SHRIKHAND / SHREEKHAND

Shrikhand is semi solid soft, sweetish sour fermented dairy product. It is prepared from cow, buffalo or mixed milk. Lactic fermented curd is obtained by the associative action of microorganisms on the milk constituents. The curd is cut or stirred to expel whey through a muslin cloth. This results in a solid mass known as chakka.

The next step in the preparation of shrikhand is mixing chakka with the required amounts of sugar, colour, flavour etc. to get the end product. The composition of the shrikhand depends on the initial composition of the milk, the degree of fermentation, the extent of whey removal and the quality of sugar added. The standards outlined by BIS are given below.

Recipe for Shrikhand

Traditional Method

• Good quality milk is standardized to 5.0 per cent fat

• This milk is transferred to a kettle / vat / container through a muslin cloth.

• The milk is heated to boiling and cooled to 30°C.

• Lactic culture is added at the rate of 0.5 percent of milk and mixed well with the help of a stirrer. The starter culture should preferably be curd from the previous batch.

• Then the milk is incubated at 30°C till the desired acidity is attained. The duration of incubation is usually 10-12 hours.

• After the curd has been properly set and the desired acidity developed, the contents are transferred to another vessel through a clean, wet muslin cloth.

• The muslin cloth containing the curd is formed in to a bag and hung on a stand to facilitate draining of whey. To achieve the faster expulsion of whey, gentle pressure may be applied. The whey is collected separately in another container.

• A semi solid mass is obtained after the complete expulsion of whey. This is called as chakka and this is used as an ingredient in the production of shrikhand.

• The weight of the chakka is measured and is transferred to mixer or blender.

• Good quality sugar at the rate of 80% of the weight of chakka is added to chakka and it is thoroughly kneaded or mixed either manually or mechanically to a homogeneous consistency.

• Flavour, colour and other additives such as fruits, nuts etc. may be added to enrich the shrikhand depending on the consumers taste.

• The weight of the product is recorded and it is usually packaged in polystyrene cups and stored under refrigerated condition.

Industrial Method

• Milk of good quality is selected and then it is separated in a cream separator into skim milk and cream. The skim milk should be devoid of fat as for as possible and the fat percentage in cream should be high (preferably 70% and above).

• The skim milk is heated to 90°C for 10 min followed by cooling to 30°C or the milk can be pasteurized in a batch pasteurizer. The cream can also simultaneously be pasteurized at 85°C for 15 sec for later use.

• The heated skim milk is taken in a pre sterilized storage vat and 0.5 percent lactic starter culture is added and mixed well with a mechanical agitator.

• The temperature of vat is maintained at 30°C by circulating warm water and incubated for 8 h.

• When the curd is properly set and the acidity level reaches 0.8 – 1.0 percent, the incubation is stopped.

• The whey is separated by centrifuging the curd for 5 min using a basket centrifuge (working at 1100 rpm).

• After centrifugation, chakka is obtained. It is then transferred to a planetary mixer.

• The required quantum of pasteurized cream and sugar is added to the chakka (the fat in the final product should be about 6 percent and sugar 42%).

• The contents are mixed by running the mixer at variable speeds.

• Flavour, colour and the required additives may also be added during the mixing process with sugar and cream.

• The final product is cooled and filled in the wax coated paper cups or polystyrene cups and the quantity packed varies between 100 and 500 g.

• The shrikhand is stored under refrigerated temperature till consumed.

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