Shrikhand

Shrikhand is a Gujarati dessert made with strained yogurt, caster sugar and is spiced with saffron, cardamom and nuts. My secret ingredient is whipped cream which gives the shrikhand a perfectly silky and creamy texture. It's almost INSTANT, taking 5 minutes of hands on time (when using Greek yogurt), and you will have a fragrant dessert that's worthy of the poshest dinner party!

Note – This recipe has been updated from our recipe archives with new images and content. First published in 26 August 2010, the recipe remains the same.

Traditionally, shrikhand is made with strained plain yogurt - yogurt is placed in a muslin cloth and the water is drained away. This process can take a few hours.

If it could be helped we prefer to reduce prep time, so we would experiment with different yogurts to find the perfect authentic texture.

Some yogurts made the dessert too sour and some remained too runny. But we finally landed on extra thick FULL FAT Greek yogurt. My favourite is to use Greek Yogurt with 10% fat from Costco.

Greek yogurt is naturally so thick that there is no need for the yogurt to be strained. It’s kind of like using a cheat sheet for exams! Once tried and tested, I knew it would be the perfect yogurt to use.

Although not authentic, my Mum's recipe trick is to add freshly whipped cream. The extra fat makes the dessert even richer but also makes it a little lighter and almost melt away on the tongue. Divine!

Serving ideas

In our house, shrikhand is typically served the Gujarati way as part of a festive Gujarati thali with puffy pooris.

Have you ever tried my nankhatai shrikhand cheesecake - it's a crowd pleasing Indian dessert that's sure to get everyone asking for the recipe.

Ingredients notes

• Greek Yogurt – You need to use proper Greek yogurt for the best effect. Greek style yogurt remains too runny for the authentic shrikhand texture. It has to be full fat too for the rich, creamy finish.
• Double cream or any other whipped cream.
• Caster Sugar –  I have found that caster sugar dissolves easily and doesn't release moisture which can make the shrikhand go runny. I simply grind down granulated sugar in a food processor until fine.
• Saffron threads - if you want to serve the shrikhand straight away, you can bloom the saffron in a small amount of milk before adding. It will release the flavour without having to let the shrikhand sit.
• Cardamom powder - I like using my homemade cardamom powder from the whole pod as it has an incredible aroma. Crushed cardamom seeds work too.
• Nuts - I've used almonds and pistachios.

It's easy to adapt the flavours of shrikhand - add fresh mango pulp to make mango shrikhand.

How to make Instant Greek Yogurt Shrikhand

Shrikhand is so easy to make - in fact, I think it's probably one of the easiest Indian desserts out there.

First whip the cream until you achieve soft peaks. Be careful not to overwhip because you don't want it to split and become grainy.

Add in Greek yogurt and combine well. Stir in caster sugar and mix well until everything comes together well. Mix in cardamom powder and saffron strands.

Garnish it with nuts and cover it with cling film.

For extra thickness and to allow flavours to develop, place in the fridge for a few hours.

Storage

Shrikhand is best stored in the fridge. I recommend covering tightly with cling film and an airtight lid to keep it fresh. Although this shrikhand can be served almost instantly, the flavours definitely develop if allowed to sit in the fridge for a few hours.

You can freeze leftover shrikhand in popsicle moulds and enjoy on hot days. Thanks to the whipped cream, the popsicles remain free from ice crystals. So good!

As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

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