Aamrakhand / Mango Shrikhand

For the uninitiated, shrikhand is a simple, no fuss dessert that is mostly popular in the Indian states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. The thick, creamy yogurt (obtained after straining) is sweetened with sugar and flavored with cardamom / saffron. It is then chilled and garnished with nuts before serving. A simple delight on a hot summer day. :) Apart from this plain Jane kind, there are fruity versions that are more flavorful, colorful and delicious like this aamrakhand aka mango shrikhand, where mango pulp is added to shrikhand.

I used homemade yogurt to make this aamrakhand. If you are in a hurry, use Greek yogurt instead which makes the preparation further simpler. And for people who are wondering how to prepare hung yogurt, this is how we go. Line a colander / sieve with a cheesecloth or a very thin cotton cloth. Place it over a bowl to catch the dripping whey. Pour the set yogurt into it and bring the ends of the cloth together and form a knot. Put the colander along with the bowl underneath, in the refrigerator overnight or until all the whey has been removed. This is the hung yogurt or the strained one that we are going to use to make shrikhand. Or skip this step and use Greek yogurt instead as I mentioned earlier.

Feel free to use your favorite fruits and  create new shrikhand versions as this peach shrikhand.

Ingredients: (for 2 servings)

1 cup hung yogurt / Greek yogurt

1/2 to 3/4 cup mango pulp (I used Kesar mango pulp.)

Powdered sugar to taste (The quantity depends upon the sweetness of the mango pulp. It is not mandatory to use powdered sugar but I use it since it melts quicker.)

1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder / saffron 

Crushed pistachios / sliced almonds to garnish 

Note: 
If using saffron, just soak 1/4 tsp saffron in a tsp of milk for about 15 minutes and add. I omitted the cardamom since I had to use 5 ingredients and just sprinkled some saffron for the photographic purpose.

Method:

Place all the ingredients except the pistachios / almonds in a bowl and whisk them together until a creamy texture is attained and everything is well combined. Chill for an hour or two before serving. Serve the chilled aamrakhand in individual bowls and garnish with pistachios / almonds. This can be served as a dessert or along with hot puris (or parathas) as they do in Gujarat.

This is my 3rd day BM#8 entry with the theme "cooking with five ingredients or less". Check what my fellow marathoners are cooking today.

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