Mango Shrikhand :: Amrakhand :: Mango infused Indian Greek Yoghurt dessert

Mangoes are in their full swing in the market these days. Sweet Juicy and Succulent Mangoes ! Even my colleague M now understands the obsession of Indians over Mangoes. On her trip to India a few years back, she visited Agra to see Taj Mahal. And in her own words “found Mango Shakes and mango Lassis more enchanting than Taj Mahal” She has never had such juicy mangoes before than that. Unfortunately here in the UK,  the type of mangoes we get is dry, a bit tangy and hard in texture. Which is OK to have as a fruits, but so unlike the zillions of juicy varieties we get back in India. To M’s surprise, after her trip she has grown up liking Mangoes so much so that now I have to buy some every week from Indian Grocery shop for her.

Last weekend I prepared this Shrikhand, since I had bought a dozen mangoes and wanted to finish them before they get all black on me. This was the first time I had prepared Amrakhand ( Mango Shrikhand) on my own at home. It tasted really well, and I felt so proud of myself.. I got some for M as well, and told her its Indian Mango flavoured Yoghurt. She was grinning till ears when she had it for her lunch, with Pita bread. Weird combo, but tasted heavenly !! Warm toasted Pita bread with chilled thick Mango Shreekhand. Just so tasty !

What is Shrikhand / Shreekhand :-

Shrikhand is a very popular Indian dessert made from strained yogurt. It is one of the main desserts in Maharashtrian and Gujarati cuisine. In Gujarati cuisine, shrikhand is eaten either as a side-dish with breads such as poori  or simply as a dessert. It is commonly served as part of a vegetarian thali in Gujarati restaurants and is popular as part of wedding feasts. A popular variation of shrikhand in Maharashtra is Amrakhand which is simply Shrikhand blended with mango pulp. This exotic Dessert is super simple to prepare and of course way healthier than having  all sugar coated Sweets that we have.

I  flavored this Mango Shrikhand with some crushed cardamom seeds and saffron.. and loads of dry fruits. The amount of sugar to be added depends on the sweetness of the mangoes. These mangoes were Honey mangoes which are extremely sweet and juicy hence I added less sugar than what’s usually used.

Prep Time: 7-10 minutes (Straining time of 6-7 hours not included ) 

Cooking Time: 7-10 minutes ( just whipping everything together )

Serves: 3-4 people

Cuisine:-  Maharashtrian

Course:- Dessert / Side

Spice Level:   Sweet, Dessert

Recipe Level:  Very Easy

Shelf Life: 12-20 hours at room temperature, up to 2 days in the Fridge

Serving Suggestion: After meal, with Flat breads, finger food etc.

Nutritional Facts:- Cooling dessert, Rich in calcium, Vitamin A  and Pro-biotics. 

What you need?

• 3 cups fresh Yoghurt
• 1 large Mango – sweet variety
• ¼ cup powdered sugar ( Icing Sugar ) 
• ¼ cup chopped nuts – pistachios, almonds, cashews etc.
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• A few strands of Saffron
• 1 tbsp warm milk 
• Few bits of chopped Mango - for garnish, I didnt use them though

How to make?

• Place yogurt in a muslin cloth, tie up a knot  and hang it overnight or at least for 6-7 hours to drain out the whey from the yogurt.
• During extreme Summers, there is a chance that the yoghurt might get sour if you  leave it outside overnight. You may tie it and keep inside a Refrigerator to avoid it going sour
• In the meanwhile, chop the  nuts it into small pieces and keep aside. Take the saffron strands and soak in warm milk for 1-2 hours. 

• Once he yoghurt is strained nicely, and you get a semi solid cottage cheese like result, transfer the yoghurt in a mixing bowl.
• Using a wire whisk or a spatula, mix the hung yogurt with powdered sugar nicely for 5-6 minutes or until the sugar dissolves. Shrikhand is all about texture, so mixing well is very important.
• Now add the saffron soaked with milk, half of the chopped pistachio and almonds, mango puree, cardamom powder and mix well. Do not overdo else your Shrikhand will get all runny.
• Keep it in the fridge for an hour. Garnish with chopped pistachio, almonds and mango pieces.This dessert should be served chilled.

Notes: 

• Try to use the sweetest Mangoes you could get for this Dessert. That will help you reduce the amount of Sugar as well from this. 
• I have used puree from fresh Honey Mangoes here. Store bought mango pulp can also be used.
• Do not throw the whey, it’s very nutritious  and light. I use it for kneading Chapathis  dough or cook rice. It can also be used  for mixing with Lassis ( Yoghurt drinks ) in place of milk.
• Chironji can also be used along with pistachio for this dessert.
• You may use Greek Yoghurt to simplify the process and reduce the hanging time. I have seen recipes that say, you don't need to hang Greek Yoghurt and its thick enough for preparing Shreekhand. In my own personal opinion, I dont find it that thick and hang it for at least 4-5 hours to get the perfect Shrikhand. although its good if you just want a quick and healthy dessert in minutes...