About the recipe

Mishti doi( মিষ্টি দই) , literally sweet curd) is a fermented caramelized dahi (yogurt) is a very popular dessert throughout  Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura, Assam, and Odisha. It is also very popular in Bangladesh. It is originally made with just  milk, curd and sugar/jaggery.

The method of making mishti doi is different than making a simple curd or dahi. The milk is thickened and reduced first and then palm jaggery or sugar is added. When the milk becomes warm, curd is added. This mixture is then allowed to set for some hours.

Generally mishti doi is made in earthen pot (মাটির হাড়ি). The porous walls of the earthern pot absorbs the moisture from the doi, which in turn makes the mishti doi nicely thick.

Fermenting mishti doi takes a lot of time depending on the weather conditions. Generally it take 7-8 hours to set mishti doi in warm humid weather.

About my recipe

There is also a short method to make mishti doi within an hour.This type of mishti doi is called steamed mishti doi (ভাপা মিষ্টি দই). Though it is a shortcut method, but the outcome is awesome. You will get a thick and flavourful mishti doi withina couple of hour.

Here I am sharing this method of making steam mishti doi .It is  very easily made in my kadai/yok within an hour. The recipe is very simple but I gurantee that you will simply love the dessert.

Recipe details

• Preparation time: 15 min
• Cooking time: 25 min
• Steaming time: 60 min

Ingredients

• 1+1/2 cup full fat fresh Milk
• 1+1/2 cup regular curd (strained the water to get thick curd)
• 1 cup granulated Sugar
• 1 cup full fat Milk powder

Method

Place 1+1/2 cup regular curd in a strainer and set aside for an hour or two to get thick curd.

Boil milk in a heavy bottomed saucepan and set aside .

In another pan put 1 cup of sugar and 2 tablespoon of water and place in stove top on medium heat.

Stir and cook to make caramel.

When the mixture becomes amber colour, swich off the flame and add in 1 cup of milk (from the milk you set aside to cool down). Stir contineusly so that caramel sugar is mixed to the milk.

Switch on the flame again to medium low heat and stir. Some caramel sugar may form lump in this stage. So we need to cook the mixture in low heat so that the lump dissolves to milk. Add some more warm milk. This will help to dissolve the lump quickly.

When the caramel sugar dissolves to milk , pour the mixture to the saucepan with milk. If you find any small caramel sugar lump is still present, don’t worry, it will dissolve slowly now.

Place the milk again to the stove top and continue to cook in medium heat until milk reduces to become little thick (about 10-12 minutes). Stir continuously during cooking process to avoid burning at the bottom. The colour of the milk will turn to light amber colour. Don’t reduce the milk to become very thick like custard. If you are using 1+1/2 litre milk, it must be reduced to little more than 1 litre.

After cooking milk mixture to 10-12 minutes remove from heat and stir to cool down.Stirring is necessary, otherwise milk will form a layer of cream at the top, which we don’t need.

Also add in 1 cup of full fat milk powder. This will help to get a rich taste as well as very thick doi. Whisk again.

In the meantime, whisk the thick curd which we prepared early, to make it smooth and lump free.

Also add in 1 cup of luke warm milk mixture and whisk.This will help to mix curd with milk nicely.

Transfer the curd mixture to the luke warm milk mixture and whisk to mix nicely. For the temperature of the milk I checked with a kitchen thermometer. You can check by your finger. If you can keep your finger in the milk and you feel heat which you can tolerate, that means it is the right temperature to add in curd mixture.

Transfer the mixture into earthen pot s. Misti doi tastes best when set in earthen pot. You can use ceramic bowls/glass bowls also if you don’t have earthen pot.

Take a big kadhai/yok and place steel wrack at the bottom as shown in the picture.Fill the kadhai with hot water upto the level of stand.

Place the kadhai on stove top. Place the pot/bowls on the steel wrack.

Cover the pots/bowls with aluminium foil.

Cover the kadhai/yok with aluminum foil and then with a lid so that steam won’t go out from inside.

Steam the misti doi in medium low heat for an hour.

I checked the level of water after 1/2 an hour. If needed pour some hot water gently from the side.

After an hour remove the lid and check whether misti doi has set or not. For that insert a toothpick at the centre. If it comes out clean, that means it is done. If not steam for more 10 minutes.

When it is done remove carefully from the kadhai, set aside to cool down to room temperature.

I steamed yoghurt in 2 batches, in 1 big earthen pot and 2 small earthen pots.

Then keep the them in the refrigerator for atleast 2 hours before serving.

They are so thick , creamy and rich in taste.