You ask any Indian what their favourite fruit is and chances are, the most common answer will be Mango. It is no different with us! We got the first batch of mangoes of the season last week and if last year is any indication of how this year is going to be then we are all going to be seeing a definite weight gain by the time mango season ends (Uh-Oh!). I've been enjoying mango chia pudding for breakfast almost every day the past week. The girls have insisted they want chopped mango every day in the fruit compartment of their lunchboxes so we have been gorging on quite a lot already.
For this year's mango special recipe, I knew exactly what I was going to make. Sometime last year, one of our friends got us the Chitale brand of Kesar Shrikhand from India. It was tangy yet sweet and delicious. My twins absolutely loved it and it was polished off in record time.
A few days ago, one of my twins came to me and out of the blue, asked for "that yellow sweet thing". I had no idea what she was talking about. She went on with the description to the best of her 7-year old culinary vocabulary and after much back and forth (and many exasperated looks from her), it finally dawned on me that she was referring to the Kesar Shrikhand that she had eaten so many months ago. I was surprised she even remembered it!
I love when my kids ask for something specific for me to make for them. Since I already know that they will love it, it makes the effort worthwhile 😄
Since it was mango season, I told the girls that I would make Mango Shrikhand for them. They were super excited and couldn't wait for it! This dessert also known as Amrakhand is usually attributed to the Indian states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. Amrakhand commonly makes an appearance during Indian festivals such as Gudi Padwa (which signifies the arrival of spring), Ganesh Chaturthi and Diwali. But many Indian households even make it as part of an everyday meal.
I have made Mango Shrikhand a few times before. This is a super simple dessert to make. There is no cooking involved which is great! You hang plain yoghurt for several hours to remove the whey and then whisk the thickened yoghurt (called chakka) until smooth with mango puree, powdered sugar and a few spices (usually saffron and cardamom). That's it! Most of the time taken for this dish is the inactive waiting and chilling time. The actual dish only takes about 10-15 minutes to put together.
I have used plain full-fat homemade yoghurt for this recipe but you can use store-bought plain yoghurt or even Greek yoghurt. Using Greek yoghurt is a short-cut way of making this dessert although it results in a Shrikhand that is typically less tart. This time, I have used canned Alphonso mango pulp but you can make the mango puree yourself with fresh mangoes if they are in season. I have found that both work well in this recipe.
We really enjoyed this Mango Shrikhand. The luxurious texture of the thickened yoghurt with the aroma of the spices, the subtle flavour of mango, nutty texture from the pistachios and extra mango goodness from the chopped mango made it oh-so-good. My twins had their fill in the morning and by evening were asking for another serving. Soon, they will be asking me to make it for them again!
This Mango Shrikhand is the perfect summer treat. I hope you try this dessert if you haven't yet.
