flipSaffron and Cardamom Shrikhand
Saffron and Cardamom Shrikhand
Why this dish? Shrikhand is the festive sweet of Gujarat and Maharashtra: a strained, sweetened yogurt perfumed with saffron and cardamom, served at celebrations and weddings. Gandhi preached frugality, but this dairy dessert — without frying, made from milk he cherished — evokes the festive table of his Gujarati community.
Yogurt strained long until creamy, whisked with sugar, saffron and cardamom, sprinkled with pistachio slivers. Sweet, cool, barely tangy: celebration in a spoon.
I distrust dishes that flatter the tongue too much — but I do not condemn the joy of feast days. On great occasions, we drained the curd in a cloth all night, then sweetened it and mixed in saffron and cardamom. This is a sweetness that comes from milk and not from frying: if you must rejoice, rejoice thus, with measure and gratitude.
- •Curd (dahi) — a large measure (strained base)
- •Sugar (or unrefined cane sugar) — to taste (sweetness)
- •Saffron — a few threads (fragrance and festive color)
- •Cardamom — a pinch (aroma)
- •Pistachios — a few (garnish)
Saffron and Cardamom Shrikhand
Yogurt strained long until creamy, whisked with sugar, saffron and cardamom, sprinkled with pistachio slivers. Sweet, cool, barely tangy: celebration in a spoon.
Why this dish? Shrikhand is the festive sweet of Gujarat and Maharashtra: a strained, sweetened yogurt perfumed with saffron and cardamom, served at celebrations and weddings. Gandhi preached frugality, but this dairy dessert — without frying, made from milk he cherished — evokes the festive table of his Gujarati community.
I distrust dishes that flatter the tongue too much — but I do not condemn the joy of feast days. On great occasions, we drained the curd in a cloth all night, then sweetened it and mixed in saffron and cardamom. This is a sweetness that comes from milk and not from frying: if you must rejoice, rejoice thus, with measure and gratitude.
Ingredients (period version)
- Curd (dahi) — a large measure (strained base)
- Sugar (or unrefined cane sugar) — to taste (sweetness)
- Saffron — a few threads (fragrance and festive color)
- Cardamom — a pinch (aroma)
- Pistachios — a few (garnish)
Ingredients
- Full-fat plain yogurt — 500 g (base to strain)
- Icing sugar — 80 g (adjust to taste) (sweetness)
- Saffron — 1 pinch, infused in 1 tbsp warm milk (fragrance and festive color)
- Ground cardamom — 1/4 tsp (aroma)
- Chopped pistachios — 1 tbsp (garnish)
Method
- Pour the yogurt into a clean cloth (muslin), tie it up and hang it in a cool place for 4 to 6 hours (or overnight) to drain.
- Collect the thickened yogurt in a bowl; discard the whey (or save it for chaas).
- Whisk with the icing sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Stir in the infused saffron and cardamom.
- Chill, then serve sprinkled with chopped pistachios.
How it was made : The curd pot was hung in a cloth from a hook in the ceiling to drain slowly, without pressing or machinery. Saffron, a precious commodity, appeared only at festivals — making shrikhand a marker of great occasions.
The contemporary twist : Serve as a quenelle in a small copper bowl with a single saffron thread on top: elegant, without a crumb of frying.
Gandhi · Charactorium
