Mishti Doi, also known as “sweet yogurt,” is a traditional Bengali dessert from the Indian subcontinent, popular in West Bengal, Bangladesh, and neighboring regions. It is a creamy, sweetened yogurt with a caramelized sugar flavor, often served chilled. The process involves boiling whole milk, adding sugar or jaggery, stirring, and adding yogurt culture or plain yogurt as a starter. The mixture is then poured into earthenware pots or containers called “matkas” or “handis” and fermented for several hours to overnight. The natural sugars in the milk caramelize, giving Mishti Doi its sweet and slightly tangy flavor. Once set, it is chilled before serving and often garnished with nuts or saffron strands. Mishti Doi is a beloved Bengali dessert enjoyed by people of all ages.
Here’s a traditional recipe for making Mishti Doi:
Ingredients:
– 1 liter full-fat milk
– 1/2 cup sugar (adjust to taste)
– 2 tablespoons yogurt (as a starter culture)
– A pinch of cardamom powder (optional)
– A pinch of saffron strands (optional)
– Chopped nuts for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
1. Pour the milk into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
2. Once the milk comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer, stirring occasionally, until it reduces to about half its original volume. This process may take approximately 30-45 minutes. To keep the milk from boiling over, keep an eye on it.
3. Add sugar to the reduced milk and stir until the sugar completely dissolves. The amount of sugar can be changed to suit your taste preferences.
4. Turn off the heat and let the sweetened milk cool down to lukewarm temperature (around 110°F or 43°C). It should be warm enough to activate the yogurt culture but not too hot to kill the beneficial bacteria in the yogurt.
5. In a small bowl, mix the yogurt with a spoonful of the warm milk until smooth. In order to ferment the condensed milk, this yogurt mixture will serve as a starting culture.
6. Pour the yogurt mixture into the warm milk and whisk gently to ensure that it’s evenly distributed.
7. If you’re using cardamom powder or saffron strands, you can add them to the milk mixture at this stage for additional flavor.
8. Transfer the milk mixture into earthenware pots or clean glass containers. Earthenware pots are traditional and help in the fermentation process, but glass containers can also be used.
9. Cover the pots or containers with a clean cloth or lid to prevent any contaminants from entering while allowing air circulation.
10. Place the pots in a warm place, such as near a warm oven or in a warm corner of your kitchen, to ferment. The fermentation process usually takes around 6-8 hours, but it may take longer in colder temperatures.
11. After the fermentation period, the Mishti Doi should be set and have a thick, creamy texture. Refrigerate the pots for a few hours to chill and firm up further.
12. Before serving, garnish the Mishti Doi with chopped nuts if desired.
13. Enjoy the creamy and sweet indulgence of homemade Mishti Doi as a delightful dessert or snack!
Note: The fermentation time may vary depending on various factors such as room temperature and the potency of the yogurt culture. Adjust the fermentation time accordingly until you achieve the desired taste and consistency.