Kesar shrikhand in a blue pottery bowl topped with pistachios, almonds and saffron, on a brass plate with cardamom pods, for a homemade shrikhand recipe

Shrikhand Recipe: Classic Kesar + Mango Amrakhand (2 Variations)

April 5, 2026

By Saran Reddy, Founder - InstaCuppa | Published 5 April 2026 | 9 min read | Last updated: 31 October 2026

This shrikhand recipe needs only four things: thick curd, sugar, saffron and cardamom. The real work is draining the curd until it turns thick and creamy.

You get two versions here: classic kesar shrikhand and mango amrakhand. We also explain how they differ from mishti doi, and how long shrikhand keeps.

In This Article

What is shrikhand? Meaning and history
Hung curd for shrikhand: chakka or maska
Classic kesar shrikhand recipe
Shrikhand vs amrakhand vs mishti doi
Mango shrikhand (amrakhand) recipe
How long does shrikhand last?
It all starts with thick curd
Tips for the best shrikhand
FAQs

Our bias disclosure

InstaCuppa sells a curd maker and two yogurt strainers, and we earn if you buy them through this page. You need none of them: a pot, a cloth and a bowl make perfect shrikhand.

What Is Shrikhand? (Meaning and History)

Quick answer: Shrikhand is a sweet dessert made from strained curd. The curd hangs in a cloth until the whey drips out, and the thick curd left behind is called chakka. You then mix in sugar, saffron and cardamom. It comes from Gujarat and Maharashtra, and it tastes sweet with a mild tang.

Dairy textbooks describe shrikhand as having a "sweetish-sour taste" (e-PG Pathshala). They call it a very popular dessert of Gujarat, Maharashtra and part of Karnataka.

In Gujarat it is often eaten with puris. Gujarat Tourism says it can be had on its own or "lapped up with thin, hot puris" (Gujarat Tourism).

Shrikhand is older than its name. Food historian KT Achaya wrote: "To dewater curd, it was hung in a muslin bag for a few hours; sugar and spices added to the mass yielded shikharini" (via Wikipedia).

Achaya dates shikharini to around 500 BC. The 11th-century Kannada poet Chavundaraya II wrote a shikharini recipe into the Lokopakara, and the 1508 Soopa Shastra mentions shrikhand too.

Dairy science: Shrikhand is made by removing part of the whey from curd to get chakka, then blending it with sugar. In a 2026 lab study, shrikhand kept at about 4 °C got steadily more acidic over 35 days (Scientific Reports, 2026).

The method is still the same today. Everything depends on the curd: watery curd gives watery shrikhand, and no amount of sugar fixes a weak base.

Hung Curd for Shrikhand: Chakka or Maska

Quick answer: Hung curd is plain curd with most of the whey drained out. In shrikhand recipes it is called chakka or maska. Good chakka is thick and dense, like soft cream cheese, and it holds its shape on a spoon. You get about half the weight of the curd you started with.

An Indian dairy course puts it simply: "The curd mass so obtained is called chakka or maska" (e-PG Pathshala). So if a Gujarati or Marathi recipe asks for chakka or maska, it means hung curd.

To make it, tie thick curd in a thin cloth and let it drip over a bowl. A yogurt strainer in the fridge does the same job with no tying and no hook.

Our full guide covers every way to do it: how to make hung curd at home.

Not sure which tool to use? Read yogurt strainer vs muslin cloth.

Do not throw away the whey that drips out. Here are 10 ways to use whey water in your kitchen.

Milk matters: Buffalo milk carries more fat than cow milk: 6.58 g against 4.48 g per 100 g in India's food tables (ICMR-NIN, IFCT 2017). Dairy textbooks note that curd from buffalo milk has a thick body (e-PG Pathshala).

Classic Kesar Shrikhand Recipe

Quick answer: To make kesar shrikhand, hang 500 g of thick curd for 4 to 6 hours to get about 250 g of chakka. Whisk it smooth, then mix in 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, saffron soaked in warm milk, and cardamom. Chill it for 2 hours. It serves 4.

This is the classic Gujarati shrikhand with saffron and cardamom. It is rich, creamy and simple.

