Sikarni

Sikarni is the Newari festival dessert — thick, strained yogurt whisked with sugar and cardamom until it turns light and creamy, then folded with dried fruit and nuts. It is served in wide plates during celebrations, often sharing the table with juju dhau. It is a dessert that is as refreshing as it is sweet, and it is the one Newari children ask for at every gathering. The simplicity is the point. It is made with the thickest yogurt available, drained until it is almost a cheese.

A festival bowl of yogurt and dried fruit

The yogurt becomes airy and almost mousse-like, with a clean tang balanced by sugar and warm cardamom. Dried fruit and coconut add chewy sweetness, while almonds give a little crunch. Chilled and spooned into bowls, it is bright, delicate, and the perfect ending to a rich festival meal. A spoon of it after a heavy curry is like a cool breeze.

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