Gulkand Shrikhand - Yogurt dessert with rose compote and pistachios

Gulkand Shrikhand is a delicious and simple dessert recipe made from thick yogurt with sugar, rose compote, rose water and cardamom. Whether you use homemade aged yogurt or take a shortcut by using store-bought Greek yogurt, this simple dessert is the perfect after-dinner sweet.

Shrikhand is an Indian dessert that is common in the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. This sweet dish is also popular in Karnataka, but goes by the name Shikarni or Shikharini there.

My no-cook no-fail, creamy, thick and silky dessert tastes like a tart cheesecake filling, creamy mousse or a thick pudding.

Sweetened yogurt is an absolute must at weddings in Maharashtra and Gujarat. This humble dessert is also served on Indian festivals such as Gudi Padwa or Ganesh Chaturthi. The Indian festival of colors, Holi, is fast approaching and my Gulkand Shrikhand is an ode to this beautiful festival of colors.

Homemade Gulkand Shrikhand, also known as Rose Shrikhand, is made with just 6 ingredients and is ready to eat in less than 15 minutes. It is free from any additives and artificial colors unlike the store-bought one.

All you need to do to make a delicious Gulkand Shrikhand at home is to thicken the plain yogurt.

I also love that I don't have to feel guilty about eating this traditional sweet. One serving of my Gulkand Shrikhandrecipe with aged yogurt contains 20% of the daily recommended protein and over 30% of the calcium needed in a day. "Good for you dessert" is no longer a contradiction 😉.

What is Gulkand?

Gulkand aka Gulqand, is a delicious rose petal jam made from rose petals. Gulkand is perfect for making summer desserts and drinks. Gulkand is very intense and its rosy fragrance will transform your desserts or drinks into a lush royal delicacy. This rich, sweet and rosy flavor of Gulkand is simply beyond imagination and fortunately, you can prepare many dishes with this incredibly delicious and fragrant ingredient.

The word "rose" is known as "gul" in Hindi and "qand" or "kand" refers to something sweet in Hindi. So, the combination of roses and sugar is called "Gulkand".

In ancient times, Gulkand was considered a royal and luxurious delicacy in India due to its tedious cooking process and the use of the royal ingredient, the rose itself.

Making Gulkand at home is not easy, but it can be learned, of course. When I was a kid, my grandma made Gulkand at home, and I loved that pot full of sweet, fragrant, edible roses. Gulkand is so versatile and perfect for so many different occasions verschiedene Anlässe.

What is Shrikhand?

Shrikhand is a creamy Indian dessert made from aged curd or strained/passed yogurt also known as chakka, sugar and some spices. According to the traditional and most common recipe, this sweet dish is flavored with cardamom powder and saffron and then garnished with chopped nuts at the end. However, it can also be prepared with many other ingredients.

Gulkand Shrikhand is a dessert prepared with strained yogurt and flavored with Gulkand, cardamom and rose water. For Shrikhand itself, there are so many variations such as Kesar-Pista Shrikhand, Mango Shrikhand and many more.

Ingredients for Gulkand Shrikhand

• Yogurt - Use plain yogurt made from whole milk to prepare creamy Shrikhand.To speed up the process, you can use Greek yogurt. It's already pretty thick, so it doesn't need to be chopped off.If you use homemade yogurt, make sure it hasn't gone sour.

• Sugar - Don't use store bought powdered sugar to sweeten the Shrikhand. Cornstarch is added which can affect the overall taste.

Pulverize regular sugar at home in a grinder or mortar and then use it.

Depending on how sweet you like it, add more or less sugar.

If you're looking for a healthy substitute, use coconut blossom sugar, pureed dates,

palm jaggery, or artificial sweeteners like stevia or monk fruit.

• Gulkand - Gulkand is a compote made from fresh rose petals and sugar. You can find it in Indian grocery stores or online.

• Flavoring - While this Gulabjaal-Elaichi flavored Shrikhand (literally "rose water and cardamom powder") is popular among Indians, the flavor combinations are endless.

