MISHTI DOI - SWEET YOGURT "POPULAR BENGALI DESSERT"

 Mishti Doi is a Bengali dessert.  Bengal is a part of East India and Bengalis are very famous for their sweet preparation.  Mishti Doi is among their well known dessert, I have enjoyed having them from my childhood days.  Whenever my dad visits Bangalore he will never miss to have them, similarly whenever he takes us to Bangalore we used to enjoy them in a cute earthen pot in a famous Bengali sweet shop.

Mishti Doi is a sweet yogurt.  It is made with milk and sugar.  A part of sugar is caramelized to give lovely caramel flavor.  This is a very popular dessert. Earthenware is always used as the container for making this because the gradual evaporation of water through its porous walls not only further thickens the yogurt, but also produces the right temperature for the growth of the culture. Very often the yogurt is delicately seasoned with a hint of elaichi (cardamoms) for fragrance, but this is absolutely optional.  I some times make with Saffron, elaichi or just with caramelized sugar.  You can prepare the way you like.

I am giving you two ways of preparing this delicious and flavorful yogurt.  If you have evaporated milk and condensed milk handy then go for ver I else you can do the ver II.   I did a guest post of Mishti Doi for Sala of Veggiebelly. I wanted to keep my childhood favorite in my journal too so I am posting this again.

Mishti Doi - ver I

Ingredients:

Yields - 3 1/2 to 4cups of yogurt

Evaporated Milk - 1 can (12 oz)
Whole Milk - 1 cup (Boiled)
Condensed Milk - 1/2 can (7 oz)
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Water - 1 tbsp
Yogurt (curd) - 1/3 cup

Preheat the oven to 175 degree Fahrenheit and switch off the oven. 

Method:

1. Pour the evaporated milk and boiled whole milk in a vessel.
2. Heat them until it is above the body temperature.
3. To this add the condensed milk.
4. In the mean time heat 2 tbsp of sugar in a pan (low flame) until the sugar is caramelized to nice golden brown.  Put off the flame. Now to that add 1 tbsp of water and stir with a spoon.
5. Add this caramelized sugar to the milk mixture.
6. When the milk mixture is nicely warm(Make sure the milk mixture is hot enough but not burning hot. If you touch you should be able to bare the heat).  Now add the yogurt until well blended.
7. Pour them in the individual serving containers.
8. Close with the lid or foil.  Let the yogurt set overnight in the preheated oven.
9. Refrigerate them for at least few hours and serve!!!

Mishti Doi - ver II

If you don't have the condensed milk, evaporated milk  handy, no worries here is the recipe.

Ingredients :

Full cream milk - 3 cups
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Plain Yogurt - 1/3 tbsp (whisk and keep it aside)
Water - 1 tbsp

Method :

1. Heat the milk in the heavy bottom pan.  Add the sugar just reserving 1/3 cups for caramelizing.  Let them boil and reduce to half the quantity.
2. In the mean time heat 1/3 cup of sugar in a pan (low flame) until the sugar is caramelized to nice golden brown.  Put off the flame. Now to that add 1 tbsp of water and stir with a spoon.
3. Add this caramelized sugar to the milk and stir until well blended.
4. Once the milk is nicely warm((Make sure the milk mixture is hot enough but not burning hot. If you touch you should be able to bare the heat).  Add the yogurt and give even mixing.
5. Pour them in the serving containers/ pots and let them set overnight.
6. Once they are firm, put it in the refrigerator for few hours.

Enjoy them leisurely!!!

Note:

1. As I said it taste's best when served in earthen pot but it’s optional.  But we love making them in earthen pot it really comes out very creamy its my personal experience.
2. Using oven is optional, if the weather is really hot just put the pot in a cool dry place and let them set overnight. If the weather is very cool then opt for oven method to set the yogurt.
3. If you want to flavor the yogurt using cardamom or saffron, just omit the caramelization part of sugar.  Instead add less then 1/4 tsp of cardamom powder or Saffron (mixed with hot water) to the milk mixture before the yogurt is added.


Hope you all enjoy the dessert virtually!!!