Paan and Coconut Liqueur Shrikhand Recipe
Shrikhand with a Twist !!!!!
Dollop of this creamy, velvety and heavenly dessert is prepared by blending together the Hung Yogurt with sugar flavoured with Green cardamom powder, fennel powder, betel leaves, gulkand and not to forget the coconut liqueur garnished with slivered nuts.
Cuisine: Maharashtrian Fusion
Course: Dessert/Indian Sweet
Preparation Time: 10 minutes excluding the time of preparation of Hung curd otherwise it is 08 to 10 hours.
Cooking Time: Nil
Servings: 04 Pax
Ingredients and Quantity:
Hung yogurt (Hung curds, Chakka): 500 gm.
Grain sugar: 400 gm. or may be increased as per sweetness required
Cold Milk: 30 ml (Optional) / as required, only if the chakka (hung yogurt) is too thick.
Charoli nuts (Blanched): 10 gm.
Pistachio nuts, blanched, peeled and finely chopped-10 gm.
Almonds, blanched, peeled and finely chopped: 10 gm.
For the Flavouring:
Maghai Paan (Betel) leaves, dark green – 06 nos. (Smooth paste and strained)
Gulkand: 20 gm.
Coconut liqueur: 60 ml
Green Cardamom powder: 02 gm
Roasted fennel powder: 04 gm.
Nutmeg powder: 01 gm
For the Garnishing:
Pistachio nuts, blanched, peeled and slivered: 15 gm.
Almonds, blanched, peeled and slivered- 15 gm.
Glazed red cherries: 04 nos
Method:
Mix together the hung yogurt and sugar in a bowl.
Blend well. Blending can be done by just using a whisk or an electric hand blender.
Sugar grains should not be visible, it should be blended in the hung yogurt well.
Add cold milk if required i.e. if the hung curds are too thick.
Add Maghai paan leaves paste, gulkand, coconut liqueur, green cardamom powder, nutmeg powder, fennel powder, charoli nuts, and chopped pistachio, chopped almonds and mix well.
For the Serving:
Serve chilled garnished with almond, pistachio nut slivers and glazed cherries.
Chef Tips:
- To make hung curd: Tie the yogurt in a piece of muslin and hang it overnight over a deep bowl, in a refrigerator, to drain.
- The proportion of Hung curd to sugar is usually 1:1.or it may be increased or decreased, depending on the sweetness required.
- Do not over blend the shrikhand as it may curdle.
- You may increase the quantity of coconut liqueur, as desired.
- Do not add chilled milk, if the yogurt is not too thick or the shrikhand will turn out to be in flowing consistency i.e. the desired consistency is dropping / semi-solid.
- The reason for not adding Saffron while preparing this shrikhand is that saffron will impart its colour, thus making the shrikhand look light orange.
- But if desired broiled saffron may be used as a garnish.
- You may use fresh cherries or canned cherries instead of glazed red cherries.