Aamrakhand | Alphonso Mango and Yogurt Dessert

Summer and mango are synonymous with each other in the Indian subcontinent at least, don’t you think? What is also very well-loved in the subcontinent is yogurt. And Alphonso mango and yogurt are a match made in heaven.

Keeping in the spirit of Mango Mania here is another recipe that involves the King of Fruits. Amrakhand is a spin-off on Shrikhand which is typically made with hung curd flavoured with cardamom and sugar. It is a popular Indian dessert in the western states of Gujarat and Maharashtra and tastes great with piping hot pooris and chapatis.

Aam is Hindi for Mango and that is how the dish gets its name. Amrakhand combines the goodness of yogurt and alphonso mango and creates the perfect summer dessert which when enjoyed on a muggy summer afternoon, is just heavenly! This recipe was one amongst the few others that I had shared on Sassy Mama Hong Kong last year celebrating summer desserts.

A few tips to keep in mind:

1. if using regular yogurt or homemade curd, make sure to tie it in a cheesecloth and place it in a strainer over a bowl and refrigerate overnight so excess water is drained. If not overnight, at least for 3-4 hours.
2. as I mentioned plain greek yogurt is a quicker alternative. If using that, place the yogurt in muslin and let it hang for 30-45 minutes to remove excess water
3. fresh Alphonso mangoes work best for this recipe, but if that is unavailable, use canned mango pulp; if using the latter, discard the water and use just the pulp
4. honey works great as a sweetener instead of brown sugar but it does alter the taste of the final dish
5. using coconut greek yogurt adds an interesting dimension to the dish. In fact, you can also add freshly grated coconut while blending the yogurt and alphonso mango puree if you would like to
6. use of saffron strands is optional

Ingredients for Aamrakhand:

1. Hung curd or greek yogurt (water drained completely)- 2 cups
2. Pureed Mangoes -1 cup
3. Brown or raw Sugar (powdered) or Honey- 1 tbsp or as per taste depending on the sweetness of the mango pulp
4. Saffron-3-4 strands steeped in 1 tbsp warm milk
5. Freshly pound cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp
6. Slivered nuts(pistachios/almonds) and mango cubes for garnish- As desired

Method to Make the Perfect Mango and Yogurt Dessert:

1. In a deep bowl place the hung curd and pureed mangoes and blend on a low speed using a hand blender or a regular whisk
2. Add sugar, cardamom powder, and saffron steeped in milk (including the milk) and mix well
3. Spoon the mixture into serving bowls (small tequila shot glasses work great here) and refrigerate for an hour or two
4. Garnish with chopped nuts and mango cubes and serve chilled.