Shrikhand (Indian milk dessert)

I don't know how long it has been since I love Shrikhand. Since I was born...maybe!
I attempt to recreate my food based on my childhood memories and how my mom would use dessert to make each occasion memorable. Now don't get me wrong. I don't have memories of fond motherly cooking here. But Aai (my mom) is very creative on making small moments special with these sweet treats. Maybe a good grade, an unexpected but welcome visitor would trigger a Shrikhand-puri and our day would be made.

My dad would like the variations, the Aamrakhand (mango version), the pista-badam (pistachio-almond) and even the strawberry version (which came so much later in the game). I like the luscious feel of shrikhand - the rich, thick but creamy and malleable. It has to be just the right consistency. My love for velchi (cardamom) is also responsible for loving this Maharashtrian dessert to eternity.

Shrikhand puri, modak and carrot yogurt for Ganesh Chaturthi 2010

Coming from that childhood memory to making one with my three year old. We introduced her to Shrikhand a while back, but she got the love and liking for it recently. I love it when she so sweetly calls it, "Shleekandh please Aai!". I know that dessert love is for life.
My mom never made till later in my twenties so never really got the recipe from. Once in the US, I searched my way out for Konkani and other recipes liked and Aayi's recipes, maybe 5 years back.
Here is her recipe which I use as the basic recipe for Shrikhand.
But my version is slightly different.

• I use a combination of  Greek and Indian yogurt. It gives the hung yogurt a thicker consistency and does not thin down easily with time like the other yogurts too.
• I add less sugar than her's (I am not the sweet tooth kinds - just enough is perfect!) and no sour cream for me, either.
• I grind the cardamom myself (Totally my take, but you can differ - gives a better taste with ground cardamom)
• I also add some charolis (you would get these in the Indian store), ground pistachios and ground almonds in the yogurt to give that extra crunch, color and texture to my Shrikhand.

Pista (Pistachio)-Badam (Almond)-Kesar (Saffron) Shrikhand in its full glory!

And yes, I can lick this one to the last lick! Just like my daughter does!

My first recipe - Pear and Maple Bread Pudding

Food is such an important part of our life.....whether we like food or not....
My attempt is to make food consumption a little more interesting. It's not just by trying new recipes, it is the cooking process, the heat, how long it remains in the oven, maybe a little more sugar or maybe a little pinch of salt to add that punch........all these nuances matter!

I'll start of with a new recipe I tried -a twist on the original
Pear and Maple Bread Pudding I tried at the Pear Tree Cafe (I think it shut shop in 2007 but the owner was kind to pass on the recipe).
I must admit I am quite an avid learner in baking. It is an art something I keep striving the perfect. You get the temperature wrong, you get the proportions wrong, it all messes up. But you got to keep on trying. It helps when you have some guinea-pigs at home :) We tried this pudding and I fell in love with it immediately. I rarely try puddings as most of the time, they're either mushy or hard or just no right. This one was sweeter than I expected but the crunch and crisp was so right!!!
My twist - I added 2 apples and 2 pears instead of 4 pears and kept the skins on....it added some color to the pudding. Also, instead of maple syrup I added honey and reduced the sugar content in it. I like desserts but just right on the sweetness....not too much of it.
And it turned pretty good!