10 Hung Curd Recipes: Dips, Desserts, Marinades & More

1. Herbed Hung Curd Dip (10 minutes)

Ingredients: 1 cup hung curd, 2 tbsp fresh mint (chopped), 2 tbsp coriander (chopped), 1 tsp roasted cumin powder, 1/2 tsp black salt, 1 green chilli (fine), 1 tsp lemon juice, salt to taste.

Steps:

1. Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl.
2. Stir until smooth and well combined.
3. Taste and adjust salt and lemon.
4. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
5. Serve with vegetable sticks, pita chips, or crackers.

Tip: Add a pinch of chaat masala right before serving for an extra tangy kick.

2. Tandoori Tikka Marinade (15 minutes + marinate time)

Ingredients: 1 cup hung curd, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp kasuri methi, 1 tbsp oil, salt, 1 tbsp lemon juice.

Steps:

1. Whisk the hung curd in a bowl until smooth.
2. Add all spices, ginger-garlic paste, oil, and lemon juice. Mix well.
3. Add chicken pieces or paneer cubes. Coat evenly.
4. Cover and keep in fridge for 2-4 hours (overnight is best).
5. Grill, bake at 200C for 20 minutes, or cook on a tawa.

Why hung curd works: Regular curd is too watery. It slides off the chicken. Hung curd sticks to the surface and creates that thick, charred coating you see at restaurants.

3. Thick Cucumber Raita (10 minutes)

Ingredients: 1 cup hung curd, 1 medium cucumber (grated, squeezed dry), 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder, salt, 8-10 mint leaves (chopped), 1 green chilli (fine, optional).

Steps:

1. Grate the cucumber. Squeeze out all the water using your hands or a cloth.
2. Mix hung curd in a bowl until creamy.
3. Add cucumber, cumin, salt, mint, and chilli.
4. Stir gently. Chill for 15 minutes before serving.

Why this works: Normal raita gets watery within minutes. Hung curd raita stays thick on your biryani plate even after 30 minutes.

4. Spiced Sandwich Spread (5 minutes)

Ingredients: 1 cup hung curd (thick, 4-hour drain), 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp chaat masala, 2 tbsp onion (fine chop), 2 tbsp capsicum (fine chop), salt, fresh coriander. New to hung curd? Start with our overview of what hung curd is and how to use it. For an even thicker base, try our homemade Greek yogurt recipe instead of regular curd.

Steps:

1. Mix hung curd with all spices and chopped vegetables.
2. Spread on bread slices, add lettuce and tomato.
3. Press the sandwich together gently and cut.

Tip: This is a high-protein swap for mayo. It has half the calories and tastes better with Indian spices.

5. Dahi Kebab (30 minutes)

Ingredients: 3/4 cup hung curd (very thick, 6-hour drain), 1/2 cup paneer (grated), 1 onion (fine chop), 1 carrot (grated), 2 tbsp cashews (chopped), 2 green chillies (fine), 2 tbsp roasted besan, salt, pepper, garam masala, oil for frying.

Steps:

1. Mix hung curd, paneer, vegetables, cashews, and spices in a bowl.
2. Add roasted besan to bind the mixture. It should hold shape when pressed.
3. Shape into flat round kebabs (about 2 inches wide).
4. Heat oil in a non-stick pan on medium flame.
5. Shallow fry kebabs for 3-4 minutes each side until golden brown.
6. Drain on paper towel and serve hot with green chutney.

Key: Your hung curd must be very thick for this recipe. If it is too soft, the kebabs will fall apart in the pan.

6. Classic Shrikhand (15 minutes)

Ingredients: 1.5 cups cold hung curd (6-hour drain), 3 tbsp powdered sugar, 1/4 tsp cardamom powder, pinch of saffron (soaked in 1 tsp warm milk), 1 tsp rose water (optional), chopped pistachios for garnish.

Steps:

1. Whisk the cold hung curd until smooth. No lumps.
2. Add powdered sugar and whisk again for 2 minutes.
3. Mix in cardamom, saffron milk, and rose water.
4. Taste and adjust sweetness.
5. Pour into serving bowls. Garnish with pistachios.
6. Chill for 1 hour before serving.

Variation: For mango shrikhand, blend 1 cup mango pulp and fold it into the base mixture.

7. No-Bake Hung Curd Cheesecake (20 minutes + 4 hours setting)

Ingredients: 2 cups hung curd (overnight drain), 1/2 cup cream cheese (room temp), 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 cup digestive biscuit crumbs, 3 tbsp melted butter.

Steps:

1. Mix biscuit crumbs with melted butter. Press firmly into the bottom of a 7-inch springform pan.
2. Freeze the base for 15 minutes while you prepare the filling.
3. Beat hung curd and cream cheese together until smooth.
4. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat for 2 more minutes.
5. Pour the filling over the chilled biscuit base. Smooth the top.
6. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
7. Top with fresh berries or mango before serving.

8. Fruit Parfait (10 minutes)

Ingredients: 1 cup hung curd, 2 tbsp honey, 1/2 cup mango (diced), 1/2 cup strawberry (sliced), 1 banana (sliced), 1/4 cup granola, nuts for topping.

Steps:

1. Mix hung curd with honey until smooth.
2. In a glass, layer: hung curd, fruit, granola, hung curd, fruit, granola.
3. Top with nuts and a drizzle of honey.
4. Serve right away or chill for 30 minutes.

Tip: This is a high-protein breakfast that takes less time than making an omelette.

9. Hung Curd Smoothie Bowl (5 minutes)

Ingredients: 1 cup hung curd, 1 frozen banana, 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries, 1 tbsp chia seeds, toppings: sliced kiwi, granola, coconut flakes, pumpkin seeds.

Steps:

1. Blend hung curd, frozen banana, and berries until thick and smooth. Do not add water — you want it thick enough to eat with a spoon.
2. Pour into a bowl.
3. Add toppings in rows for a clean look.
4. Eat right away before it melts.

10. Hung Curd Mango Lassi (5 minutes)

Ingredients: 1 cup hung curd, 1 cup mango pulp (fresh or canned Alphonso), 2 tbsp sugar, pinch of cardamom, ice cubes, chopped pistachios.

Steps:

1. Blend hung curd, mango pulp, sugar, cardamom, and ice until frothy.
2. Pour into glasses. Top with pistachios.
3. Serve cold.

Why hung curd: Regular curd makes a thin lassi. Hung curd gives you that thick, milkshake-like texture that restaurants charge Rs 150 for.