MISHTI DOI

    A wonderful and healthy Dessert to commemorate 4 years of Blogging - MISHTI DOI.  A humble & healthy dessert loved by every Bengali. But it has a greater fan base even outside the region. A few months back my daughter, out of nowhere, asked me for Mishti Doi.  And it was in my "to make" list for a long time, procrastinated for no reason.  Then and there, giving no second thought, I made Mishti Doi. Least to say that I fell head over heels in love with this humble Mishti Doi.  So creamy, mildly sweet with a wonderful texture, so cool and comforting to the senses & stomach.  I loved and enjoyed eating each spoon of Mishti Doi and cherished it to the core. For the taste of Mishti Doi & to commemorate the 4th Anniversary of my blog "Essence of Life - Food" here comes one of the most popular Bengali Dessert Mishti Doi/Meeta Dahi/Sweetened Curd.
       For most of the world who know Mishti Doi, it is a dessert from the eastern part of India - Bengal. But is popular across Orissa, Bihar, Assam, in some Eastern States of India & in Bangladesh. This easy-to-make and completely hassle-free dessert hold its uniqueness amidst the extensive range of Bengali Sweets & Desserts. Mishti Doi is a fermented sweet curd made by thickening/reducing the milk and is traditionally sweetened with Jaggery. It is allowed to ferment overnight. Some recipe of Mishti Doi is delicately seasoned with a Pinch of Cardamom. The technique or the way it is prepared completely makes Mishti Doi different from the plain curd/yoghurt. The cultured Milk, Jaggery mixture is poured into a traditional clay or earthen pot to ferment & at the same time to keep it cool. The porous walls of an earthen pot absorb any extra moisture and help to thicken the Doi and simultaneously facilitates the right temperature for the growth of the culture/fermentation.
     A festive favourite, Mishti Doi is prepared extensively during auspicious occasions like Durga Puja and Bengali New Year.  A cool delight to beat the onslaught of summer, or just a digestion-aided mild Dessert to finish off your extensive meal. Yet another version of Mishti Doi - Bhapa Doi is a modified form prepared with a Condensed Milk & Curd/Yoghurt. A thicker and sweeter version. Fruit-infused Mishti Doi, like 'Aam Doi' (Mango curd) is also a popular variant of Mishit Doi. 

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Cuisine - Bengal, India
Recipe Type -Dessert
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 3 - 4
Author - SM  

Preparation Time - 5 Minutes
Cooking Time - 20 - 30 Minutes
Fermenting Time - 6 - 8 Hours



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HOW TO MAKE MISHTI DOI

MISHTI DOI

INGREDIENTS:

Milk - 3 Cups
Jaggery - 4 Tablespoons
Water - 1 Teaspoon
Curd/Yoghurt - 2 Teaspoons

For a detailed recipe on HOW TO MAKE CURD/YOGHURT, Click here...

METHOD:

• Boil the Milk is a heavy-bottomed pan and continue to boil it on a low flame until it is reduced and thickened.
• Powder the Jaggery and heat it in another heavy-bottomed saucepan for a while on medium-low flame until it melts and slightly caramelizes.
• Once it caramelizes to light Amber Brown in colour, carefully pour in 1 Teaspoon of warm water & give a quick stir.
• Care should be taken when caramelizing the Jaggery, as it can burn soon.
• Now gently mix the Caramelized Jaggery along with hot Milk. 
• Leave it aside to cool down.
• When the Milk & Jaggery mixture is slightly warm or at room temperature, add in 1 Teaspoon of Curd/Yoghurt and mix well.
• Pour it into small Earthen Pots/Ceramic cups.
• Cover and allow it to ferment in a warm place for about 6–8 hours or until completely set (as for Curd/Yoghurt)
• Once set, chill the Mishti Doi in the refrigerator for about 3–4 hours, or until you serve it.
• Serve Mishti Doi chilled.

MISHTI DOI

 

NOTES:

• Reducing the milk will yield you with a creamy and thick Mishti Doi.
• While stirring in the Curd/Yoghurt, make sure that the milk is not hot.
• Let the Milk & Jaggery Mixture be slightly warm or at room temperature while adding Curd/Yoghurt.
• Care should be taken while Caramelizing the Jaggery.  Caramelize it to light Amber Brown in colour.
• Allowing it to burn or brown will totally alter/Spoil the taste of Mishti Doi.
• Mishti Doi is a mildly sweetened Dessert.
• I have used locally available light coloured Jaggery in the recipe.
• Use Dark coloured Jaggery for the preferred Red hued Mishti Doi.
• Can substitute Jaggery with White Sugar/Brown Sugar too.
• But authentic Mishti Doi recipes use Jaggery.
• Allow it to ferment in a warm place until it is completely set.
• Adjust the time of fermentation as per the weather/climatic condition of the region you live in.
• If you are living in a colder region, allow the Mishti Doi to ferment in a closed oven with the oven light on or towel-covered for about 6 to 8 hours, or until set.