Mango Special: Mango Shrikhand

It is that time of year again! Yay 🥭

You ask any Indian what their favourite fruit is and chances are, the most common answer will be mango. It is no different with us. We got the first batch of mangoes of the season last week and if last year is any indication of how this year is going to be then we are all going to be seeing a definite weight gain by the time mango season ends (Uh-Oh). I've been enjoying mango chia pudding for breakfast almost every day the past week. The girls have insisted they want chopped mango every day in the fruit compartment of their lunchboxes so we have been gorging on quite a lot already. 

For this year's mango special recipe, I knew exactly what I was going to make. Sometime last year, one of our friends got us the Chitale brand of Kesar Shrikhand from India. It was tangy yet sweet and delicious. My twins absolutely loved it and it was polished off in record time. 

A few days ago, one of my twins came to me and out of the blue, asked for "that yellow sweet thing". I had no idea what she was talking about. She went on with the description to the best of her 7-year old culinary vocabulary and after much back and forth (and many exasperated looks from her), it finally dawned on me that she was referring to the Kesar Shrikhand that she had eaten so many months ago. I was surprised she even remembered it.

I love when my kids ask for something specific for me to make for them. Since I already know that they will love it, it makes the effort worthwhile 😄

Since it was mango season, I told the girls that I would make Mango Shrikhand for them. They were super excited and couldn't wait for it. This dessert also known as Amrakhand is usually attributed to the Indian states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. Amrakhand commonly makes an appearance during Indian festivals such as Gudi Padwa (which signifies the arrival of spring), Ganesh Chaturthi and Diwali. But many Indian households even make it as part of an everyday meal. 

I have made Mango Shrikhand a few times before. This is a super simple dessert to make. There is no cooking involved which is great. You hang plain yoghurt for several hours to remove the whey and then whisk the thickened yoghurt (called chakka) until smooth with mango puree, powdered sugar and a few spices (usually saffron and cardamom). That's it! Most of the time taken for this dish is the inactive waiting and chilling time. The actual dish only takes about 10-15 minutes to put together. 

I have used plain full-fat homemade yoghurt for this recipe but you can use store-bought plain yoghurt or even Greek yoghurt. Using Greek yoghurt is a short-cut way of making this dessert although it results in a Shrikhand that is typically less tart. This time, I have used canned Alphonso mango pulp but you can make the mango puree yourself with fresh mangoes if they are in season. I have found that both work well in this recipe. 

We really enjoyed this Mango Shrikhand. The luxurious texture of the thickened yoghurt with the aroma of the spices, the subtle flavour of mango, nutty texture from the pistachios and extra mango goodness from the chopped mango made it oh-so-good. My twins had their fill in the morning and by evening were asking for another serving. Soon, they will be asking me to make it for them again 😄

This Mango Shrikhand is the perfect summer treat. I hope you try this dessert if you haven't yet. 

Mango Shrikhand

Preparation time: Minimum 4-6 hours 

Chilling time: 2 hours

Serves: 4-5

Recipe category: Dessert/Indian

Recipe level: Very easy

Ingredients:

500ml plain yogurt from full-fat milk (homemade or store-bought)

1-1/4 cup mango pulp fresh or canned mango pulp (Kesar or Alphonso variety)

A pinch of salt 

1 generous pinch of saffron + more strands for garnish

1-2 tablespoons warm milk to soak the saffron strands

10 pistachios sliced, for garnish, Optional

Chopped mango pieces, for garnish, Optional

To make into a fine powder,

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 pods cardamom, whole 

Use 4-6 tablespoons of the above mixture (adjust according to preferred sweetness) 

Method:

1. Place a sieve over a bowl and line it with a clean muslin cloth or cheesecloth. Add yogurt to it. Bring the ends together and tie it into a bundle. Place some weight on top of it (I used my mortar pestle over it) to drain off the excess whey. Let it stay under the weight for 4-6 hours or even overnight in the refrigerator. 

Alternately use Greek yogurt to bypass this process and directly proceed to step 4. Or if you want an even  thicker consistency, you can still strain the Greek yoghurt and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. 

2. To make saffron milk - In a bowl add warm milk and saffron to it. Mix and allow it to stand for 10 mins. The more it soaks the deeper the color you will get. If you don't have saffron, feel free to skip this step.

3. Once the water has drained completely, remove the weight and open the cloth. The thickened yogurt or hung curd (chakka) is ready.

4. Transfer the hung curd (chakka) to a bowl. Add the saffron infused milk. Whisk it well with a wire whisk until smooth.

5. Blend the granulated sugar and cardamom pods together to a fine powder. 

6. Add mango pulp, 4-6 tablespoons of the powdered sugar-cardamom mixture (adjust according to preference) and a pinch of salt to the whisked yogurt.

7. Mix until well combined and smooth.

8. Cover and let chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours to firm up a bit more. At the time of serving, garnish with sliced pistachios, a sprinkling of saffron strands and chopped mango (if desired). 

Creamy, and luscious Mango Shrikhand is ready.

Notes:

• If you are making your own mango puree, I recommend that you use ripe and sweet Kesar or Alphonso variety of mangoes
• Fresh mango puree is likely to have a thicker consistency than the canned variety so you can adjust the quantity of saffron-infused milk according to what you are using
• Do not use confectioner's sugar or icing sugar instead of powdered sugar since they might contain cornstarch or other agents in them
• You can use almond slivers for garnish instead of pistachios
• Serve the Mango Shrikhand as a dessert or as a side dish with hot pooris
• You can make the shrikhand ahead of time. Let it sit in the fridge until you are ready to serve. You can keep a prepared shrikhand in the fridge for up to 4 days
• You can skip the saffron if you don't have it but saffron gives the dessert lovely color, aroma and flavour so I highly recommend adding it
• You can retain the whey and use it to cook with or drink. It is super nutritious.
• You can store the leftover Mango Shrikhand in an airtight box in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Use a clean and dry spoon whenever you scoop it out

Cheers,

Megha