Decadent Shrikhand: A dessert of sweetened, spiced yogurt and pistachios that would be a stunner at any party

“Shrikhand is decadent and creamy,” Preena Chauhan told us. “Even one or two spoonfuls feels like a heavenly indulgence.” Seems perfect for dinner parties! 

Though the recipe below, from Preena Chauhan and Arvinda Chauhan’s New Indian Basics, serves four to six, it’s ideal for a big celebration too. “I like this recipe because it can be made in advance, and the recipe can easily batch up to serve a crowd,” Preena said. 

She suggested simply straining the yogurt a couple days before serving and making the entire recipe a day ahead. “In this way, the essence of the rosewater will mature and become more pronounced," she said.

It’s a stunner of a dessert served in individual coupe glasses or dessert cups, but on occasion Preena allows guests to do the serving. “For an Indian feast, buffet-style, I like to serve it in a decorative crystal or glass bowl with all the garnishes, and guests can help themselves,” she said. 

Decadent Shrikhand

By Preena Chauhan and Arvinda Chauhan

Every year on my birthday when I was growing up, my mother would ask me what dessert I wanted for my special day. With clockwork-like predictability, I always asked for the same thing—shrikhand. It wasn’t a birthday cake I was after, it was this decadent, sweetened yogurt spiced with cardamom and garnished with green pistachios. To me, even one spoonful of shrikhand feels special and indulgent, as it has an incredible richness and creaminess. I no longer reserve making shrikhand as a once-a-year treat; I now make it for a celebratory meal during the festival season or when serving a vegetarian thali. 

Ingredients

• 3 cups Balkan-style yogurt
• ½ cup icing sugar, or to taste
• 1 tsp Perfumy Chai Masala (see below)
• 1 tsp saffron
• ¼ tsp rosewater
• 2 tsp coarsely ground almonds, plus extra to garnish
• 2 tsp finely ground pistachios, plus extra to garnish

Preparation

Line a medium strainer or colander with cheesecloth, then place a plate under the strainer. Place the yogurt in the lined strainer to allow excess liquid to drain out. Keep in the refrigerator overnight.

Scoop out the yogurt cheese into a medium bowl. It should be firm, with excess moisture removed.

Sift the icing sugar into the bowl, then stir to combine. Add the chai masala, saffron, and rosewater and mix well. Add more sugar, if desired.

Mix in the almonds and pistachios.

Chill in the refrigerator before serving. Serve with a vegetarian Indian meal or thali with Suji Puris (page 205), and garnish with almonds and pistachios to taste.

Note: Although it won’t result in exactly the same consistency, you can substitute making your own yogurt cheese with a full-fat Greek-style yogurt for ease and convenience. Serve this as a decadent dessert topped with fresh tropical fruit such as cubed mango, chunked pineapple, or passionfruit, or with local fruit like strawberries or raspberries.

Makes 1½ cups.

Perfumy Chai Masala

Ingredients:

Whole spices:

• 2 tbsp green cardamom pods
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp whole cloves
• 1 tsp whole mace pieces
• ½ tsp black peppercorns
• ½ tsp white peppercorns
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 1 whole nutmeg

Ground spice:

• 1½ tbsp ginger powder

Toast the whole spices: Heat a small skillet to medium-high and add all the whole spices. Using a wooden spoon, gently stir the spices until they become slightly golden brown and fragrant. You can also hold the handle of the skillet to gently toss the spices until they become toasted. This may take a couple of minutes, but the real indicator is when the cardamom pods slightly swell. 

Remove the whole spices from the heat. Once they cool, place them in a medium or large heavy mortar and pestle and grind into a fine powder. Alternatively, grind the spices in a clean coffee grinder on the finest setting.

Blend the ground spice: Stir in the ginger powder until the chai masala is uniform. 

Store the chai masala in a stainless-steel container or an airtight jar and keep it in a cool, dark place. For optimal flavor, use within 9 months.

Makes ½ cup.

Excerpted from New Indian Basics: 100 Traditional and Modern Recipes from Arvinda’s Family Kitchen by Preena Chauhan and Arvinda Chauhan. Copyright © 2022 Preena Chauhan. Cover and book design by Andrew Roberts. Photography by Reena Newman, with photos on pages iii, 10, 18, 28, 129, 209, 255, 272 by Sandy Nicholson. Published in Canada by Appetite by Random House, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.