Srikhand (Yogurt-Based Sweet)

Ingredients

• 2 two-pound containers of yogurt
• 2 cups sour cream
• 15 green cardamom pods
• ½ teaspoon loosely packed thread saffron
• 1 tablespoon hot milk
• 2 cups sugar
• Slivered almonds
• pistachios for garnish

6 to 8 servings

Preparation

1. Using a wire whisk, blend the yogurt and sour cream in mixing bowl. Open a large double-layered rectangle of cheesecloth and line a large mixing bowl with it. Scrape yogurt and sour cream into the cloth. Bring up the corners of the cheesecloth and tie them into a bag. Hang the bag, elevated, over the kitchen sink or out of doors. Let drain about two hours. When ready there should be about three cups of the yogurt and sour cream mixture. If not, continue draining until mixture is reduced to that quantity. Pour and scrape mixture into a mixing bowl.
2. Break open cardamom pods and use only the seeds. Discard outer shells. Grind seeds using a spice mill, small clean coffee grinder or mortar and pestle. Add ground seeds to drained sour cream-yogurt mixture. Stir until creamy.
3. Blend saffron and hot milk. Add this to sour cream mixture. Add sugar and beat well. Serve cold, garnished with slivered almonds and pistachios.