Indian cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Shrikhand

Yogurt drained overnight, whipped silky-smooth with icing sugar, saffron and cardamom, and topped with pistachios.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 1kg yogurt
• 120g icing sugar
• 1 pinch saffron threads
• 2 tbsp whole milk
• 4 cardamom pods
• 30g pistachios
• 20g almonds

Instructions

1. Line a sieve with muslin, set it over a bowl, tip in the yogurt and let it drain in the fridge overnight – 1kg yields about 450g of thick strained yogurt.
2. Steep the saffron threads in the lukewarm milk for 10 minutes until it turns bright yellow; split open the cardamom pods and finely crush the seeds in a mortar.
3. Whisk the drained yogurt with the sifted icing sugar for 2–3 minutes until the cream is smooth and silky-glossy with no gritty sugar left.
4. Stir in the saffron milk and cardamom and taste – shrikhand should be distinctly sweet but still have a fresh tang.
5. Coarsely chop the pistachios and almonds, fold in half of them, and chill the cream covered for at least 2 hours.
6. Spoon into small bowls, scatter over the remaining nuts, and serve well chilled.