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Indori shikanji
Indore's thick, chilled reduced-milk drink (इंदौरी शिकंजी) with saffron, nutmeg and a fistful of nuts
Anyone who orders shikanji in Indore expecting lemonade gets a surprise: here it is a spoonably thick drink of slow-reduced milk, saffron and cardamom, with a gentle tang from thick yogurt and plenty of chopped dry fruit. It is a late-night treat at Sarafa and Chhappan Dukan, poured from steel jugs into glasses after a round of savoury snacks. Think of it as somewhere between a lassi and a cold rabri. Chef's tip: the milk must be completely cold before the yogurt goes in, or the drink splits into grainy curds.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Bring 4 ¼ cups whole milk to the boil in a heavy, wide pan on medium heat, then lower to a steady simmer.
8 minStep 2: Simmer for 25–30 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes and scraping the sides back in, until reduced to roughly 600 ml and lightly creamy, coating the back of a spoon. Don't let it catch: a scorched bottom gives the whole drink a burnt taste.
30 minStep 3: Stir in 2 ½ oz sugar, ¼ tsp saffron threads with its milk, ½ tsp ground cardamom and 1 pinch ground nutmeg and simmer for 2 more minutes until the sugar dissolves and the milk turns pale gold.
2 minStep 4: Pour into a jug, cool to room temperature, then chill for at least 2 hours until fridge-cold.
120 minStep 5: Whisk 3 ½ oz thick Greek-style yogurt in a bowl until smooth, then whisk in a ladle of the cold milk. Pour this back into the jug with half the 1 ⅜ oz mixed almonds, pistachios and cashews and whisk hard for a minute (or blend for 10 seconds) until thick and frothy.
Step 6: Pour into glasses over 6 ice cubes if you like, and top with the rest of the 1 ⅜ oz mixed almonds, pistachios and cashews and 1 tbsp charoli (chironji) seeds. It keeps for a day in the fridge; whisk before serving.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does indori shikanji take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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