Chitale Bandhu Full Cream Shrikhand Review – Fresh & Creamy

Creamy, luscious, and sweet- Shrikhand is one of those soul-satisfying desserts that make life better one spoonful at a time.

Chitale is one of the popular dairy brands in Mumbai. We tried four flavors of this heavenly dessert- Elaichi, Amba, Keshar, and Badam Pista. Our collective favorite, what we liked, what we loved, is all covered in this Chitale Bandhu Shrikhand review.

Can you guess which variant we liked best?

All you need to know about the four variants we reviewed is discussed here.

We were looking for fresh flavors, pleasing aromas, and a creamy, desirable consistency.

Other aspects like quality of ingredients and packaging have also been considered.

1. Flavor 

These four variants are flavored with fruits and spices. How prominent are the flavor profiles? Did the flavors do justice to the tags? What about sweetness, was it overwhelming or balanced?

In the Badam Pista variant we looked for fresh, nutty flavors. Did the Elaichi variant have that distinct warm sweetness? What about Amba– was the mango richness present? And finally, did Keshar feature the sweet, floral notes?

2. Consistency

Were the Shrikhand cups smooth and creamy or was there a grainy mouthfeel? Did the nutty and fruit variants have pieces/chunks of the main ingredient? 

3. Freshness

Milk-based products have a short shelf life as compared to other packaged products. Ingredients like nuts, fruits, and spices, when gone bad, develop undesirable and bitter tastes. 

How was our experience with Chitale Shrikhand?

4. Other Parameters

Main Ingredients

Does the brand specify the type of milk (curd) and sweetener they use? What about the quantity of the flavoring agents? Have real ingredients been used or artificial flavors been added? What about preservatives?

Packaging

Can the Shrikhand cups be restored once opened? Are they spill-proof?

Price

Compared to other brands and local dairy shops, Chitale Bandhu Shrikhand is priced…

Shelf Life

A week, a month, a year- how long does this packaged Shrikhand stay good for?

The four Shrikhand cups by Chitale Bandhu were brought to our review lab in Gurgaon from Mumbai. These traveled surprisingly well. More details in the following section.

Price & Packaging

The Shrikhand is packed in a plastic cup with a well-fitted lid. Inside, there is a sheet of foil for enhanced protection plus preventing spills/leaks. A 250-gram cup of the Elaichi variant is priced at Rs 70/- and has a shelf life of three months when stored under refrigeration.

Main Ingredients

Chakka, sugar, and cardamom are all ingredients used. 

This variant offers 298.2 Kcal per 100 grams which is divided as 8.6grams of fats, 50 grams of carbohydrates (of which 43.9 grams is sugar), and 5.2 grams of protein. The nutrition values are almost the same as the above variant.

Taste & Consistency

This had a pale yellow appearance with a pleasing aroma of cardamom. This sweet and warm aroma was paired with a consistent texture throughout the cup. There were no separated layers of whey or water. We could see some cardamom powder.

This variant had a rich consistency and a creamy mouthfeel, just like Shrikhand should. The flavor of cardamom felt natural and was balanced. Additionally, the sweetness was desirable too. A favorable balance of sweetness and natural sourness of curd was maintained. 

Also Read- Milky Mist Elaichi Shrikhand

Price & Packaging

While the packaging and shelf life is the same as the above variant, this is priced at Rs 78/- for a 250-gram cup.

Main Ingredients

Chakka, sugar, badam, pista, and nutmeg are all the ingredients used.

Thumbs up for the exceptionally clean ingredient list. This is just like one would make at home or buy from a local dairy shop. 

A 250-gram cup holds 2.5 servings. Per 100 grams, this offers 300 Kcal of which 8.6 grams is fat, 50.3 grams are carbohydrates, and 5.3 grams is protein.

Taste & Consistency

Nutmeg has a pungent but sweet aroma which was witnessed in this Shrikhand. It had a pale white appearance with a smooth-looking texture.

It had a smooth, rich, and creamy texture. That said, the creaminess wasn’t milky-greasy, it was just perfect. The nuts have been chopped minutely. Almonds were more than pistachios (as indicated in the ingredient list).

It had that distinct yet desirable sourness that curd does. The sweetness was balanced and the primary flavor was that of nutmeg, like aroma. 

Price & Packaging

The shelf life and packaging is the same as above, but a 250-gram cup is priced at Rs 73/-.

Main Ingredients

Chakka, sugar, alphonso mango pulp

Per 100 grams, this offers 284.12 Kcal and 48.2 grams of carbohydrates (42.1 grams of which is sugar), 5.1 grams of protein, and 7.88 grams of fat.

We appreciate how the brand mentions the type of mango pulp used.

Taste & Consistency

This had an aesthetic Alphonso mango-like yellow appearance. The aroma of curd was more prominent than that of the fruit. The texture was consistent throughout, there were no separated layers. Just like other variants, this tasted fresh and had a creamy mouthfeel. Similar to the aroma, the flavor profile was led by the desirable sourness of curd while the subtly sweet-sour mango flavor was comparatively subtle. The sweetness was relatively low than other variants, but pleasing nonetheless. 

PS- those with a high sugar tolerance may feel the sweetness is low.

Price & Packaging

Price, packaging, and shelf life are the same as the Badam Pista variant.

Main Ingredients

Chakka, sugar, nutmeg, and saffron are all the ingredients used. 

This offers 301.6 Kcal per 100 grams which is divided as 8.8 grams of fat, 50.5 grams of carbohydrates (45.2 grams of added sugar), and 5.1 grams of protein.

Taste & Consistency

This featured a subtle yellow hue and emitted a strong but natural aroma of saffron. We couldn’t see any saffron strands. This variant had a smooth and creamy consistency like other variants we reviewed from the range.

Taste-wise, this was very fresh. The sweetness is mild and the innate sourness of curd paired well with it. Nutmeg lends a very very subtle taste. Overall, the sweetness and sourness was quite appetizing.

Here are some interesting FAQs on Chitale Bandhu Shrikhand.

Chitale Bandhu Shrikhand is nothing if not rich, delicious, and creamy. The consistency and mouthfeel of all four variants were just like that from a local dairy shop. Fresh and free of preservatives, Chitale Bandhu offered a delightful surprise for a packaged milk-based product.

Plain and smooth or with bits of nuts- how do you like your Shrikhand?