Indian creamy honey sweet yogurt

**courtesy my Granny, reinterpreted by Food Writer Monica Bhinde. Yields 4
Ingredients

• 4 cups plain yogurt
• ¼ to ½ cup honey or granulated sugar (or to taste)
• 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese (especially if using Fat free Yogurt)
• A pinch of salt
• ½ teaspoon saffron threads, steeped in 2 tablespoons warm milk

Garnish

• saffron threads

Direction

To prepare yogurt cheese, place a colander over a medium bowl. Line the colander with several layers of cheesecloth. Place yogurt in the cheesecloth and let it drain its whey out in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Overnight works best.

A thick yogurt cheese would be left in the cheesecloth. Spoon the yogurt cheese into a clean bowl. Add honey or granulated sugar, ricotta cheese and salt to it. Mix well with a spatula or hand-held blender. Adjust honey or sugar to taste, adding up to 1 tablespoon more.

Blend the saffron and milk into the yogurt mixture.

Chill at least an hour.

To serve, spoon the yogurt cheese mixture into serving cups and garnish with saffron.

Variation: You can also top with plain, unsalted sliced pistachios or garnish with pomegranate arils, strawberries, kiwi slices and more.