Thursday, February 12, 2015

Amrakhand - Mango Flavoured Shrikhand

I had been away from active blogging for some time now. It was a medical emergency that I was in India and having recouped my health well, I am home and to routine. I thought I shall start this new beginning with a sweet dish.
Shrikhand is a popular dessert in the western states of India. It is made of just two main ingredients namely hung curd and sugar. It could be flavoured with saffron and cardamom. It was not introduced to me, who had not travelled far from South Indian states, until my late teens. We were visiting our uncle in Bombay and he bought us shrikhand and few other mithai from a popular shop near where they lived. Today I do not recall taking to the taste, much, despite being fond of sweetened curds. Many years down, we picked up a branded pack of shrikhand flavoured with cardamom, which is when possibly I acquired the taste.
There are versions that a fruit pulp is blended into the curd cheese and sugar added to it. My dish today is the amrakhand which hung yoghurt is blended with mango pulp.
During the season, my fruit vendor offered me two large, juicy and sweet mangoes. I made the sorbet with part of the pulp, mousse and this shrikhand. There was enough for the two of us to last three or four days in mango mania.


I have used in this recipe, some condensed milk. In the warm weather, my home set yoghurt tends to get a bit sour. Using condensed milk is optional. You may place the yoghurt in a strainer with a bowl underneath it and leave it in the refrigerator to drip. You may need to increase the quantity of sugar and adjust according to how sweet your mango is.

Amrakhand - Mango Flavoured Shrikhand
Makes about 750 grams /6-8 servings

Ingredients:
2 litres of home set/ store bought, thick, natural yoghurt
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup sugar powdered very fine
1 cup mango pulp blended very smooth

Flavouring:
Few strands of saffron mixed in a tablespoon of warm milk
2 pods of cardamom powdered


Garnish:
Chopped pistachio nuts
Chopped almonds
Few pieces of cubed mango

Method:
Pour the yoghurt into a cheese cloth. Gently turn the cloth to allow the whey to drip. Place the bundle in a strainer, over a bowl and allow the whey to collect in the bowl.
You may choose to hang the bundle from a height and collect the whey in a bowl placed underneath.
Place the bowl and strainer with the yoghurt in the refrigerator for a few hours until all the whey has drained.
Remove the curd from the cheese cloth into a large bowl.
Puree the mango to a very smooth blend. Add the sugar to the pulped mango.
Add to the curd cheese, condensed milk and blend with a whisk.
Put in the saffron and cardamom and give another whisk.
Gently add the mango and blend until desired consistency and colour is achieved. I used up the entire pulp and my amrakhand was not very thick. This shrikhand was a smooth blended fruit and yoghurt mix.


While serving, garnish with chopped nuts and cubed mangoes.
Serve chilled.
When mangoes are not in season also, if you are able to purchase canned mango pulp, you might enjoy the amrakhand.








4 comments:

  1. welcome back:)yummy and healthy treat there

    ReplyDelete
  2. a warm welcome to u Lata and the delicious tempting mango shrikhand.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Welcome back in the bloggosphere. You have created a masterpiece dessert.
    Deepa

    ReplyDelete
  4. Welcome back!!!Delicious amrakhand lataji & Beautifully presented!!

    ReplyDelete

Hello,
Welcome and thank you for taking time to drop by.
I appreciate your valuable comments and tips.
I sincerely hope to improve with them.
Hope we shall interact often.
Thanks once again,
Lata Raja.