Ingredients (serves 4)

500 g thick curd, set from full-cream milk
1/2 cup powdered sugar (not granulated)
15 to 20 saffron strands
2 tbsp warm milk, to soak the saffron
1/4 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
Slivered pistachios and almonds, to garnish

Method

Soak the saffron. Put the strands in 2 tbsp of warm milk for 15 to 20 minutes. The milk turns golden, and the colour spreads evenly later.
Hang the curd. Pour the curd into a thin muslin or cotton cloth over a bowl. Tie it up and let the whey drip out for 4 to 6 hours.
Keep it cool. On a hot day, hang it inside the fridge instead. It drains more slowly there, but the curd stays sweet.
Check the chakka. It should be about half the starting weight, close to 250 g. If it is still runny, let it drain another hour.
Whisk until smooth. Beat the hung curd for 2 to 3 minutes until there are no lumps. For extra smooth shrikhand, push it through a fine sieve.
Add the flavour. Mix in the powdered sugar, the saffron milk with its strands, and the cardamom. Whisk until it is evenly golden.
Chill and serve. Cover the bowl and chill it for at least 2 hours. Serve in small bowls with pistachios and almonds on top.

Active time: 15 minutes. Total time: 6 to 8 hours, mostly hands-off draining.

What Is the Difference Between Shrikhand and Amrakhand?

Quick answer: Amrakhand is shrikhand with mango. Both start from the same base — curd strained into hung curd (chakka) and sweetened — but amrakhand folds in mango pulp, so it is softer, more orange, less sweetened with sugar and only made in mango season. Plain shrikhand is flavoured with saffron and cardamom instead and can be made all year.

	Shrikhand (kesar)	Amrakhand	Mishti doi
Base	Hung curd (chakka)	Hung curd (chakka)	Whole milk, not strained
When sweetened	After straining	After straining	Before setting
Flavour	Saffron + cardamom	Mango pulp + cardamom	Caramelised jaggery
Sugar in this recipe	1/2 cup powdered	2 tbsp to 1/4 cup (mango is sweet)	Jaggery, cooked into the milk
Texture	Dense, pipeable	Softer, spoonable	Set custard, wobbles
Season	All year	Mango season (Mar-Jun)	All year
Home region	Gujarat, Maharashtra	Maharashtra	Bengal
Chill before serving	2 hrs	2 hrs	Set 6-8 hrs, then chill

One thing the three share: they are all fermented milk, so they keep post-acidifying in the fridge. A 2026 Scientific Reports study tracked shrikhand at 4 °C. The pH fell from 4.37 to 4.06 over 35 days, because the lactic cultures keep working. That is why day-5 shrikhand tastes sharper than day-1 shrikhand, even when nothing has spoiled.

Is amrakhand the same as mango shrikhand?

Yes, amrakhand and mango shrikhand are two names for one dish: chakka mixed with mango pulp. Wikipedia sends its amrakhand page straight to its shrikhand page, which shows mango-flavoured shrikhand (Wikipedia).

Indian standard: Shop-bought shrikhand has to meet a legal recipe. Indian food rules set at least 58% total solids, and sugar can be at most 72.5% of the dry matter. There is a separate rule for fruit shrikhand, such as mango (e-PG Pathshala, UGC dairy course).

So which is better, amrakhand or shrikhand? Neither: pick amrakhand in mango season and kesar shrikhand the rest of the year.

Is mishti doi the same as shrikhand?

No. Mishti doi is made by boiling milk, sweetening it with sugar or jaggery, and letting it set overnight in a clay pot (Wikipedia).

Shrikhand is sweetened only after the curd is set and drained. For the Bengali dessert, try our mishti doi recipe.

Mango Shrikhand (Amrakhand) Recipe

Quick answer: For amrakhand, make the hung curd the same way, then fold in 1 cup of smooth mango pulp, up to 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and 1/4 tsp of cardamom. Taste before you add all the sugar, because ripe mango is already sweet. Chill it for 2 hours.

This is Maharashtra's summer favourite. The same hung curd meets ripe mango pulp, and it tastes a bit like a mango cheesecake.

