Happy Diwali! and a recipe for Fresh Figs with Lychee Honey – Nut Shrikhand

If you are looking to prepare some non-traditional, quick dessert this Diwali, here’s a refreshing guilt free dessert; Figs with Lychee Honey -Nut Shrikhand.

Amrakhand

Yes.. finally I bought myself a car – the new Zen Estillo, from Maruti Udyog ltd. (and by the way Estillo means Style in Spanish J) When I learnt driving 8-9 yrs ago, I used to practice on my dad’s vehicle. Most of the people are very possessive of their vehicles…my dad is the same..so I could drive only with him seated next to me and shooting orders like 2^nd..3^rd.(..that’s gears).break…see that cycle wala….nnnn….nnnnnn. I would get confused whether to follow him or  the traffic J

This left me being only an occasional driver.Hubby dear is no less than my dad. Only I guess he has to come back home in the evening and so he instructs in a softer tone!

Now when I drive my own car with no one shouting next to me…only Jagjit Singh humming melodious Ghazals…..it is satisfaction personified…and now I can see the cycle walas…very clearly and can navigate thro’ the traffic without much difficulty!

Here’s a recipe for Amrakhand (Mango Shrikhand) to celebrate my new car. I made this yesterday for Ram Navami.This is my mom’s recipe..very simple ..very delicious!

 

Amrakhand ,Cucumber Kosimbiri(salad),Green Mango Rice, Lime juice and Coriander Papad –for Ram Navami

For Amrakhand you need: 

½ kg Chakka (hung curds).

½ kg sugar or you can adjust the proportion to your taste.

1-1 ½ cup mango pulp 

For the hung curd-Tie curd in a clean muslin cloth till all the water has drained out. Keep some weight on it so that the water drains out faster.

 

                                 Chakka (Hung Curd)

                         Chakka-Sugar mix

Mix the sugar and Chakka in a vessel nicely and leave it like that overnight or at least for 3-4 hours. 

  

                          Puran Yantra (machine)

Take the Chakka-sugar mixture in a Puran Yantra (machine) (see photo), add the mango pulp, to blend and sieve the mixture. It is called as Puran Yantra since it is used to blend and sieve Puran for Puran poli –another delicious sweet. If you do not have this type of a machine tie a muslin cloth on a wide mouth vessel with a string and then press and sieve the mixture. The resultant mixture has a smooth and homogenous texture. Keep it in the fridge till cold and serve.

Shrikhand teams up well with plain wheat flour puris or you can eat just like that. Usually chopped nuts like Pistachios,Badam etc.or saffron  are added to Shrikhand/Amrakhand .But I like to savor the taste of mango in my Amrakhand! 

Related recipes : Shrikhand Vadi