Nepali Sikarni: Spiced Strained Yogurt with Pistachio and Fresh Apricots

Line a sieve with a double layer of cheesecloth, set it over a bowl, and spoon in the yogurt. Refrigerate and let it drain for at least 6 hours or overnight, until it has thickened to the density of soft cream cheese.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 4 cups plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Generous pinch of saffron threads
• 2 tablespoons warm milk
• 1/3 cup shelled pistachios, slivered
• 2 tablespoons blanched almonds, slivered
• 6 ripe apricots, pitted and cut into wedges
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Pinch of fine salt

Instructions

1. Line a sieve with a double layer of cheesecloth, set it over a bowl, and spoon in the yogurt. Refrigerate and let it drain for at least 6 hours or overnight, until it has thickened to the density of soft cream cheese.
2. Crumble the saffron into the warm milk and let it steep 10 minutes, until the milk turns deep gold.
3. Scrape the strained yogurt into a chilled bowl and discard the whey. Whisk in the powdered sugar, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of salt until completely smooth.
4. Whisk in the saffron milk, then taste and adjust — sikarni should be sweet but still clearly tangy.
5. Toast the pistachios and almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, shaking often, until fragrant. Cool completely.
6. Toss the apricot wedges with the honey and let them sit 10 minutes to draw out their juice.
7. Spoon the yogurt into small glasses or bowls, top with the honeyed apricots and their syrup, and shower with the toasted nuts.
8. Chill at least 1 hour before serving so the spices bloom and the dessert sets firm and cold.
9. Sikarni is the celebration sweet of the Newar community of Kathmandu Valley, served at festivals and weddings in small brass bowls, and it is proof of how far strained yogurt can travel with nothing but sugar and spice. Draining the whey is the entire technique — skip it and you get flavored yogurt, do it properly and you get something closer to a spiced mousse. Late-summer apricots are not traditional but they are perfect here, their sharpness cutting the richness the way the original saffron and cardamom were always meant to.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 290 kcal
• Protein: 12g
• Fat: 12g
• Carbohydrates: 34g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 30g
• Sodium: 110mg