Ingredients (serves 4)

500 g thick curd, set from full-cream milk
1 cup smooth mango pulp (about 2 medium Alphonso mangoes)
2 tbsp to 1/4 cup powdered sugar, to taste
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
Slivered pistachios, to garnish

Method

Make the chakka. Follow steps 2 to 5 of the kesar recipe above. You do not need the saffron here.
Fold in the mango. Add the mango pulp, 2 tbsp of sugar and the cardamom. Mix gently until the colour is an even mango yellow.
Taste, then sweeten. Add more sugar only if it needs it. Too much sugar is a common amrakhand mistake.
Chill and serve. Chill it for 2 hours. Garnish with pistachios and a few thin mango slices.

Mango choice: Alphonso (Hapus) is the usual pick, and canned Alphonso pulp works out of season. If your pulp is stringy, push it through a sieve first.

How Long Does Shrikhand Last?

Quick answer: Keep shrikhand covered in the fridge and eat homemade batches within a few days for the best taste. In lab studies, shrikhand held at 5 °C stayed acceptable for 15 days in one study and 49 days in another. At room temperature it spoils fast: one study found shrikhand kept at 30 °C was acceptable on the first day only.

Where it is kept	What the lab studies found	What to do at home
Room temperature (about 30 °C)	Acceptable on the first day only, then yeast and mould counts made it unacceptable	Do not leave it out. Serve it, then put it back in the fridge.
Fridge (4 to 5 °C)	Lab batches stayed acceptable for 15 days in one study and 49 days in another	Keep it covered. Eat homemade shrikhand within a few days for the best taste.
Freezer (-10 °C)	One study found it still acceptable at 56 days	Freeze only if you must, in a sealed box. Thaw it in the fridge.

A study from Tamil Nadu found that plain shrikhand "could be stored at 5 °C up to 15 days only" (Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, 2020). Its taste scores dropped sharply by day 20.

A study from Parbhani, Maharashtra found a longer life at 5 °C, up to 49 days. But at 30 °C, the same shrikhand was "acceptable on first day only" (Research Journal of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Science, 2014).

Those were lab batches made under clean, controlled conditions. Homemade shrikhand is handled more, so stay on the short side.

Shrikhand also gets more sour every day, even before it spoils. Throw it out if you see mould, or if it smells off or tastes bitter.

The Secret — It All Starts with Perfect Curd

Quick answer: The biggest factor in shrikhand is the curd you start with. Thick curd from full-cream milk gives dense, creamy chakka. Thin or loosely set curd gives runny shrikhand, and over-set curd gives sour shrikhand. No amount of sugar fixes a weak base.

Watery curd: If whey is already pooling on top before you strain it, the chakka will be thin. This often happens when the milk was too hot or too cold when you added the starter.

Sour curd: Curd left to set too long, or in a very warm spot, turns sour. Adding extra sugar only makes it taste sweet and sour at once.

Winter curd: The old way is to wrap the pot in a blanket and hope. In summer it sets fast, and in a cold kitchen it can take much longer or fail.

Our step-by-step guide covers every season: how to make curd at home.

A curd maker keeps the warmth steady while the curd sets. The InstaCuppa Automatic Curd Maker has auto temperature regulation and a 1 litre, 304 stainless steel pot.

Factor	Traditional (blanket or casserole)	InstaCuppa Automatic Curd Maker
Warmth while setting	Depends on the room and how well you wrap it	Auto temperature regulation; our product page puts it at about 40-45°C
Time to set	Fast in summer, slow in winter	Usually 6-8 hours; up to 10 hours in a cold winter
Effort	Wrap, check, and guess	Pour milk and starter, close the lid, switch it on
Inner pot	Any steel or clay pot	304 stainless steel, 1 litre

To be clear, you do not need a curd maker to make shrikhand. If your usual method gives you thick curd, keep using it.

Tips for the Best Shrikhand

Quick answer: Use powdered sugar, full-cream milk and whole saffron strands. Drain the curd until it holds its shape, but not until it is dry and crumbly. Drain it in the fridge on hot days, and always chill the shrikhand before you serve it.

Use powdered sugar. Granulated sugar does not fully dissolve in cold hung curd, so the shrikhand turns gritty. If you only have granulated sugar, grind it in a mixer for a few seconds.
Use full-cream milk. Toned or low-fat milk gives thin curd and little chakka. Buffalo milk, with more fat, gives an even thicker curd.
Drain it just enough. Under-drained curd makes runny shrikhand. Over-drained curd turns dry and will not whisk smooth.
Always chill it. Fresh shrikhand tastes flat and too sweet. After 2 hours in the fridge, the flavours come together and it firms up.
Test your saffron. Drop a few strands in a glass of water. FSSAI's home test says: "If saffron is adulterated, the artificial colour dissolves in water rapidly" (FSSAI DART).
Drain in the fridge on hot days. Warm curd keeps fermenting while it drains and turns sour. The fridge is slower, but the curd stays sweet.

