Misti Doi-Bengali sweet yogurt
Mishti Doi is synonymous with Bengal in East India .Mishti Doi tastes great and is amazingly simple to make. It is a perfect dessert recipe, which helps in digestion after an elaborate meal. Mishti Doi is a perfect amalgamation of yogurt and sugar in balanced proportions.
Because of its enormous heath benefits In the Vedas, curd or yogurt is described as the food of the gods, which may explain why it is an essential part of religious rituals. Mishti Doi is a fermented sweet curd made by thickening milk and is sweetened with jaggery or sugar. This mixture is placed in a traditional clay or earthen pot, to keep it cool. The moisture contained by its porous walls not only further thickens the yoghurt, but simultaneously also produces the right temperature for the growth of the culture.
Sometimes date palm jaggery harvested in the winter (nolen gur) is the choice of sweetener, and this gives Mishti Doi a characteristic golden brown or reddish colour and smoky flavour.
4/5 Tbsp sugar or as per taste
1 Tsp yogurt, lightly beaten till smooth
Place a heavy bottom pan on high heat. Pour in milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Continue cooking, stirring often, till the milk has reduced to half its quantity.
Caramel: Place a heavy saucepan over medium heat and spread 6 Tbsp sugar in the pan .
Do not stir it. Once the sugar begins to melt, swirl the pan occasionally till the sugar melts completely and turns a deep caramel brown. Be careful not to let the sugar burn.
Pour reduced milk into the caramel and continue to stir until it dissolves completely in the milk. Bring to a boil and continue stirring for about another 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool till it is warm to the touch.
Add yogurt and whisk lightly to mix. Transfer into small earthen pots or kullads and cover them nicely ,let them rest overnight undisturbed.
next day in the morning , refrigerate the set mishti doi for 2/3 hrs. Serve chilled.
keep in a warm place to set. Time taken to set depends on the weather condition, during winter it may take longer time than summer.
Variations: The sugar can be replaced entirely by Nolen gur (date palm jaggery), a winter specialty that is unique to Bengal. Another variation is bhapa doi, which is a steamed yogurt, and also delicious.
