Shrikhand Recipe (Traditional & Instant)

Shrikhand is a creamy, thick yogurt dessert made with hung curd, sugar, saffron, cardamom, nuts and dry fruits. This popular Maharashtrian and Gujarati sweet is easy to make and is often served during festivals and special occasions. In this post, I share two ways to make shrikhand, using homemade hung curd or store-bought Greek yogurt.

About Shrikhand

Shrikhand is a traditional dessert from the western Indian states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. It is made by mixing thick Hung Curd (called chakka in Marathi) with sugar, saffron, cardamom and nuts.

This simple dessert needs only a handful of ingredients and comes together quickly once the yogurt is ready. It is commonly served during festivals, special occasions and weddings, often as part of a festive thali.

Traditionally, shrikhand is made with homemade hung curd. To make the recipe more convenient, I have also included a version using store-bought Greek yogurt, which gives a similarly thick and creamy texture.

Saffron and cardamom are the classic flavors, but you can easily customize shrikhand with fruit purées like mango to make Mango Shrikhand. Garnish with pistachios, almonds or your favorite nuts for added texture.

In this post, I share both methods with step-by-step photos, so you can easily make shrikhand using either homemade hung curd or store brought Greek yogurt.

More Indian Yogurt Recipes To Try

• Mishti Doi
• Dahi Kabab
• Dahi ke Sholay
• Dahi Vada
• Mango Lassi

How to make Traditional Shrikhand (Stepwise)

Make Hung Yogurt

Note: If you are using Greek yogurt or labneh, you can skip these steps and read on below.

1. Line a mesh strainer with muslin, cheesecloth or a cotton tea towel. Set it atop a large bowl to allow drainage.

Tip: Choose a large enough bowl that the bottom of the strainer doesn’t come in contact with the bottom of the bowl.

2. Pour the fresh curd into the lined strainer. For reference, I added 4.5 cups of homemade curd (made from 1 litre of whole milk that yielded about 1.125 kg of curd).

Tip: Be sure to use fresh curd, not any that has gone sour.

3. Bring the four edges of the muslin together and tie one edge tightly around the rest.

4. Gently press to start the whey dripping.

5. Now weigh down the tied muslin, using a heavy bowl or a bowl. If you have a hook, you can also hung the muslin in your refrigerator. Allow to drain for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

6. Here is a look at the curd I drained the very next day. As you can see, the whey has been drained off and the remaining curd is very thick.

Tip: Use the collected whey in your everyday Indian food like preparing roti, gravies, rice dishes, lentils, etc. It is very rich in nutrients and offers a lovely tangy flavor.

7. Hung curd (or chakka) is very creamy and smooth. The texture is similar to that of cream cheese. For reference, the yield from 1⅛ kgs of yogurt was 425 grams of hung curd.

Note: If you are not using the hung curd right away, be sure to place it in a lidded bowl in the refrigerator for safekeeping.

Now that you have the hung curd ready, you can make delicious shrikhand in just a few minutes’ time!

Prepare Flavorings

8. Add ½ tablespoon warm milk in a small bowl and steep 2 pinches of saffron strands. Stir and set aside.

9. In a mortar, crush 4 to 5 green cardamom pods into a powder. Set aside.

Tip: Whole spices keep their oils (and flavor!) much better than ground spices. I highly recommend grinding your own cardamom for the best flavor possible.

Make Shrikhand

10. Place the hung curd in a bowl.

11. Add fine or superfine sugar or raw sugar and lightly stir with a spatula or spoon.

Note: You can also use powdered sugar or castor sugar

12. Add the saffron steeped milk and powdered cardamom.

13. Using an electric beater, begin to whip the hung curd. You can also beat the hung yogurt in a blender or a stand-mixer.

Note: Traditionally, shrikhand is made by passing the hung curd through a puran yantra, a traditional kitchen tool similar to what Americans call a food mill. This gives the shrikhand a smooth and creamy texture. To make the process quicker, I use an electric hand mixer. You can also use a wire whisk, but it takes more time and effort, especially when making a large batch.

14. Whip until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is very smooth. Check the taste and add more sugar if required.