Making sweets for the festive season? See our Diwali sweets and faral guide for what to make and how long each takes.

InstaCuppa Tools for Shrikhand (Optional)

Quick answer: Two InstaCuppa tools help with shrikhand, and neither is required. The Greek Yogurt Maker 1100 ml is a steel-mesh strainer that drains hung curd in the fridge, at Rs 899. The Automatic Curd Maker sets the thick curd you start with, at Rs 999. Prices were read on our store on 31 October 2026.

The Greek Yogurt Maker 1100 ml replaces the cloth and the hook. Its product page says shrikhand-thick hung curd can take 8 to 12 hours, or overnight, in the fridge.

Making shrikhand for a big family? The Greek Yogurt Maker 2.5 litre at Rs 1,399 holds more curd and uses a nylon mesh.

InstaCuppa Greek Yogurt Maker 1100 ml

Stainless steel fine-mesh strainer with canister and lid. Drains hung curd in the fridge.

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InstaCuppa Automatic Curd Maker 1 L

Auto temperature regulation, 304 stainless steel inner pot, 1 litre.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use store-bought curd for shrikhand?

Yes. Pick a thick, full-fat curd, not a low-fat one. Thin curd holds more water, so you get less chakka from the same amount, and it takes longer to drain.

How long does homemade shrikhand last in the fridge?

Keep it covered in the fridge and eat it within a few days for the best taste. Lab batches held at 5 °C stayed acceptable for 15 days in one study and 49 days in another, but homemade shrikhand is not made under lab conditions. It also gets more sour each day.

What is the difference between shrikhand and amrakhand?

Amrakhand is mango shrikhand. The base is identical: curd strained into hung curd, then sweetened. Amrakhand folds in mango pulp instead of saffron. It needs less sugar, because ripe mango is already sweet, and it sets softer. Shrikhand is made all year; amrakhand only in mango season, roughly March to June.

Is amrakhand the same as mango shrikhand?

Yes. Amrakhand and mango shrikhand are two names for the same dish: hung curd sweetened and mixed with mango pulp. Indian food rules even list fruit shrikhand as its own type.

Does shrikhand taste sour?

Fresh shrikhand should taste sweet with only a mild tang. It turns sour with time, not by accident: the lactic cultures keep working in the fridge. A 2026 study measured shrikhand's pH falling from 4.37 to 4.06 over 35 days at 4 degrees C. That is the cultures still working, not spoilage. If yours is sour on day one, the curd you started with was already over-set. Strain a fresher curd. Do not let it hang beyond 6 hours.

Is mishti doi the same as shrikhand?

No. Mishti doi is sweetened before it sets: the milk is boiled, sweetened with sugar or jaggery, and left to set overnight in a clay pot. Shrikhand is sweetened after the curd is set and strained. That is why shrikhand is denser and mishti doi is lighter, like a set custard.

What is hung curd called in shrikhand recipes?

It is called chakka or maska. Both names mean curd that has been strained until most of the whey is gone. It should hold its shape on a spoon.

Can I make shrikhand without muslin cloth?

Yes. Use a clean, thin cotton cloth, a fine steel strainer, or a yogurt strainer. The job is the same: let the whey drip out and keep the curd in. Avoid thick towels, because they soak up the whey.

Why is my shrikhand grainy instead of smooth?

There are two common causes. Granulated sugar that has not dissolved, or hung curd that was not whisked long enough. Use powdered sugar, and whisk the hung curd for 2-3 minutes before you add it. For extra smooth shrikhand, push the hung curd through a fine sieve.

Can you freeze shrikhand?

You can. One dairy study found shrikhand kept at -10 °C was still acceptable at 56 days. Freeze it in a sealed box and thaw it in the fridge, then whisk it smooth again before serving.

A quick note: This article shares general food and wellness information for Indian readers. It is not medical advice. Bodies differ. If you are pregnant, unwell, or managing a health condition, please ask your doctor before making changes.

Sources & References