Shrikhand is curd, strained until thick and then sweetened and scented. It needs no cooking, which is why it is a favourite of Jain households in the heat, and why it is often served with puri at a festive lunch. It also has a short ingredient list in which every item can be checked, so it is a good dish to make from scratch.
Serves: 4. Time: 15 minutes plus about 6 hours of straining.
Ingredients
- 1 kg fresh, full-fat curd (dahi), set at home from boiled milk if you can
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 10 to 12 saffron strands, soaked in 1 tablespoon warm milk
- 1 tablespoon sliced pistachios and almonds
Method
- Line a large sieve with a clean muslin cloth set over a bowl. Pour in the curd, gather the corners and tie them. Hang or rest it in a cool place for 5 to 6 hours until all the whey has drained and the curd is thick and dry, like soft cheese.
- Scrape the strained curd into a bowl. Keep the whey for a dough or a dal.
- Add the sugar, cardamom and saffron milk. Whisk with a balloon whisk or press through a sieve until smooth. Taste and add more sugar if needed.
- Chill for an hour, top with nuts and serve.
Why it follows the rules
Fresh curd, made at home. The Jain rule on curd is about age. Curd that has stood too long sours and grows a different set of organisms, and the tradition counts the days within which it is good. The exact limit is given differently in different households, so we do not print a number. In practice, a Jain cook sets the curd the day before or that morning, and uses it while fresh.
A clean cloth, and the whey kept. The cloth is washed and dried before use. The whey is not poured away carelessly, because nothing in the kitchen is wasted, and because liquid left on the floor is a place for small creatures. This is the same principle of care described on the lauki halwa page.
No honey, no gelatine. Shrikhand sweetened with honey is sometimes found in shops. A Jain kitchen uses sugar, and no setting agent is needed in a curd dessert. Shop-bought packs of shrikhand should be checked for added colours and stabilisers.
Served at a time when it can be finished. A cold sweet is an easy way to end a meal before sunset, and there is no need to cook in the evening.
Serving
Serve in small bowls, chilled, with warm puri or on its own. In western India it appears at weddings, at religious meals and after the breaking of a fast. If a sangh meal is being served, find out beforehand whether curd is taken, because some rules about the ending of a vow differ.
Variations
- Amrakhand: fold in 1 cup of fresh mango pulp in the season, and reduce the sugar.
- Elaichi shrikhand: use only cardamom and skip the saffron.
- Low-sugar: use 1/4 cup sugar and a little ripe banana, mashed fine, for sweetness.
Related
Frequently asked questions
↳ Why does Jain practice limit how old curd can be?
Curd goes on changing as it stands, and past a certain point it is considered to have become a different substance with different organisms. Households differ on the number of days, so ask your own tradition.
↳ Can I use shop curd?
You can if you are comfortable with it, and the curd is plain and fresh. Home-set curd is preferred because you know when it was made.
↳ What do I do with the whey?
Use it to knead dough, in a dal, or in a soup. It carries the protein and a pleasant sourness.
↳ Can the shrikhand be made without sugar?
Yes. Jaggery powder works, as does a ripe fruit, though the texture will be slightly less smooth.