Saffron Cardamom Shrikhand with Pistachios
A silky, spoonable dessert of thick strained yogurt sweetened with powdered sugar and perfumed with saffron, fresh cardamom and a touch of rose water. No cooking is needed, just patient straining and a good chill.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- —
- Wait
- 10 hr 20 min
- Total
- 10 hr 40 min
- Makes
- About 3 cups (700 g), 6 small servings
Steps
Before you start
- Start the day before, or in the morning for an evening dessert: the yogurt needs 8 to 12 hours to strain, plus 2 hours of chilling after mixing.
- Use plain, full-fat (whole milk) yogurt with no added thickeners or gelatin. Low-fat yogurt gives a thinner, grainier result.
- Check the ingredient label: Greek yogurt is already strained. If you use it, you only need about 700 g and 1 to 2 hours of straining.
- Choose a deep bowl that fits under your strainer with at least 3 inches (7.5 cm) of space below for the whey to drip.
Set up the strainer
- Set a fine-mesh strainer or colander over a deep bowl so the bottom of the strainer sits at least 3 inches (7.5 cm) above the base.
- Line it with two layers of damp, wrung-out cheesecloth, leaving the edges draping over the sides by about 4 inches (10 cm).
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Ready when: The cloth lies flat against the strainer with no gaps, and the strainer does not touch the bowl base.
Tip: Dampening the cloth stops yogurt from soaking in and sticking to it.
Strain the yogurt
- Spoon the 6 cups (1,450 g) yogurt into the lined strainer.
- Fold the cloth edges over the top, cover the whole setup loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours.
- Whey will drip into the bowl below.
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Ready when: The strained yogurt is thick like soft cream cheese, holds a spoon-shaped dent and weighs about 700 g (roughly 3 cups). It should lose about half its weight.
Tip: Save the whey for smoothies, bread dough or soups. If the yogurt is still loose after 8 hours, strain 2 more hours.
Steep the saffron
- About 30 minutes before you want to mix, crush the saffron threads to a powder in a mortar with 1 teaspoon of the powdered sugar.
- Add the 2 tablespoons (30 ml) warm milk, stir, and let it steep in a small bowl for 20 minutes.
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Ready when: The milk turns a deep, bright orange-gold and smells floral.
Tip: Do not use boiling milk; excess heat can dull the saffron's aroma.
Grind the cardamom
- Crack open the cardamom pods and collect the small black seeds.
- Grind them to a fine powder in a mortar or spice grinder, about 30 seconds.
- Discard the husks.
- You should have about ½ teaspoon.
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Ready when: The seeds form a fine powder with no visible chunks.
Tip: Grind just before using, since the fragrance fades fast.
Prepare the pistachios
- Roughly chop the pistachios into pieces about ¼ inch (6 mm) in size.
- Measure out 3 tablespoons (about 25 g) for the mixture and set the rest aside for garnish.
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Ready when: Pieces are chunky and uneven, not powdery.
Whisk the base
- Scrape the strained yogurt into a large bowl, discarding the cloth.
- Whisk vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes until completely smooth, with no lumps or streaks.
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Ready when: The yogurt is smooth, glossy and holds soft peaks when you lift the whisk.
Tip: Whisk before adding sugar; sugar draws out moisture and can make lumpy yogurt harder to smooth.
Sweeten and flavor
- Sift the remaining powdered sugar over the yogurt.
- Add the saffron milk with its threads, the ground cardamom and the rose water, if using.
- Fold with a spatula, then whisk gently until evenly colored and the sugar has dissolved.
- Fold in the 3 tablespoons chopped pistachios.
- Taste and add up to 1 tablespoon more powdered sugar if you want it sweeter.
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Ready when: The mixture is a uniform pale gold with no white streaks and no gritty sugar when tasted.
Tip: Rose water is strong; add only 1 teaspoon, since too much tastes soapy.
Chill to set
- Divide the shrikhand among 6 small glasses or ramekins, or spoon into one serving bowl.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours so the flavors meld and it firms up slightly.
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Ready when: It is cold throughout and holds its shape when scooped.
Tip: The color deepens as it chills, so don't add extra saffron.
Garnish and serve
- Just before serving, scatter the remaining chopped pistachios over each portion.
- Serve cold, with a few saffron threads on top if you like.
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Ready when: Each portion is topped with a generous sprinkle of green pistachios.
Tip: Garnish at the last minute so the nuts stay crunchy.
Good to know
Tips
- Use real, good-quality saffron with deep red threads; bright orange or powdery saffron is often weak or faked.
- Do not over-whisk after adding sugar and flavorings, as it can loosen the texture.
- Taste before chilling; flavors mellow and sweetness softens when cold.
- Serve alongside warm puri, fresh mango, or sliced figs for a fuller dessert.
Make ahead
"Strain the yogurt up to 24 hours ahead. The finished shrikhand can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept covered in the fridge; add the pistachio garnish just before serving."
Storage & reheating
"Room temperature: no more than 1 hour. Fridge: airtight container up to 4 days. Freezing is not recommended because the texture turns grainy. Serve straight from the fridge; if too stiff, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons milk."
Substitutions
- plain whole-milk yogurt → Full-fat Greek yogurt, about 700 g (3 cups). Strain only 1 to 2 hours, as it is already thick.
- powdered sugar → Superfine sugar, or honey (about 3 tablespoons / 60 g). Superfine sugar should be stirred in until fully dissolved; honey gives a softer set.
- unsalted shelled pistachios → Blanched sliced almonds. Gives a similar crunch but less color and a milder flavor.
- rose water → Omit, or use ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract. The dessert is still fragrant from the saffron and cardamom.