Aamrakhand
A chilled Indian dessert made from hung Greek yoghurt folded with mango pulp, sugar, cardamom and saffron, then finished with chopped mango and crushed nuts. It is creamy, sweet and softly aromatic.
Cardamom and saffron
2.3 gStirred into the mango yoghurt mixture (step 4)Everything else
Method
- Put 600 g greek yoghurt into a clean piece of muslin. Bring the cloth edges together and knot them to close.
- Suspend the tied muslin from a kitchen tap and leave it for 7–8 hours or overnight, until the moisture drains and the yoghurt thickens.
- Unwrap the thickened yoghurt into a large mixing bowl.
- Add 316 g canned mango pulp, 100 g caster sugar and the cardamom and saffron. Stir well.
- Chill the bowl for at least 4–6 hours, or overnight, so the flavours blend.
- Divide the mixture between bowls. Top with 30 g crushed pistachio and almond and 100 g chopped mango.
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Hung natural yoghurtUse the same weight and whisk smooth; same thick consistency.
Full-fat natural yoghurtUse 1.25 times the weight and strain through muslin for 30 minutes; looser if not strained.
Hung yogurtUse the same weight; virtually identical.
Ripe mangoSame weight of peeled, stoned flesh, blended smooth; add 10–20 g sugar if the fruit is not fully ripe.
Canned pineappleSame weight, blended with 20 g sugar; fine in lassi and drinks only — the flavour is clearly different, so not for mango desserts.
Granulated sugarUse the same weight. It is slightly coarser, so stir a little longer to dissolve; in baking, grind briefly if a fine texture matters.
Demerara sugarUse the same weight, but dissolve it earlier as it is coarser. It adds a light caramel note and a little colour.
Ground jaggery or soft brown sugarUse the same weight; crush or grate jaggery first. It darkens the dish and adds molasses flavour, so reduce other liquid slightly.
Green cardamom seedGrind freshly extracted inner black seeds finely; use equal weight (1:1). Greatly superior aroma with potent eucalyptus and citrus notes.
Green cardamom podLightly crack whole pods and simmer them in the gravy; use 150% of the weight of ground cardamom. Fish out the pods before serving.
Ground nutmegUse 50% of the weight. Delivers warm, sweet aroma, but lacks cardamom's cooling, citrusy top notes.
Ground turmericUse 15% of the saffron's weight. Replicates the bright yellow colour well, but lacks the floral, earthy depth; use sparingly to avoid bitterness.
Screwpine water or rosewaterUse a few drops combined with a tiny pinch of ground turmeric to mimic both the regal floral aroma and the golden hue.
PistachioUse the same total weight; blanch and peel. It gives a greener, sweeter paste but less almond body.
AlmondUse the same total weight; blanch and peel. It is firmer and less colourful, so grind longer.
Mixed nutUse the same total weight; chop or grind together. The flavour will be less specific but still rich.
- Canned mango pulp
Use the same weight for purées and curries; adjust sugar and lime juice to taste.
PapayaUse the same weight; softer and less aromatic, so add lime juice and a little sugar.
PineappleUse the same weight for chutneys; sharper and more fibrous, so adjust sugar.
Similar dishes
- Same: Mango Lassi shares Greek yoghurt, mango pulp, saffron and diced mango with this dish, and both are served chilled.
- Different: Mango Lassi is a blended drink with water, ice, cumin, pink peppercorn, Himalayan salt and mint, and it lacks this dish's caster sugar, cardamom and crushed pistachio and almond.
- Same: Shrikhand shares Greek yoghurt, saffron, cardamom, sugar and pistachio with this dish, and both are chilled no-cook yoghurt desserts.
- Different: Shrikhand lacks mango pulp and chopped mango, uses more Greek yoghurt and sugar, and swaps cardamom powder for pods and almonds for pomegranate seeds.
- Same: Aam Ka Gola shares mango and canned mango pulp as its main fruit with this dish.
- Different: Aam Ka Gola uses lime as the souring agent plus stem ginger and tequila and is frozen into icy crystals, while this dish uses Greek yoghurt, caster sugar, cardamom, saffron and crushed nuts and is served chilled.
- Same: Burnt Onion Raita shares a thick Greek yoghurt base with this dish, and both are served as cool yoghurt preparations.
- Different: Burnt Onion Raita uses 1000 g shallots roasted until deeply blackened and ground into the yoghurt with sugar and salt, while this dish lacks onions and instead folds in mango pulp, cardamom, saffron, chopped mango, and crushed pistachio and almond.