Kesar Elaichi Shrikhand is a traditional Indian dessert made using sweetened yogurt flavored with ground cardamom and sugar. Make it by thickening plain yogurt, or take a shortcut and make it using Greek yogurt; the choice is yours (vegetarian, gluten-free).

About Kesar Elaichi Shrikhand

Kesar Elaichi Shrikhand is a traditional Indian dessert that is widely popular in the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. It is thickened and sweetened yogurt flavored with cardamom and saffron.

This no-cook, no-fail, creamy, thick, dense, and silky smooth dessert tastes like tart cheesecake filling, creamy mousse, or a thick pudding.

Shrikhand is also popular in Karnataka but goes by Shikarni or Shikharini.

It is best enjoyed with hot puffed pooris in summer and is a must in Maharashtrian and Gujarati thali meals and weddings. It is also served at festivals like Gudi Padwa and Ganesh Chaturthi and is made for special occasions like anniversaries or birthdays.

Homemade shrikhand is made using 6 ingredients and comes together in under 15 minutes of active work time.

It is also free of additives and artificial colors, unlike the store-bought one.

All you must do to make a delicious shrikhand at home is thickening plain yogurt.

Yogurt is hung in a cloth so that all the extra liquid in it drips down, and you get thick creamy yogurt which is also called Chakka or hung curd.

Traditionally, a device called puran yantra (similar to a food mill) was used to make chakka but you can use a muslin cloth or cheesecloth and make it.

Chakka makes the base of the shrikhand which can then be flavored with your choice of flavorings, the most common being sugar, ground cardamom, and saffron.

To save time, you can use Greek yogurt instead of plain yogurt. Greek yogurt is already quite thick, and hanging it is unnecessary.

The recipe to make shrikhand is vegetarian and gluten-free. You can easily scale this recipe up or down.

If you like Indian desserts, here are some more for you

• Bread Halwa
• Mango Burfi
• Malpua
• Sandesh
• Kalakand
• Gulab Jamun
• Balushahi
• Basundi
• Sabudana Kheer
• Rice Kheer

Ingredients

This delicious dessert uses a few basic ingredients.

Yogurt (Dahi, Curd) – Use whole milk plain yogurt to make creamy shrikhand.

To speed up the process, you can use plain Greek yogurt. It is already quite thick, so you don’t have to hang it. Make sure to use full-fat Greek yogurt to make this creamy dessert.

If using homemade yogurt, make sure it has not gone sour.

Sugar – You will need powdered sugar to sweeten the shrikhand.

Don’t use store-bought powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar). It has cornstarch added to it, which can affect the overall taste.

Powder the regular granulated white sugar in a grinder at home and then use it.

Add more or less sugar depending on how sweet you like it.

If you are looking for a healthy substitute, go for powdered coconut sugar, pureed dates, palm jaggery, or artificial sweeteners like stevia or monk fruit.

Flavoring – I have used saffron strands (kesar) and green cardamom powder (elaichi powder) to flavor my shrikhand but you can flavor it with your choice of flavorings. I have mentioned a few examples in the post below.

For the best flavor, grind the cardamom fresh. You can use a mortar and pestle to grind it.

Nuts – Garnish it with slivered nuts such as almonds, pistachios, and cashew nuts.

How To Make Kesar Elaichi Shrikhand

Make Saffron Infused Milk

Soak 15-20 strands of saffron in 2 tablespoon warm milk for 3-4 hours.

Using saffron to flavor the shrikhand is optional. Skip this step if you are not using it.

Make Thickened Yogurt (Chakka)

Keep a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and line it with a muslin cloth, paper towels, or a cheesecloth.

There should be some gap between the bottom of the bowl and the bottom of the strainer for the liquid to collect.

Add 1 pound (500 g) of plain yogurt to the strainer and cover the yogurt with the cloth hanging on the side.

Keep the bowl in the refrigerator for 5-6 hours or overnight to drain.

The excess liquid will drip down into the bowl and you will be left with thick creamy yogurt called chakka.

If using Greek yogurt, you can skip hanging it and use it directly.

Tip – Use the whey (liquid) collected in the bowl to knead the dough or in curries. It is loaded with nutrients and should never be wasted.

Make Shrikhand

Transfer the thick yogurt to a mixing bowl.

Add

• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• saffron soaked in milk

and whisk using a wire whisk until combined and creamy.

Chill the shrikhand for 2-3 hours for the flavors to mingle well. Transfer it to the serving bowls and garnish with slivered dry fruits. Serve!

Tip – Use a silicon spatula to gather all the shrikhand on the bowl.

Frequently Asked Questions

Variations

Although traditional shrikhand flavored with cardamom and saffron tastes the best, you can try some variations occasionally. Listing some of my favorite flavorings below.

Fruity– Use seasonal fruits like mango, chikoo (sapota), sharifa (custard apple), strawberry, java plum (jamun), etc., to flavor the shrikhand. You can either puree the fruits or chop them finely. Mango Shrikhand (amrakhand) is my favorite fruity variation.

Rose – Add rose syrup to make a rose-flavored version.

Tiramisu – For all coffee lovers, this one is unique. Add some coffee liquor along with instant coffee powder to chakka and you will have your tiramisu shrikhand ready.

Dates – Soak seedless dates in some water and microwave until softened. Now puree them until smooth and add the dates puree to the chakka. You will have sugar-free, naturally sweetened shrikhand ready.

Chocolate – Melted chocolate mixed with hung curd makes a nice chocolate shrikhand.

Serving Suggestions

Make the saffron cardamom shrikhand a few hours before serving for the flavors to come together.

Shrikhand Poori is a classic and popular combination; however, you can serve it on its own as a dessert.

As it is a light dessert, we enjoy it after our everyday meals.

Other than enjoying it with poori or on its own, you can use this popular Indian dessert in tarts, pies, cheesecake, parfaits, etc, to make fusion desserts.

Storage Suggestions

It is great to prepare shrikhand ahead of time and store it in the fridge so that it firms up a little bit more.

And it tastes great when served chilled. It will last for about a week in a clean and dry airtight container.

Use a clean and dry spoon to take out Shrikhand every time.

It is also freezer-friendly! You can freeze the leftover shrikhand in a freezer-safe air-tight container for up to 2 months.

Thaw it overnight in the fridge and enjoy. It might change its texture while thawing, but stir it well before consuming.

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