15. With a silicon spatula scrape all of the prepared shrikhand into your serving bowls, using the spatula or the back of a spoon to flatten the mixture with a decorative swirl.

16. Chill the shrikhand in the fridge for at least an hour or two for the flavors to meld and for it to firm up.

Prior to serving, top with some sliced or roasted nuts or charoli/chironji. I added some crushed pistachios for garnish.

Quick Shrikhand With Greek Yogurt (Stepwise)

Making shrikhand recipe with store-brought greek yogurt saves you of the additional time spent in hanging the curd to remove the whey.

Greek yogurt is thick unlike the usual homemade Curd as the whey has been already removed during its making.

So all you need is just about 10 to 15 minutes to make shrikhand from greek yogurt. Refrigerate for half to one hour and you are ready to serve it.

So when you are are short of time or expecting sudden guests, you can make this quick recipe of shrikhand with greek yogurt.

Preparation

1. In a small bowl, take ½ to 1 tablespoon milk and warm it on a stove top or in a microwave. Add a pinch of saffron strands – about 12 to 15 strands. Mix and set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl take 1.5 cups chilled greek yogurt (about 400 grams).

Add Sugar & Whisk

3. Add ⅓ cup fine sugar. I have used unrefined organic cane sugar. You can also add powdered sugar instead. Add sugar as per taste.

First add ⅓ cup and if required you can add 1 to 2 tablespoon more. For a more sweet taste, you can add ½ cup sugar.

4. With a wired whisk and with brisk round movements, mix the sugar with the yogurt, as well as beat the yogurt till it becomes smooth and does not have any tiny yogurt granules.

For a quicker work, use a stand mixer or an electric beater to whip the greek yogurt.

5. Here’s the greek yogurt whipped to a perfect smooth, creamy consistency. This takes about 6 to 7 minutes.

Add Flavorings

6. Now add the saffron soaked milk and ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom powder and 2 to 3 pinches of grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg.

7. Mix again very well.

8. Cover the bowl with a lid and refrigerate for 30 minutes to a couple of hours. You can also keep overnight or for a couple of days.

While serving, sprinkle some sliced or chopped nuts (almonds, cashews, pistachios, chironji) and 2 to 3 saffron strands (optional).

I have used chopped cashews for garnish. Serve greek yogurt shrikhand.

Serving Suggestions & Storage

Shrikhand is best served cold or chilled as a dessert or sweet snack. It is traditionally paired with Poori for the classic Maharashtrian and Gujarati combination of Puri Shrikhand. Basundi served with poori is another popular favorite.

You can also serve it as part of a festive meal alongside dishes like Puri Bhaji, Aloo Puri, or Varan Bhat.

If you have any leftover shrikhand, use it to make Piyush, a refreshing Maharashtrian drink. You can also enjoy it as a fruit dip, spread it on toast, or layer it with fruits and granola to make a quick parfait.

Store shrikhand in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

You can also make it ahead and freeze it for up to 1 month. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and whisk gently before serving if needed.

Helpful Tips

1. Use thick yogurt: Homemade hung curd gives the most authentic texture. Greek yogurt is a convenient substitute, and labneh also works well.
2. Use fresh curd: If making hung curd at home, start with fresh curd that is not sour for the best flavor.
3. Don’t discard the whey: Use the leftover whey to knead dough for roti or chapati, or add it to curries, dals and rice dishes for extra flavor.
4. Choose your sweetener: Raw sugar, superfine sugar, caster sugar or powdered sugar all work well. Adjust the sweetness to your taste.
5. Customize the flavors: Cardamom is essential for the classic flavor. If you don’t have saffron, simply skip it. You can also add a little rose water for a light floral aroma.
6. Garnish with nuts: Pistachios, almonds and cashews all make great toppings and add a nice crunch.
7. For a vegan version: Use a thick plant-based Greek-style yogurt. Soak the saffron in a little plant milk or water before adding it.
8. Scale as needed: Double or halve the recipe easily. Adjust the sugar and flavorings in the same proportion.

Shrikhand recipe from the blog archives was first published on April 2015.