Shrikhand

Made with curd, sugar, cardamom powder, saffron strands, milk, and pistachios, Shrikhand is a rich, decadent, creamy dessert, with origins in India. It’s warm yellow colour and subtle saffron sweetness makes it stand apart in the palette. Across India, different states prepare this dessert with slight variations, but the base ingredients remain the same.

While its exact origin is unknown, it grew out of Western India, and there are several stories around Shrikhand. One says that it comes from the Mahabharata era, cooked by Bhima and named after Lord Krishna. Accordingly, the dessert has a special place during Janmashtami celebrations.

Another legend says that travelling herdsmen, when resting for the night, would hang curd overnight which made it easier to carry. The thick concoction that came about the next day was combined with sugar and nuts to make it taste better for the oncoming journey.

The first written record of Shrikhand appears in a 1025 AD Kannada text which refers to a dish called "Shikarini". The next mention is in the 1594 AD text Supa Shastra by the poet Mangarasa, which refers to Shrikhand. It’s also mentioned in food historian KT Achaya’s book The Historial Dictionary of Indian Food:

“To dewater curd, it was hung in a muslin bag for a few hours; sugar and species added to the mass yielded shikharini (identical to modern day shrikhand), first noted around 500 BC.”

This tasty dessert comes with several health benefits. It’s rich in Vitamin B, which energesis the body, and calcium that leads to stronger bones and teeth. It's nutrients nourish the skin and leave it feeling softer and smoother. Loaded with healthy fats, it's a great way of gaining weight and muscle. It’s also said to promote better sleep and gives the feeling of fullness for a long time.