This Mango Shrikhand is a popular Indian dessert made with hung yogurt, mango pulp, and sugar. I added cardamom and saffron to make it even more aromatic, flavorful, and bright in color.
Mango Shrikhand is a thick, luscious, creamy, rich, and delicious dessert. It is also known as Amrakhand and is highly popular in Gujarat and Maharashtra.
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Easy Mango Shrikhand
The wonder of this dessert is its simplicity. Making Shrikhand is extremely easy and requires only a few ingredients. The star ingredients of this dish are mango and hung yogurt, which are flavored with saffron and cardamom and sweetened with sugar.
Shrikhand is a popular dessert in Gujarat and Maharashtra states of India. It is often served with Puri in wedding ceremonies and is handy when special guests come over for lunch or dinner.
There are various Shrikhand recipes available, one of which is Mango Shrikhand or Amrakhand. Mango provides a refreshing and fruity flavor to traditional Shrikhand.
Making Mango Shrikhand is also an easy and quick recipe and is perfect on warm days.
Shrikhand is one of those desserts that is not only delicious but also has high nutritional value. I am not saying that this dessert is healthy to have often, but because it is made with thick yogurt, Shrikhand is high in protein and calcium. And if you don’t prefer your dessert too sweet, add less sugar to make this dessert a guilt-free treat.
To make Shrikhand, we need to remove the whey from the yogurt as much as possible. This makes its consistency very thick, almost like cream cheese, yet smooth.
Mango Shrikhand is sweet with a slight tanginess from the yogurt and mango pulp. It has warm and sweet flavors of cardamom and saffron. However, you can customize the recipe and add your choice of flavors or make it simple by skipping cardamom and saffron.
Once we have hung yogurt, it is one of the easiest desserts to make. It comes together within 10 minutes. Even making hung yogurt is very straightforward and does not require much work.
There is no need for any particular electrical equipment. I used a whisk to break the lumps from the hung yogurt and then switched to a spatula to combine everything well. However, you can use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to mix everything if you prefer.
Why You Will Love Mango Shrikhand
- Making Mango Shrikhand is incredibly easy and does not require cooking or baking.
- The recipe is simple and requires only three core ingredients.
- This Indian sweet is creamy, rich, luscious, smooth, and delicious.
- Mango Shrikhand is refreshing and very cooling.
- You can easily make this dessert using fresh or frozen mango pulp or even with canned mango pulp.
Ingredients and Notes
- Yogurt: I have used homemade yogurt (with whole milk) to make this Shrikhand; you can find the recipe for yogurt here Homemade Yogurt. However, we can also use store-bought curd to make this dessert. Shrikhand should be sweet with a slight tanginess and flavored with other spices but should not be sour. So, either one you use, make sure to use fresh yogurt that is not sour. Do not use low-fat yogurt because it will have more of a whey part. So you will end up with less hung yogurt, and the Shrikhand will not be creamy and rich.
- Mango Pulp: I like to use either fresh or freshly frozen mango pulp. I do not prefer canned mango puree, as it is thinner and too sweet. But if that is the only option, use the good brand and the one you regularly use. If canned mango puree is too sweet, adjust the sugar amount accordingly.
- Sugar: I have used icing sugar for easy mixing, but you can use granulated sugar or powdered sugar. Making powdered sugar at home is easy; simply grind regular sugar until it turns to powder.
- Cardamom and Saffron: Both add aromatic deliciousness to the Mango Shrikhand. Saffron also enhances the color of the dessert. However, adding these elements is optional and you can skip them.
How To Make Mango Shrikhand
Making Hung Yogurt
- Line a strainer or colander with clean muslin or cheesecloth.
- Then, place the strainer or colander over an empty, large bowl or container to collect the whey.
- If your bowl is small, the cloth will contact the collected whey, so empty the bowl occasionally.
- Add yogurt to a muslin cloth.
- Collect all the edges of the cloth, bring them together, and cover the yogurt.
- Either make a knot or tighten the edges with an elastic band.
- Then, place a heavy object on it, such as heavy mortar.
- Now place the whole thing in the fridge for at least 4 hours or until all the water is completely drained.
- You can also refrigerate it overnight to make the Shrikhand the next day.
- After the whey is drained, the yogurt will become very thick.
Making The Mango Shrikhand
- In a small bowl, add saffron strands to 1 tablespoon of warm cream or milk.
- Mix well and set aside.
- Transfer the thickened yogurt into a mixing bowl and beat it with a wired whisk until smooth and lump-free.
- It will take about 3-5 minutes as the yogurt will be very thick.
- Once the yogurt is smooth, add powdered sugar, and saffron milk.
- Mix well until everything is well combined and sugar is thoroughly incorporated.
- Add mango pulp and cardamom powder, and mix until well combined and the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Chill the Mango Shrikhand for at least an hour, top it with chopped pistachios, and serve.
- If desired, you can also garnish the Mango Shrikhand with saffron strands and mango chunks.
Serving Suggestions
- The most popular way of serving Mango Shrikhand is with Puri; the combination of Puri and Shrikhand is a delightful lunch or dinner.
- We can also serve it as a post-meal dessert.
- If you are looking for a healthier frosting option for your Indian-flavored cake or cupcake, use Mango Shrikhand instead of cream cheese or buttercream frosting.
Storing and Freezing
Mango Shrikhand can be stored in the fridge, tightly covered, for up to a week or frozen for up to a month. Place the Shrikhand in a freezer-safe and airtight container and keep it in the freezer. Defrost the Mango Shrikhand in the fridge overnight or keep it at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
Variations
If you do not have mango pulp and you still want to make Shrikhand, try this recipe, Shrikhand Recipe.