• Optional - Garnish Gulkand Shrikhand with chopped pistachio and dried rose petals.

FAQs

Can I make vegan Gulkand Shrikhand?

Yes. You can use plain yogurt, coconut or any other non-dairy yogurt instead of plain yogurt to make it vegan.

How to make vegan Gulkand Shrikhand with Greek yogurt?

To make it with Greek yogurt, simply substitute thickened yogurt for Greek yogurt. You don't have to strain the whey from the Greek yogurt because it's already dense and thick.

What can you do with the leftover Whey?

Don't throw away the whey you get after you strain the yogurt. The strained water is quite nutritious and can be used in sauces, rice and lentil dishes, for example, or to prepare the dough for rotis/parathas. It adds a nice tangy flavor to recipes. It's also great for your houseplants. Sprinkle it over the plants for their healthy growth.

Is this Gulkand Shrikhand recipe scalable?

You can easily double or triple this recipe depending on how many people you want to make it for. It is a simple and easy dessert for large gatherings that is ready very quickly and can be prepared in advance.

Where can I buy Gulkand?

You can find Gulkand in Indian grocery stores or buy it online.

Serving suggestions

Prepare your Gulkand Shrikhand a few hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld.

Gulkand Shrikhand Poori is a classic and popular combination, but you can also serve it alone as a dessert.

Since it is a light dessert, we also like to enjoy it after our daily meals.

Storage suggestions

It is really great to prepare Gulkand Shrikhand in advance and store it in the refrigerator to make it a bit firmer. It tastes good when served chilled. It will keep for about a week in a clean and dry airtight container.

Use a clean and dry spoon each time to take out Gulkand Shrikhand.

It's also freezer friendly! You can freeze it in a freezer-safe, airtight container for about a month or two. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and enjoy. It may change texture a bit as it thaws, so stir it well before eating.

Ingredients

• 500 g full-fat Greek yogurt or 1 kg full-fat natural yogurt

• 60 g powdered Sugar

• ½ tsp ground Cardamom

• 1 tsp Rose water

• 60 g Gulkand

• 4-5 tbsp chopped Pistachio s and dried roses for garnish

• 3-4 tbsp crushed dried Rose petals for garnish

Instructions

Make thickened yogurt (Chakka)

Hold a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl and line it with muslin cloth, paper towels, or cheesecloth. There should be a small gap between the bottom of the bowl and the bottom of the strainer to allow the liquid to collect.

Pour yogurt into the strainer and cover the yogurt with the cloth hanging on the side. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 5-6 hours or overnight to drain.

The excess liquid will drip into the bowl and you will have a thick creamy yogurt called Chakka.

If you are using Greek yogurt, you can skip the hanging process.

Prepare Gulkand Shrikhand

Put the thickened yogurt in a mixing bowl.Add powdered sugar, ground cardamom, Gulkand as well as the rose water.

Beat with a whisk until fluffy. Chill your Shrikhand for 2-3 hours to allow the flavors to blend well.

Transfer the chilled Gulkand Shrikhand to serving bowls and garnish with chopped Pistachios and dried Rose petals

Serve Gulkand Shrikhand with Poori or alone as a dessert.

Tips

• Use a silicone spatula to collect and transfer Gulkand Shrikhand from the bowl.

• To speed up the process, you can use Greek yogurt. It's already pretty thick, so there's no need to take it off. Just mix it with the flavors and your Gulkand Shrikhand is ready.

• Add more or less sugar depending on how sweet you like it.

• You can easily increase or decrease the recipe amount as you like.

• Use the collected whey in your next Indian meal for making roti, sauces, rice dishes, lentils, etc. It is very rich in nutrients and provides a nice tangy flavor.

I look forward to hearing from you...

...if you like my blog, my recipes inspire you and your curiosity for Indian cuisine has been piqued.

Feel free to give me feedback if you would like to share your cooking accomplishments or have a suggestion for improvement. I appreciate any kind feedback. Whether via the comment function, email, Facebook or Instagram (best tagged with #heutemalindisch and @heutemalindisch, then your cooking success can also inspire others).