I’ve become a real Instagram fan in recent times. So many people out there are doing really interesting things – such as being a Mudlark on the Thames foreshore – check out @london.mudlark, and a local forager @claremcqq, who forages her way through the seasons from her doorstep here in Northern Ireland – you can attend organised foraging walks with her throughout the year – check her out!
It was Clare in fact, who posted this interesting, and very ancient – from 400BC apparently – Indian dessert, using over-night drained, and then flavoured yoghurt – it seemed like such a great idea that I couldn’t wait to try it..
**You need to start this the day before you’re going to eat it!**
Tasting notes: This is absolutely amazing – very subtle flavours, and very unusual. A small portion is absolutely plenty, but both Mr SN and I really liked this. We served it, as you see in the pictures, in very small bowls – the madder the better, I think – with a handful of raspberries..
EQUIPMENT:
- A medium sized bowl, with a sieve that fits neatly over it.
- A couple of coffee filters or paper towels, or a clean piece of muslin which over-laps the sieve
- a pestle and mortar, or something else to crush your spices
- a serving bowl
- small serving bowls
INGREDIENTS – these quantities will feed 6 people – small portions, as it’s very rich.
- 650g full-fat Greek yogurt
-
½ tsp. saffron threads, divided into 2 separate portions
-
4-6 green cardamom pods, seeds removed and ground to a powder in the pestle and mortar, or 1 level tsp. ground cardamom (second best, but better than nothing!)
-
80g caster sugar, or to taste.
METHOD:
- Line the sieve with coffee filters, muslin or paper towels, overlapping them so they cover sides, and set inside the bowl.
- Place yogurt into the sieve, cover – I used baking parchment – and leave it to drain in the fridge drain for 12 hours or overnight.
- Next day, throw out the drained liquid in bowl. Wash and dry the bowl.
- Empty the thickened yoghurt into the bowl. It will be very thick, almost like a cream cheese, so very easy to handle.
- Crush ¼ tsp. saffron threads to a powder with a mortar and pestle; transfer to the yoghurt.
- Crush the cardamom pods, then remove all the bits before crushing the seeds finely.
- Now mix the crushed saffron, cardamom, and sugar into the yoghurt. It will magically turn a very pale golden colour.
- Transfer the yoghurt into the serving dish – I used a favourite pasta dish. It’s nicely shallow.
- Sprinkle the remaining, uncrushed Saffron stamens over the top of the dessert.
- Cover the bowl with a waxed cloth or clingfilm, and return to the fridge to sit for as long as you can – ideally 4-6 hours – the Saffron will stain the top of the dessert as it sits.
- Serve, more or less unadorned, or with berries if the mood takes you, and wait for the compliments!
- We ate it with small teaspoons – it made us actually stop and taste the flavours..
NOTES:
- This is a perfect, make-ahead dessert, which takes virtually no time to throw together the day before you want to serve it.
- Don’t be tempted to add more Cardamom or Saffron – the flavour intensifies as the Shrikhand sits.
- Saffron gives a subtle sort of smoky, savoury, slightly bitter background flavour to this which is really lovely.