Mishti Doi (sweetened curd/meethi dahi)

Mishti Doi is a traditional Bengali sweet made with milk, curd culture and jaggery or sugar. Traditionally jaggery is used to make mishti doi but can use sugar too. In Bengali language ‘mishti’ means sweet and ‘doi’ is curd.So sweet dahi.

             

Ingredients:
• 4 cups full fat Milk( Cow or Buffalo)

• 3/4 cups palm jaggery(  finely chopped or grated)

• 1 tablespoon Curd (Dahi / Yogurt) 
• 1 teaspoon cardamom powder

Method:

• Take 1 litre full fat milk in a heavy kadai or pan and heat the milk.

• Stir occasionally when the milk is getting heated. Let the milk come to a boil.

•  continuously simmer the milk on a low or  medium-low flame and stir often.

• Scrape the dried milk solids from the sides and add to the simmering milk.

• Simmer milk till it reduces to 1/2 of its original volume. Like here we have taken 4 cups....so reduce it approximately to 2 or 2 1/2 cups.

• Keep the kadai down and let the milk cool for about 10 mins

• After 10-12  minutes, add the chopped palm jaggery.  Let it cool for 10 mins otherwise milk will cuddle.

• Mix well and add 1 teaspoon cardamom powder.

• Let the Milk mixture cool down meaning if you dip your finger in the milk, your finger should feel comfortably warm but not hot. If you have a cooking thermometer, you can check the temperature. It should be between 40 to 44 degrees celsius.

• Now add 2 tablespoon curd.With a whisk mix well. The curd should dissolve in the milk.

• Now pour the mixture in earthen or normal bowls in which you want to serve.

•  Seal with aluminium foil or with a lid.

• Keep it in a warm place for the mishti doi to set.

Mishti doi takes more time to set than normal curd.The timing will vary with the temperature in your city. I usually set it overnight. Mishti doi normally takes 9 to 12 hrs but in winter it takes more than 12 hrs.

• When it is set refrigerate it.

Serve mishti doi with your meals or enjoy as a dessert and garnish with dry fruits.