Mango Shrikhand Recipe (Amrakhand)
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Mango shrikhand (amrakhand) is a creamy, no-cook Indian dessert made with hung curd, mango pulp, and cardamom. Learn the exact technique for thick, tangy-sweet shrikhand every time.
Table of Contents
Every mango season, my kitchen turns into a mango mania. I try to include mangoes in as many dishes as possible. This is the recipe I’ve made for fifteen years of Gudi Padwas, Diwali dinners, and random Tuesday cravings, and it has never once failed me.
If you’ve had chalky, runny, or overly sweet shrikhand at a restaurant, that’s not what this dish is supposed to be. Real mango shrikhand is thick enough to hold a spoon standing up, tangy from hung curd, and only lightly sweetened so the mango actually tastes like mango.
What Is Mango Shrikhand?
Shrikhand is a traditional Indian dessert made by straining fresh curd (yogurt) until it becomes thick, smooth chakka, then whipping it with sugar and flavorings. Mango shrikhand, also called amrakhand, adds ripe mango pulp to this base.
It’s a Gujarati and Maharashtrian classic, usually served during festivals like Gudi Padwa and Diwali, and eaten with hot puri or on its own as a chilled dessert.
The dish has been part of western Indian cuisine for centuries, with some food historians tracing early versions of strained-curd desserts back to ancient Indian texts.1
Ingredients
- Yogurt (Curd, Dahi) – Use fresh, full-fat curd, homemade or store-bought. Low-fat or watery curd won’t thicken properly no matter how long you hang it. If you’re new to making curd at home, this hung curd guide walks through the exact consistency to look for. You can also use Greek yogurt to quicken the process. Greek yogurt is already very thick, so draining the extra liquid is faster.
- Mango Puree – The star of the dish. Use pulp from ripe, fragrant Alphonso or Kesar mangoes for the best color and flavor. Fresh or canned both work; if using canned, cut back a little on the sugar since it’s often pre-sweetened. Check out my post on making mango puree at home.
- Saffron – A few strands add color and fragrance. Optional, but worth it for festival-worthy shrikhand.
- Powdered Sugar – Use white powdered sugar so it mixes easily with other ingredients. You can use packaged powdered sugar or grind granulated white sugar in a grinder. DO NOT use confectioners’ sugar, sometimes labeled as powdered sugar. It has added cornstarch that can change the texture and taste of the final dish.
- Ground Cardamom – Freshly ground cardamom (hari elaichi) gives shrikhand its signature warm aroma. Don’t skip it.
- Nuts – Chopped pistachios and almonds for garnish. Slivered cashews work too.
How To Make Mango Shrikhand
Hang The Curd
Keep a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl and line the strainer with a muslin cloth or cheesecloth.
Transfer 1 pound (500 g) of plain yogurt to the strainer, gather the cloth’s corners, and tie it into a bundle.
Keep the bowl in the refrigerator for 12-18 hours, or until all the whey has drained and you’re left with thick, smooth chakka (hung curd). Don’t skip this step; it’s what gives shrikhand its signature texture. If using Greek yogurt, you can reduce the time to 6-7 hours.
Keep a heavy object (like a stone mortar) on top of a round wooden plate over the yogurt. It will make the dripping process quicker.
Whip The Chakka
Transfer the hung curd to a mixing bowl. Whisk it with a wire whisk or a hand-held mixer for 2 to 3 minutes, until smooth and lump-free. This step matters as much as the hanging; a lumpy base means lumpy shrikhand.
Make Mango Shrikhand
Add the following ingredients to the bowl and mix everything together until fully combined and silky.
- ½ cup mango puree
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 pinch saffron strands
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
I add the strands directly to the thickened yogurt, but you can soak them in 2 tablespoon of warm milk for 30 minutes, then add the milk to the yogurt.
Taste the mixture. Since mangoes vary in sweetness, add more sugar until it tastes right to you.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Shrikhand tastes best cold, and chilling also lets the flavors settle.
Top with chopped pistachios, almonds, and a few saffron strands. Serve chilled, with hot puri or on its own.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make mango puree, wash a large, ripe, and juicy mango and wipe it with a kitchen cloth. Peel the skin using a sharp knife. Cut the flesh away from the seed and discard the seed. Chop the mango flesh into pieces. Add the pieces to a blender and blend until smooth. Mango puree is ready. You can refrigerate it for 3-4 days or freeze it for 6 months. Check out my detailed post on how to make mango puree here.
Replace mango puree with strawberry puree or blueberry puree and make strawberry shrikhand or blueberry shrikhand.
You can replace powdered white sugar with sweeteners like cane sugar or jaggery. The color and taste will vary, though. You can also skip adding sugar if your mangoes are very sweet.
Some people add sweetened condensed milk to their recipes, but I am not a big fan.
Pro Tips By Neha
Use plain, unflavored, full-fat yogurt and not low-fat or fat-free. Try using Indian yogurt brands for the best taste and texture.
Never use a blender to mix the yogurt with mango puree. It will make the consistency of the shrikhand very thin. Always use a wire whisk to mix everything.
Serving Suggestions
Shrikhand is traditionally paired with puri (fried Indian bread) for a sweet-savory combination that’s common on festival menus. It also works well after a spicy meal, like Punjabi rajma masala or a simple dal, since the cold, sweet-tangy shrikhand balances heat and spice.
Serve aam shrikhand along with puffed hot Poori for a classic lunch option.
You can also serve this delicious dessert as a sweet dish after everyday Indian meals.
If you want to serve an entire Gujarati meal, serve it with Gujarati Kadhi, Poori, Aloo Na Shaak (simple potato curry), and Vaghrela Bhaat (fried rice).
You can also have this delicious mango shrikhand for Vrat (Hindu fasting).
Storage Suggestions
Amrakhand can be prepared and stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Use a clean and dry spoon when you remove it from the container. Close the lid tightly after every use.
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Mango Shrikhand Recipe (Amrakhand)
Ingredients
- 1 pound plain yogurt (dahi, curd) (500 g, or Greek yogurt)
- ½ cup mango puree (homemade or canned)
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 pinch saffron strands
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Make Hung Yogurt
- Keep a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl and line the strainer with a muslin cloth.
- Transfer yogurt to the strainer, gather the cloth's corners, and tie it into a bundle.
- Tip – Keep a heavy object (like a stone mortar on top of a wooden round plate) over the yogurt. It will make the dripping process quicker.
- Keep the bowl in the refrigerator for 12-18 hours. If using Greek yogurt, you can reduce the time to 6-7 hours.
- The liquid will drip from the yogurt making it thick and creamy. The thick yogurt that is collected now is called CHAKKA.
- Discard the liquid or drink it.
Make Mango Shrikhand
- Transfer the thickened yogurt to a medium mixing bowl and whisk well until smooth and creamy.
- Add mango puree, cardamom, saffron strands, and sugar to the bowl and mix well until combined.
- Check for sugar and add more if needed.
- Refrigerate the mango shrikhand for a few hours. Garnish with slivered dry fruits and nuts. Serve chilled.
Very yummy yummy recipe….
Thnx
Loved that spoons. ..so elegant. ..can u plz share frm whr did u got it..
aha miss those mangoes from back home, my favorite way of eating mangoes is mango shrikhand. nice clicks