• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Ministry of Curry logo

  • SHOP
    • The Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook
    • Amazon Store
    • eBooks
    • Cooking Classes
    • Meal Plans
  • RESOURCES
    • Instant Pot 101
    • Air Fryer 101
    • Indian Cooking Tools
    • Cooking 101
    • Essential Indian Spices
    • Guide to Beans and Lentils
    • Holiday Shopping Guide
  • RECIPES
    • Recipe Index
    • Air Fryer Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Oven Recipes
    • Stove Top Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Desserts
    • Dinner
    • Salad
    • Snacks
    • Drinks
    • Dairy Free
    • Gluten Free
    • Low Carb
    • Vegan
  • ABOUT
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Shop
  • Resources
  • Cooking Classes
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Indian

    Traditional Shrikhand Recipe

    Published: Sep 30, 2022 by Archana · This post may contain affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 2 Comments

    88 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Creamy! Tangy! Sweet! Made with thick yogurt, sugar, cardamom and saffron Shrikhand is must-try Indian dessert. Saffron laced Shrikhand is the easiest homemade Indian sweet that requires no cooking, can be made ahead and will instantly elevate the simplest of a meal.

    kesar elaichi shrikhand in a silver bowl
    Jump to:
    • Shrikhand Puri - Easy Dessert For Festivals
    • Tips To Make Creamy Thick Shrikhand
    • Ingredients
    • How to make Shrikhand
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Storing Leftovers
    •  More Sweet Indian Recipes You’ll Love!
    • Recipe

    I grew up eating a LOT of homemade shrikhand. To put it simply, mom always had a container in the fridge for unexpected guests, when food was a bit too spicy for us kids or simply to enjoy a spoonful of this lush treat as a dessert.

    Shrikhand Puri - Easy Dessert For Festivals

    In Maharashtra (western India), where I grew up, Shrikhand is a popular sweet dish. It made with basic ingredients that are readily available in Indian kitchens. The classic Kesar Elaichi Shrikhand (Saffron Cardamom Strained Yogurt Desset) is specially made to celebrate the Gudi Padwa festival. Served with fluffy Puri (fried bread), Batata bhaji (potato masala), and varan-bhath (dal-rice), Shrikhand Puri Thali is my go-to for many Indian festivals!

    Tips To Make Creamy Thick Shrikhand

    • Use plain whole milk yogurt and preferably Indian Dahi (Yogurt). Greek yogurt will not give the tangy flavor of traditional shrikhand
    • Keep something heavy on the cheesecloth to help drain out liquids. For two pounds of yogurt, I usually drain out two and a half cups of whey. Squeeze out excess liquids from the cheesecloth too, you would be surprised how much moisture is in it
    • Allow the Shrikhand to chill in the refrigerator which helps make it thicker

    Ingredients

    • Whole Milk Yogurt - Whole milk yogurt gives a creamy thick texture and the yogurt from Indian brands also add a perfect tang. My favorite desi brands are Noga, Desi Natural, and Deep Foods
    • Sugar - Homemade powdered sugar is super easy to make and mixes in quickly with the thick strained yogurt. Add sugar to your blender to make powdered sugar at home. Storebought confectioner's sugar often has cornstarch that is added to prevent caking
    • Cardamom - For the floral aroma and authentic flavor
    • Saffron - Bloomed in milk saffron adds a beautiful orange hue

    How to make Shrikhand

    Straining the Yogurt

    • Place a strainer on a medium-sized bowl and place a cheesecloth over it. Pour the yogurt on the cheesecloth.
    • Bring the ends of the cloth together and twist so that the liquids will start to drip and collect in the bottom bowl. Gently twist the ends and place some heavy weight (mortar and pestle, a heavy pot, or a heavy cutting board work well) on top of the yogurt for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.
    • You will have around two and a half cups of liquid whey drained out from two pounds of yogurt. Squeeze out any excess liquids from the cloth itself. Reserve the liquid whey and use it to make roti dough, baking, or add to dips.
    • Take out the thick strained yogurt in a dry bowl.
    steps one through four showing how to strain yogurt

    Mix in saffron sugar and cardamom

    • Warm milk in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. Add saffron to it and allow it to bloom. Add bloomed saffron and give a quick mix. Pour over the strained yogurt.
    • Next, add powdered sugar to the bowl and mix well with a slotted spatula for 5 to 10 minutes or until the sugar is completely mixed in and the shrikhand has a smooth consistency.
    • Add cardamom and mix again.
    steps five through eight showing how to make kesar elaichi shrikhand

    Garnish with nuts (optional)

    • Garnish with more saffron and sliced pistachios and Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
    • As the Shrikhand chills the saffron will start to bleed a beautiful orange color on the top layer. Gently stir before serving.
    garnished shrikhand with cardamom and saffron

    Serving Suggestions

    • Serve chilled as a dessert
    • Pair it with Puri, Batata Bhaji, and kakdi koshimbir for a festive meal
    • Serve with roti or parathas and Aloo Rasedar

    Storing Leftovers

    Shrikhand is a perfect make-ahead dish and will stay well refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze shrikhand in a freezer-proof container for up to a month, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

     More Sweet Indian Recipes You’ll Love!

