Bethica Das's healthy combination of low-fat yoghurt with the white flesh of the watermelon rind creates a smooth, whipped fruit-based shrikhand that's a must try during Ganesh Utsav.

Food blogger and cookbook writer Bethica believes in food experimentation and hence her recipes, you will notice, have an inspired detour away from a standard preparation.

Have a look at Bethica Das' recipes here.

Watermelon Rind Shrikhand

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

• 2 cups yoghurt
• 2 cups chopped white flesh of the watermelon rind or kalingar
• 1 tsp ghee
• 2-3 tbsp powdered sugar or icing sugar or to taste
• ¼ tsp green elaichi or cardamom powder
• 1 tsp kewra water or pandanus flower extract
• Few strands kesar or saffron
• Few chopped pieces watermelon fruit, deseeded
• Chopped pistachios, to garnish
• Dry rose petals, to garnish

Method

• In a bowl, strain the yoghurt through a cheese cloth placed over a sieve.
  Drain off the excess water.
  Bring all the ends of the cloth together to make a potli(moneybag).
  Tie the ends and place the bowl in the refrigerator overnight.
• Steam the watermelon rind flesh until soft.
  Cool.
  Transfer into a blender and blend into a smooth paste.
• Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and add the paste.
  Simmer till all the moisture has evaporated.
  Take off heat and keep aside to cool.
• In a bowl, combine the cooked watermelon rind paste and the hung yoghurt.
  Add the sugar, cardamom powder,kewra water.
  Whisk well until smooth.
  Add the saffron strands and mix again.
  Refrigerate for a few hours and keep refrigerated till time to serve.
• To serve, spoon the shrikhand into individual bowls and garnish with the chopped pistachios, chopped watermelon. dry rose petals.

Editor's Note: Vegans should substitute regular yoghurt with vegan yoghurt.

For a sugar-free dessert, cut back on the watermelon garnish and substitute sugar with stevia powder.

Kewra essence has a very strong flavour and may not be everyone's cup of tea.

Bethica Das is a Sharjah-based food blogger.

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