Columns

Make Mama Look Good: Diwali yogurt dessert

Tuesday, November 15th, 2005

The set-up: Mama gets a little overwhelmed sometimes, = especially at=20 this time of year when the impending and odious "holiday season" = threatens to=20 throw an already crazy and only tenuously balanced life completely out = of whack.=20

So while I knew the Hindu festival of lights called Diwali was = coming=20 soon, I didn=92t actually have time to seek out a recipe until late last = week =96=20 when the holiday was just about over. That=92s typical for me these = days: great=20 intentions, a little slow on the follow-through. But I took heart when I = learned=20 that Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights, and, like most cultures=92=20 post-harvest rituals, signifies the renewal of life and spirit. I = figured that=20 if someone were in the midst of a festival celebrating spiritual = renewal, they=92d=20 basically be required to cut me some slack on my timing, so I moved = forward with=20 my plan to find a Diwali recipe that I could manage even if the kids = were=20 home.

The recipe: For guidance, I contacted Tara Deshpande = Tannebaum, owner of Azalea Catering in Boston. Not only is she a caterer = and=20 cooking instructor, but she is also =96 I kid you not =96 a former = Bollywood star. I=20 knew that if anyone could cook me up something simple yet glamorous, it = would be=20 Tara. She sent me an intriguing recipe for Mango Shrikhand, or yogurt = with=20 saffron and mangoes. It=92s considered a Diwali dessert, but would also = be=20 fantastic as a breakfast or brunch dish (or, Tara adds, as a topping on = warm=20 gingerbread or apple tart).

Time management: If you=92re = the glass=20 half-empty type, then you=92ll probably focus on the fact that Diwali = just ended,=20 in which case I=92ll have to admit that my time management on this task = is pretty=20 much in the toilet. But if you=92re a little more flexible, and = let=92s=20 remember that flexibility is a tremendous asset for 21st century Mamas = (and=20 Papas), then maybe you=92ll agree that this recipe would be great any = time of=20 year. If you=92re with me on this, then we=92re all in luck, because = making Mango=20 Shrikhand is a cinch. (And if you're not with me, then you're obviously = against=20 me, and I don't think any of us want that.) The only trick here is = leaving=20 enough time to drain the yogurt (see Note below for more on = this).

The=20 bottom line: total active prep time logged in at a mere 10 minutes. I = did most=20 of it while the kids were having a snack. I may not always have time to = shower=20 or change out of my sweats, but I will always be able to handle Mango = Shrikhand.=20

The outcome: When four-year-old P had tasted her first = mouthful=20 of Shrikhand, she nodded, licked her lips and rubbed her belly in the = ultimate=20 show of approval. And the neighbors, who were already in the middle of = brunch=20 when nine-year-old E dropped off a bowl, =93absolutely loved it,=94 he = reported. So=20 did I. The combination of cardamom and saffron turns the outrageously = creamy but=20 plain yogurt into something unusually delicious. The crunchy toasted = nuts and=20 soft, sweet mango elevate it to greatness.

Mango = Shrikhand=20 (Indian strained yogurt with saffron and mangoes)
Makes 2 = =BD cups=20 (recipe can be doubled)
Serves 2-4 (it=92s rich)

32 oz. plain = whole=20 milk yogurt
1 ripe mango, peeled
6 strands saffron soaked in 1-2=20 tablespoons lukewarm water
1/4 cup toasted and silvered = almonds
1/4 cup=20 toasted unsalted pistachios
1 teaspoon freshly ground green cardamom = seeds=20 (or not freshly ground at all but rather from a jar as I used)
1 cup=20 granulated sugar (Tara says to use more if you want it on the sweet side = =96 I=20 used one and a quarter cups and it tasted as sweet as sweetened yogurt = you=92d buy=20 at the store)

1. Empty yogurt into a cheesecloth-lined strainer = and=20 suspend it over a bowl. Let drip 12 hours, or overnight. (Tara says you = only=20 have to refrigerate this if it=92s summer, but erring on the side of = caution, I=92ll=20 say go ahead and throw it in the fridge even if there=92s a = record-breaking=20 blizzard outside.)You=92ll want to discard the liquid a couple of times, = because=20 an unbelievable amount drains out. By the end, the yogurt had reduced by = half.=20
2. Remove from the cheesecloth when all the water has drained out = and=20 refrigerate for at least two hours (unless you=92ve been draining it in = the=20 fridge.)
3. Slice mango into long pieces. Place in a covered bowl and = chill.=20
4. In a mixer, whip yogurt and sugar together on slow until yogurt = gets=20 fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Do not over-whip, as yogurt will split. Add = saffron=20 (with its soaking liquid) and cardamom and whip 30 seconds longer.
5. = Top=20 with mangoes, roasted almonds and pistachios.

Note: = When you=20 see a recipe with instructions to, say, drain yogurt overnight, or buy=20 cheesecloth, for God=92s sake, you might find yourself feeling a = bit=20 annoyed. Who wants to deal with that, right? But sometimes, Looking Good = requires just a little bit of advance planning.

The = upside? Once=20 you=92ve lined the strainer with cheesecloth and then poured in the = yogurt (a=20 total time expenditure of approximately one minute), you are then = more=20 than justified in sitting on the couch and reading a book. After all, = you=92re=20 right in the middle of preparing something delicious.

See what = I=92m=20 saying?

Columns Archive

Make=20 Mama Look Good: Carrots for Thanksgiving Just=20 Getting Rolling Make=20 Mama Look Good: Diwali yogurt dessert

NPR Online

Make=20 Mama Look Good: Nearly Vegetarian Cassoulet
npr.org

=A9 2005 Betsy Block