Shrikhand

Shrikhand

Shrikhand with crushed almonds, saffron and cardamom
Origin
Place of origin	India
Details
Main ingredient(s)	Yogurt, sugar, cardamom or saffron

Shrikhand is an Indian sweet dish made of strained yogurt. It is one of the main desserts in Maharashtrian and Gujarati cuisine. Preparation of this dish is very simple but it takes some time to process yogurt properly.

Recipe

To prepare shrikhand, yogurt is tied in a cotton cloth and left under pressure to drain. In the past, it used to be hung from a wall to achieve the desired thickness. The strained yogurt, referred to as "Chakka", and sugar are mixed thoroughly in a deep bowl. Cardamom, saffron, and any other flavors are then added and mixed. It is then left in the refrigerator for the sugar to dissolve. The dish is served chilled.

A popular variation of shrikhand in Maharashtra is Amrakhand (आम्रखंड), which is shrikhand blended with mango pulp. Another variant of shrikhand, Matho (મઠો), is served as a sweet dish or dessert particularly in Gujarati cuisine. The preparation method is almost the same, but some fresh fruits are always added in Matho.

In Gujarati cuisine, shrikhand is eaten as either a side-dish with breads such as poori (usually "khaaja poori", which is a savory fried flaky bread) or as a dessert. It is commonly served as part of a vegetarian thali in Gujarati restaurants and is popular as part of wedding feasts. It is often served chilled as a counterpoint to hot and spicy curries. Dried and fresh fruit such as mango are also added.^{[citation needed]}

One another less popular dish, in fact a variant of the shrikhand is 'Shedki' (Gujarati શેડકી), particularly famous in the town of Khambhat (Cambay) in Gujarat. Shrikhand being the traditional sweet dish of the town, lot of sweet marts serve delicious shrikhand, this variant of it called Shedki, is particularly found in the wedding feasts in the town. The dish is a liquified version of Shrikhand served chilled with rose petals in it, which is served in earthen pots.