Equipment
Ingredients
Dairy
- 500 g plain whole milk greek yogurt
- 15 ml milk, warm
Sweetener and Spices
- 100 g powdered sugar, sifted
- ⅛ g saffron strands
- 2 g green cardamom powder
Garnish
- 15 g pistachios, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 243 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbohydrates
- 31 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 30 g
- Sodium
- 46 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 17 mg
- Potassium
- 226 mg
- Calcium
- 135 mg
- Iron
- 0.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 20 mg
- Phosphorus
- 191 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.37 mg
- Niacin
- 0.3 mg
- Folate
- 8 mcg
- Water
- 105 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place a strainer over a mixing bowl and line it with a double layer of cheesecloth. Pour the Greek yogurt into the cloth, gather the edges together, and gently squeeze to release the initial liquid. Place a heavy weight on top and refrigerate for 2 hours to drain the whey completely, creating a thick base called chakka.
In a small bowl, combine the milk, warmed to about 40°C/105°F, and the saffron strands. Stir gently and let it steep for 10 minutes to extract the vibrant golden color and delicate floral aroma.
Transfer the thick, strained yogurt to a clean mixing bowl and discard or save the liquid whey. Sift in the powdered sugar to avoid any clumps. Whisk vigorously for 5 minutes until the mixture transforms into a completely smooth, airy, and velvety pudding.
Fold the saffron infused milk and green cardamom powder into the sweetened yogurt. Continue folding gently until the spice is fully incorporated and the yogurt takes on an even pale yellow tint with beautiful red streaks of saffron.
Cover the mixing bowl tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to allow the cardamom and saffron flavors to properly meld and deepen. Serve chilled in small bowls, generously garnished with the finely chopped pistachios.
Chef's Notes
- Do not discard the highly nutritious whey drained from the yogurt; it is rich in protein and works wonderfully for kneading chapati dough, boiling rice, or blending into smoothies.
- For an extra indulgent restaurant-style texture, fold in a single tablespoon of heavy cream or fresh milk malai during the final whisking stage.
- Gently rubbing the delicate saffron strands between your fingers before dropping them into the warm milk will help release a greater amount of their essential oils and vibrant color.
- Never substitute standard granulated sugar for powdered sugar in this recipe. Granulated sugar takes too long to dissolve into cold yogurt and will slowly release water, destroying the thick consistency.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container to prevent the yogurt from absorbing savory refrigerator odors.
Troubleshooting
Shrikhand is runny or thin instead of thick and creamy
Cause: Yogurt was not strained adequately, or granulated sugar was used instead of powdered sugar, which releases moisture as it dissolves.
Fix: Strain the fully mixed shrikhand again through a very fine cheesecloth for another hour, or repurpose it as a sweet dipping sauce for fruits.
Prevention: Press out as much whey as possible, strain for the full duration, and strictly use powdered icing sugar.
Cultural Context
Shrikhand is an ancient Indian dessert originating from the western states of Maharashtra and Gujarat, tracing its culinary roots back to roughly 400 BCE. It was historically developed by traveling herders as an ingenious method to preserve yogurt for long journeys by stripping away its moisture content. Today, this luxurious, cooling sweet serves as a beloved centerpiece dessert during major festive occasions like Diwali, Holi, and traditional weddings.
