Chakka

Chakka is the thick curd formed during preparation of the Indian dessert shrikhand, made by straining dahi through a cloth to remove whey. Hanging the yoghurt for hours drains off the liquid, leaving a dense, creamy concentrate. This chakka is then sweetened and flavoured, often with saffron, cardamom and nuts, into shrikhand, a rich, festive dessert. The technique is a classic example of concentrating milk solids by simple, traditional means. Similar strained yoghurts appear across the Middle East and Balkans under other names.