Chilled Desserts

Some South Asian sweets are made to be eaten cold and fresh, which keeps them out of the cupboard and in the chilled cabinet. Mishti doi is the Bengali sweet yogurt, set with caramelised sugar or date jaggery so it turns a pale toffee colour. Shrikhand, from Gujarat and Maharashtra, is strained yogurt whipped with sugar, saffron and cardamom. Kheer and payasam are rice puddings cooked slowly in milk, and rasmalai is soft chhena dumplings soaked in thickened, saffron scented milk.

This collection also carries chilled puddings and fruit yogurts familiar from British supermarkets, handy for a lunch box. When choosing, check whether a dessert is made with whole milk or cream for a richer spoon, and look for a vegetarian mark if gelatine matters to your household, as some set puddings use it.

Serve mishti doi and shrikhand straight from the fridge, scattered with chopped pistachios or a pinch of saffron. Rasmalai tastes best after half an hour in the coldest part of the fridge. A spoonful of shrikhand alongside hot puris is the classic Gujarati festival plate.

Keep chilled desserts in the fridge and eat them by the date on the pack, as they are fresh dairy and do not keep long once opened. They are delivered locally only. For sweets you make at home, see kheer and payasam mix and gulab jamun and rasmalai mix. Plain dahi is in yogurt, and both sit under yogurt and desserts.