently twist so that the liquid (or whey) starts dripping into the bowl.
Now place a heavy object like a heavy bowl or mortar and pestle to weigh down the tied muslin cloth. Allow it to drain any excess liquid for at least 5-6 hours or overnight. When straining, make sure to keep it in the refrigerator; otherwise, the yogurt can turn sour.
Note: The longer you strain the yogurt, the thicker and creamier it will be.
If using Greek yogurt, you can skip this step or strain for 1-2 hours.

Soak the saffron strands in 1 tablespoon of warm milk for at least 10-15 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, add the strained yogurt, powdered sugar, saffron milk and mix it well with a spoon until it's smooth and creamy.
Then add cardamom powder, chopped pistachios and fold them in.
Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours to chill and for the flavors to blend.
Once chilled, Transfer it to the serving bowls and garnish it with saffron strands and chopped nuts, and enjoy!

Use fresh & good quality yogurt: Always use full-fat plain fresh yogurt that is not sour. Homemade yogurt works best. However, you can also use a store-bought one.
Strain the yogurt: Strain the yogurt in a muslin cloth for at least 4 hours or overnight to get a thick and creamy consistency of shrikhand. Also, when straining, make sure to refrigerate the yogurt so that it doesn't turn sour.
Instant Shrikhand: use plain full-fat Greek yogurt to make instant shrikhand.
Chill before serving: Refrigerate the shrikhand for at least 30 minutes before serving, as the saffron flavors infuse more when chilled.
For Hindu Vrat: If making for Hindu fasting (vrat), please avoid store-bought powdered sugar as it can contain additives like corn starch. So prepare the powdered sugar at home using a blender or grinder.

Fruit Shrikhand: You can use seasonal fruits like mango, strawberry, pineapple, and custard apple to flavor the shrikhand. You can use either chopped or pureed fruits in the mixture. I love the Mango shrikhand (amrakhand) version, which is made by adding fresh or canned mango puree.
Dried fruit shrikhand: Add loads of dry fruits like cashews, almonds, and pistachios.
Rose shrikhand: Add rose syrup to the mixture to make a rose-flavored shrikhand.