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Gulab Shrikhand: Rose Shrikhand
Ingredients
Directions
For the Strained Yogurt
4 c
plain, full-fat yogurt (homemade yogurt is commonly used, but store-bought Greek yogurt works well and speeds up the process)
Jump
For the Shrikhand
2 c
strained yogurt
Jump
¼ c
packed powdered sugar, plus more if desired
Jump
1
pinch of cardamom
Jump
1
pinch of salt
Jump
1 tbsp
rose syrup
Jump
2 tbsp
dry rose petals, for garnish
Jump
Gulab Shrikhand: Rose Shrikhand

Rose shrikhand is usually made with gulkand, a type of rose preserve prepared by layering rose petals and sugar in a jar. The jar is left out in the sun for several days, yielding a thick, sweet jam. Gulkand can be difficult to source, so I like to substitute the preserve with a more commonly found ingredient: rose syrup. The resulting dish invokes those same floral notes I grew up eating with a smoother texture and a subtle rosy hue.

4 servings

For the Strained Yogurt
  1. Lay a cheesecloth (in a pinch, a thin white T-shirt works perfectly well) over a colander in the sink, and pour the yogurt into the center of the cloth. Grab the ends of the cheesecloth and bunch them together, forming a pouch. Squeeze the yogurt into a single mass. Using a rubber band, tie the ends of the cloth as close to the yogurt as possible to form a tight ball.
  2. To strain the yogurt, loop a wooden spoon through the rubber band and rest the ends of the spoon on top of a large pot or wide jar. The ball of yogurt should be suspended from the spoon to drain the whey into the pot.
  3. Let hang for at least 8 hours (and up to 24 hours) in the fridge. When ready, the yogurt will be the texture of soft cream cheese.
For the Shrikhand
  1. Once strained, lightly beat the thickened yogurt with a whisk in a medium bowl until light and airy, about 1 minute.
  2. Whisk in the powdered sugar (start with less sugar if you prefer a more tart dessert), cardamom, and salt. Then add in the rose syrup and mix until smooth.
  3. Taste, and add more sugar or syrup if desired, then garnish with rose petals. Shrikhand should be quite sweet, with a slight tartness, but not cloyingly sweet.
  4. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving. This step allows all the flavors in the shrikhand to fully marinate. Shrikhand can be kept up to 1 week in the fridge.

Karishma Pradhan

Karishma Pradhan is a part-time recipe developer, cooking instructor, and data analytics consultant residing in Cambridge, MA. She founded the Home Cooking Collective, a community for aspiring home cooks to learn how to make delicious food. You can find her on Instagram at @homecookingcollective or homecookingcollective.com.