How to make Shrikhand
Make Hung Yogurt
NOTE: If you are using Greek yogurt or labna, you can skip these steps and read on below.
1. Line a mesh strainer with muslin, cheesecloth or a cotton tea towel. Set it atop a large bowl to allow drainage.
TIP: Choose a large enough bowl that the bottom of the strainer doesn’t come in contact with the bottom of the bowl.
2. Pour the fresh curd into the lined strainer. For reference, I added 4.5 cups of homemade curd (made from 1 litre of whole milk that yielded about 1.125 kg of curd).
TIP: Be sure to use fresh curd, not any that has gone sour.
3. Bring the four edges of the muslin together and tie one edge tightly around the rest.
4. Gently press to start the whey dripping.
5. Now weigh down the tied muslin, using a heavy bowl or a bowl. If you have a hook, you can also hung the muslin in your refrigerator. Allow to drain for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
6. Here is a look at the curd I drained the very next day. As you can see, the whey has been drained off and the remaining curd is very thick.
TIP: Use the collected whey in your everyday Indian food like preparing roti, gravies, rice dishes, lentils, etc. It is very rich in nutrients and offers a lovely tangy flavor.
7. Hung curd (or chakka) is very creamy and smooth. The texture is similar to that of cream cheese. For reference, the yield from 1.125 kgs of yogurt was 425 grams of hung curd.
NOTE: If you are not using the hung curd right away, be sure to place it in a lidded bowl in the refrigerator for safekeeping.
Now that you have the hung curd ready, you can make delicious shrikhand in just a few minutes’ time!
Prepare the Flavorings
8. Add ½ tablespoon warm milk in a small bowl and steep 2 pinches of saffron strands. Stir and set aside.
9. In a mortar, crush 4 to 5 green cardamom pods into a powder. Set aside.
TIP: Whole spices keep their oils (and flavor!) much better than ground spices. I highly recommend grinding your own cardamom for the best flavor possible.
Make Shrikhand
10. Place the hung curd in a bowl.
11. Add fine or superfine sugar or raw sugar and lightly stir with a spatula or spoon.
NOTE: You can also use powdered sugar or castor sugar
12. Add the saffron steeped milk and powdered cardamom.
13. Using an electric beater, begin to whip the hung curd. You can also beat the hung yogurt in a blender or a stand-mixer.
NOTE: In many Maharashtrian homes, shrikhand is made by blending and sieving the hung curd through puran yantra, which is similar to what Americans refer to as a “food mill.” To make things extra quick and easy, I have used an electric beater. You can also beat with a wired whisk, but it takes a lot of time and elbow grease to get things to the right consistency for this much quantity of hung curd.
14. Whip until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is very smooth. Check the taste and add more sugar if required.
15. With a silicon spatula scrape all of the yummy shrikhand into your serving bowls, using the spatula or the back of a spoon to flatten the mixture with a decorative swirl.
16. Chill the shrikhand in the fridge for at least an hour for the flavors to meld and for it to firm up. Prior to serving, top with some sliced dry fruits, roasted nuts or charoli/chironji. I added some crushed pistachios for garnish.
Make Hung Yogurt
NOTE: If you are using Greek yogurt or labna, you can skip these steps and read on below.
1. Line a mesh strainer with muslin, cheesecloth or a cotton tea towel. Set it atop a large bowl to allow drainage.
TIP: Choose a large enough bowl that the bottom of the strainer doesn’t come in contact with the bottom of the bowl.
2. Pour the fresh curd into the lined strainer. For reference, I added 4.5 cups of homemade curd (made from 1 litre of whole milk that yielded about 1.125 kg of curd).
TIP: Be sure to use fresh curd, not any that has gone sour.
3. Bring the four edges of the muslin together and tie one edge tightly around the rest.
4. Gently press to start the whey dripping.
5. Now weigh down the tied muslin, using a heavy bowl or a bowl. If you have a hook, you can also hung the muslin in your refrigerator. Allow to drain for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
6. Here is a look at the curd I drained the very next day. As you can see, the whey has been drained off and the remaining curd is very thick.
TIP: Use the collected whey in your everyday Indian food like preparing roti, gravies, rice dishes, lentils, etc. It is very rich in nutrients and offers a lovely tangy flavor.
7. Hung curd (or chakka) is very creamy and smooth. The texture is similar to that of cream cheese. For reference, the yield from 1.125 kgs of yogurt was 425 grams of hung curd.
NOTE: If you are not using the hung curd right away, be sure to place it in a lidded bowl in the refrigerator for safekeeping.
Now that you have the hung curd ready, you can make delicious shrikhand in just a few minutes’ time!
Prepare the Flavorings
8. Add ½ tablespoon warm milk in a small bowl and steep 2 pinches of saffron strands. Stir and set aside.
9. In a mortar, crush 4 to 5 green cardamom pods into a powder. Set aside.
TIP: Whole spices keep their oils (and flavor!) much better than ground spices. I highly recommend grinding your own cardamom for the best flavor possible.
Make Shrikhand
10. Place the hung curd in a bowl.
11. Add fine or superfine sugar or raw sugar and lightly stir with a spatula or spoon.
NOTE: You can also use powdered sugar or castor sugar
12. Add the saffron steeped milk and powdered cardamom.
13. Using an electric beater, begin to whip the hung curd. You can also beat the hung yogurt in a blender or a stand-mixer.
NOTE: In many Maharashtrian homes, shrikhand is made by blending and sieving the hung curd through puran yantra, which is similar to what Americans refer to as a “food mill.” To make things extra quick and easy, I have used an electric beater. You can also beat with a wired whisk, but it takes a lot of time and elbow grease to get things to the right consistency for this much quantity of hung curd.
14. Whip until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is very smooth. Check the taste and add more sugar if required.
15. With a silicon spatula scrape all of the yummy shrikhand into your serving bowls, using the spatula or the back of a spoon to flatten the mixture with a decorative swirl.
16. Chill the shrikhand in the fridge for at least an hour for the flavors to meld and for it to firm up. Prior to serving, top with some sliced dry fruits, roasted nuts or charoli/chironji. I added some crushed pistachios for garnish.
