Helen Goh's yoghurt pudding with mango and medjool dates

Name: Helen Goh's yoghurt pudding with mango and medjool dates
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4-6
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 500g plain, full-fat yoghurt; seeds from 2 cardamom pods, crushed using a mortar and pestle; zest and juice of 1 lime; 120ml pure cream; 2 tbsp icing sugar; 1 tbsp honey; 160g flesh from a ripe mango, pulsed in a blender to form a rough puree; 4 pitted dates, preferably medjool, cut into slivers; 20g unblanched almonds, roasted and roughly chopped; 20g pistachios (about 40 nuts), roughly chopped; flaky sea salt, to serve

Helen Goh

February 13, 2023

Yoghurt pudding rippled with mango puree.William Meppem

easyTime:1-2 hoursServes:4-6

I had set out to make a cheesecake with yoghurt and mango, but halfway through when I stopped to taste it, I realised it was delicious just as it was, eaten with a spoon. I did make one further change, though, which was to strain the yoghurt in the style of the luscious Indian dessert, shrikhand. Serve this family-style by placing it all in one large dish at the centre of the table, or for a more elegant presentation, dish it up individually in coupe glasses.

Ingredients

500g plain, full-fat yoghurt
seeds from 2 cardamom pods, crushed using a mortar and pestle
zest and juice of 1 lime
120ml pure cream
2 tbsp icing sugar
1 tbsp honey
160g flesh from a ripe mango, pulsed in a blender to form a rough puree
4 pitted dates, preferably medjool, cut into slivers
20g unblanched almonds, roasted and roughly chopped
20g pistachios (about 40 nuts), roughly chopped
flaky sea salt, to serve

Method

1. To strain the yoghurt, set a large sieve over a bowl, then line the sieve with a piece of clean muslin or cheesecloth. Scoop the yoghurt into the lining, draw in the excess material and twist to enclose the yoghurt. Place a small plate on top and weigh it down with a couple of cans or a heavy mortar and pestle. Set aside in a cool place to allow the whey to drain from the yoghurt – this will take about an hour. Discard the drained liquid and transfer the thickened yoghurt into a large bowl. Add the cardamom, lime juice and zest, then mix in with a wooden spoon. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the cream, icing sugar and honey, and whisk until soft waves form. Using a rubber spatula, fold the cream mixture into the thickened yoghurt until almost combined, then fold in 100g of the mango puree. Don't worry if it looks a bit streaky, that's part of the charm.
3. If making one large pudding, transfer the mixture into a large shallow serving bowl; otherwise, spoon into individual bowls or glasses. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours (or up to 2 days ahead).
4. When ready to serve, spoon some of the remaining mango puree on top of the pudding, then use a small knife to gently swirl it through. Scatter over the slivered dates, then the chopped nuts. Finally, sprinkle with a little sea salt just before serving.
Tip: It's also delicious for breakfast – just halve the icing sugar or omit it altogether.