Or, there are a few more variations as below:
Rajbhog Shrikhand
Rajbhog Shrikhand is full of nuts, like almonds, cashews, and pistachios. So, convert this recipe into Rajbhog Shrikhand by skipping mango pulp and adding ½ cup of finely chopped nuts. You can also make a coarse powder of nuts and add it to Shrikhand.
Fruit Shrikhand
We can make fruit Shrikhand by skipping mango pulp and adding chopped fruits. Grapes, mango, strawberries, or pomegranate will go well with Shrikhand. However, mix the chopped fruits into Shrikhand a few minutes before serving.
Recipe Tips
Yogurt: Always use full-fat or whole milk to make yogurt for Shrikhand. Shrikhand should be creamy and thick; making it with low-fat yogurt will result in a thinner consistency. You can use homemade or store-bought yogurt. If you buy store-bought, get plain, unflavored yogurt. If you have an Indian grocery store near you, buy the Desi yogurt brand.
Sourness: Traditional Shrikhand has a slight tanginess, but it should not be sour. So, do not use sour yogurt; otherwise, you will need to add a lot of sugar to make it sweet.
Mango Pulp: You can use fresh, freshly frozen, or canned mango pulp. For the frozen mango pulp, let it thaw before using it for the recipe. In Indian grocery stores, you will easily find the Kesar or Alphonso frozen mango pulp.
Sugar: The amount of sugar depends on the sweetness of the mango pulp. So add the sugar as required to your taste.
Make Ahead: This delicious dessert is a great make-ahead recipe. It can be stored in the fridge for about two weeks, and in the freezer for much longer.
Scaling: This recipe is easily scalable. By adjusting the ingredients, you can increase or decrease the serving sizes.
FAQ For Mango Shrikhand
What If My Yogurt Is Sour?
To make Shrikhand, we need to use fresh, not sour yogurt. But if you already have planned to make Shrikhand and your yogurt turned out a little bit tart, add ¼ cups of whipping cream. Adding cream will balance the tanginess of the curd and make it creamy and rich. You may also need to add extra sugar for the right sweetness. However, avoid using too sour yogurt.
Can I Use Greek Yogurt Instead of Hung Yogurt?
Absolutely! Using Greek Yogurt is the easiest way to make Shrikhand. Take Greek yogurt instead of hung yogurt in the mixing bowl and continue with the recipe steps. However, do not use fat-free Greek yogurt.
More Indian Sweets and Desserts
Recipe Card
Mango Shrikhand (Amrakhand)
Ingredients
- 1 kg whole milk yogurt
- 1½ cups mango pulp
- ½ cup powdered sugar (or add to taste)
- 1 tablespoon cream or milk
- A generous pinch of saffron
- A generous pinch of cardamom
- Finely chopped pistachios for garnish
Instructions
Making Hung Yogurt
- Line a strainer or colander with clean muslin or cheesecloth. Then, place the strainer or colander over an empty, large bowl or container to collect the whey.
- If your bowl is small, the cloth will contact the collected whey, so empty the bowl occasionally.
- Add yogurt to a muslin cloth, collect all the edges of the cloth, bring them together, and cover the yogurt. Either make a knot or tighten the edges with an elastic band.
- Then, place a heavy object on it, such as heavy mortar. Now place the whole thing in the fridge for at least 4 hours or until all the water is completely drained.
- You can also refrigerate it overnight to make the Shrikhand the next day.
Making The Mango Shrikhand
- Add saffron strands to 1 tablespoon of warm cream or milk in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.
- Transfer the thickened yogurt into a mixing bowl and beat it with a wired whisk until smooth and lump-free. It will take about 3-5 minutes as the yogurt will be very thick.
- Once the yogurt is smooth, add powdered sugar and saffron milk. Mix well until everything is well combined and sugar is thoroughly incorporated.
- Add mango pulp and cardamom powder, and mix until well combined and the mixture is smooth and creamy. Chill the Mango Shrikhand for at least an hour, top it with chopped pistachios, and serve.
- You can garnish the Mango Shrikhand with saffron strands and mango chunks if desired.
Storing and Freezing
- Shrikhand can be stored in the fridge, tightly covered, for up to a week or frozen for up to a month. Place the Shrikhand in a freezer-safe and airtight container and keep it in the freezer. Defrost the Mango Shrikhand in the fridge overnight or keep it at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Yogurt: Always use full-fat or whole milk to make yogurt for Shrikhand. Shrikhand should be creamy and thick; making it with low-fat yogurt will result in a thinner consistency. You can use homemade or store-bought yogurt. If you buy store-bought, get plain, unflavored yogurt. If you have an Indian grocery store near you, buy the Desi yogurt brand.
- Sourness: Traditional Shrikhand has a slight tanginess but should not be sour. So, do not use sour yogurt; otherwise, you will need to add a lot of sugar to make it sweet. However, Mango Shrikhand will have a slight tanginess from mangoes, so use plain yogurt that is not sour.
- Mango Pulp: You can use fresh or freshly frozen mango pulp or canned mango pulp. Let the frozen mango pulp thaw before using it for the recipe. In Indian grocery stores, you will easily find the Kesar or Alphonso frozen mango pulp.
- Sugar: The amount of sugar depends on the sweetness of the mango pulp. So add the sugar to your taste.
- Make Ahead: This delicious dessert is a great make-ahead recipe. It can be stored in the fridge for about two weeks and in the freezer for much longer.
- Scaling: This recipe is easily scalable. By adjusting the ingredients, you can increase or decrease the serving sizes.
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