KCB 12.9: Creamy, Saffron Condensed Yogurt Dessert (Shrikhand)

Creamy, Saffron Condensed Yogurt Dessert (Shrikhand)
This popular Gujarati sweet is simple to prepare. Yogurt is hung in a cloth to remove excess liquid. The solid residue, called yogurt cheese, or dehin, is sweetened, flavored with saffron, pistacio nuts, cardamom, and rosewater, beaten until silky smooth, and served ice-cold in little cups.
As an alternative, replace the saffron, nuts, cardamom, and rosewater with 1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh, vine-ripened chopped raspberries, strawberries, or blackberries.
Shrikhand is ideal for preparing in large quantities. Remember the simple sugar-to-yogurt ratio: good quality yogurt should yield 50% liquid (whey) when hung. Add sugar to the yogurt cheese in the ratio of one to four; in other words, the sugar content of Shrikhand is one-eighth part the original quantity of yogurt.
Reserve the liquid residue that drips out of the yogurt. It's a first-class curdling agent to make Homemade Curd cheese (Panir).Shrikhand is delicious served with slices of fresh mango and puffed plain flour pooris sprinkled with sugar.
• PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes
• YOGURT DRAINING TIME: 12-16 hours
• YIELD: Enough for 8-12 persons
• 4 cups (1 litre) whole-milk yogurt
• 1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) ground saffron threads
• 1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) ground cardamom
• 1 tablespoon (20 ml) rosewater (or a few drops of rose essence)
• 2 tablespoons (40 ml) blanched raw slivered pistacio nuts
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) icing sugar
1. Place a triple thickness of cheesecloth in a colander. Spoon in the yogurt, gather-up the corners of the cloth, tie it into a bundle, and hang it either in the refrigerator or in a cool spot for 12 to 16 hours. Catch the drips in a bowl.
2. The residue yogurt cheese should have reduced to half the original quantity. Transfer it to a bowl, add the ground saffron, ground cardamom seeds, rose water, pistacio nuts, and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy.
 

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