    • Mango Shrikhand
    • Masala Doodh
    • Sheera
    • Rice Kheer
    • Carrot Halwa
    • Fig and Walnut Halwa

    Recipe

    Tried this recipe? We love your feedback.Please click on the stars in the recipe card below
    Shrikhand in a silver bowl
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    5 from 4 votes

    Shrikhand

    Saffron-studded Shrikhand is the easiest homemade Indian sweet that requires no cooking, can be made ahead and will instantly elevate the simplest of a meal.
    Prep Time20 mins
    Time to drain out water6 hrs
    Total Time6 hrs 20 mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Indian
    Servings: 8
    Author: Archana Mundhe

    Equipment

    • large strainer

    Ingredients

    • 2 lbs full-fat plain yogurt
    • ¾ cup powdered sugar
    • ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
    • 1 big pinch of saffron
    • 2 teaspoons milk

    Optional Garnish

    • 1 pinch saffron
    • 1 tablespoon pistachios thinly sliced

    Instructions

    • Place a strainer on a medium-sized bowl. Place a cheesecloth on a strainer.
    • Pour yogurt on the cheesecloth. Bring the ends of the cloth together and twist so that the liquids will start to drip out. Gently twist the ends and place some heavy weight on top of the yogurt for 6 to 8 hours.
    • You will have around two and a half cup of liquid whey drained out from the yogurt. Reserve the liquids and use them for making dough or in baking.
    • Warm milk in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. Add saffron to it and allow it to bloom
    • Take out the thick strained yogurt in a dry bowl. Add bloomed saffron and give a quick mix.
    • Add powdered sugar and mix well with a slotted spatula for 5 to 10 minutes or until the sugar is mixed on well.
    • Add cardamom and mix again. Garnish with more saffron and sliced pistachios.
    • Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
    • As the Shirkhand chills the saffron will start to bleed a beautiful orange color on the top layer. Gently mix in the Shrikhand before serving.
    Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @ministry_of_curry or tag #ministryofcurry

    Author: Archana

    Hey there! I am a techie turned recipe developer, cooking instructor, and food blogger. I love food and enjoy developing easy and healthy recipes for busy lifestyles. I live in New Jersey with my husband and two sons.
    Twitter Facebook Linkedin

    More Indian

    • spinach dal served with rice and pickle in a white bowl
      Instant Pot Spinach Dal
    • pouring ginger chai in two glass cups
      Ginger Tea {Adrak Wali Chai}
    • khichdi served in a white bowl with yogurt and pickles
      Pav Bhaji Khichdi
    • chicken tikka masala served with rice and naan
      Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Anna says

      September 30, 2022 at 8:15 pm

      This stuff is wonderful and the reason I started eating yogurt. It's like a lovely, fragrant pudding. Soooo good and so easy to make.5 stars

      Reply
      • Archana says

        October 01, 2022 at 8:10 pm

        Thank you Anna!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Archana: a former software engineer, now a full-time blogger. I am a mother of two boys who share my love for food and cooking. Words I love to hear are, “Mom, what’s for dinner?” The same words I say to my mom every time we speak. I live in the greater New York City Area with my husband and sons.

    Learn More About Me!

    Archana's Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook

    SHOP

    Popular Posts

    • pav bhaji served with diced onions, pickle and papad
      Mumbai Pav Bhaji
    • Chicken Biryani served in 2 bowls with raita and lemon wedges
      Instant Pot Chicken Biryani
    • mushroom masala served with rice & naan
      Mushroom Masala
    • pomegranate juice in 2 glasses
      Homemade Pomegranate Juice

    Footer

    AS FEATURED IN

    ↑Back to Top

    Ministry of Curry

    Shop
    About
    Privacy Policy
    Accessibility
    Contact

    Food and Recipes

    Recipe Index
    Cooking 101
    Instant Pot 101
    Cookbook

    MOC Pro

    Dashboard
    Meal Plans
    Virtual Cooking Classes
    Tips & Tricks

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Ministry of Curry

    88 shares
    • 50