This is my traditional and authentic Bengali Mishti Doi recipe, it is sweet, creamy but holds a delightful delicate balance in all desert elements. If you like something that’s sweet but not too sickly, then mishti doi is for you.
What is mishti doi (sweet yoghurt)?
Mishti Doi, sometimes referred to as ‘Mishti Dahi’, in Bengali literally translates to ‘sweet yoghurt’ or ‘sweet curd’. In English, its also known as sweet curd or bengali fermented yoghurt.
It uses the holy trinity of Indian dessert classics (Pistachios, Saffron and Cardamom) alongside full fat milk, creamy yoghurt and caramel to produce a delicately sweet dish that is fermented over six to eight hours and then chilled.
It is a childhood staple of mine, and if you want to introduce yourself to the world of different deserts, this sweetened yoghurt is a PERFECT place to start.
Widely enjoyed across Bengal, Kolkata, Bangladesh, Assam – you name it.
If you want to check out some other Bengali classics, check this chicken curry, or this bengali lamb chops curry.
Ingredients for Bengali mishti doi
Not that many, fortunately, and some are optional.
- Three cups of full fat milk (or around 700L): I would advise using full fat milk, it ultimately results in a creamier dish.
- Half cup of sugar or jaggery: I know this sounds like a lot, but hear me out, it will balance itself out through the yoghurt (hung curd) that we are going to add. We will use this, alongside a couple splashes of water to create a delicious caramel, that we infuse the milk with
- 700 grams of yoghurt: My instructions will show you how to make a hung curd!
- Extras (recommended, but not 100% necessary): two to three cloves of cardamom, five to six strands of saffron, a handful of chopped pistachios and some rose petals. This is both for infusion AND toppings! I got a little creative with my toppings and also added fruit of choice.
How to make Bengali mishti doi?
First thing you’re going to do is make the hung curd. Get all of your yoghurt and dump that in a cheese cloth and place the cheese cloth in a siv, with a bowl underneath.
This is going to get rid of all of the liquid in the yoghurt. Leave to strain for one hour or so and you’ll be left with a thick yoghurt. This IS essential for having a thick and creamy consistency, so don’t skip it please. While this is setting, you can get started on the other steps.
In a heavy bottomed pan, pour in all of your milk. Let it get to a warm temp and then take it to a full boil, STIR furiously while its boiling and let it reduce by about a cup of milk. Once its reduced, keep it at a super low temperature.
At this point, you can infuse the milk with your saffron. You can either add your saffron into the milk directly or, add the saffron into a separate bowl, add some of your heated milk the milk and once it has changed colour, add in the golden milk.
You can also add two to three cardamom pods to the milk.
Make your caramel: In a pan, add in all of your sugar and set to a low heat. Once your pan reaches a medium to high heat, add in a couple of splashes of water, until you have a thick caramel consistency. I eye-ball this process, but slowly add the water.
To your caramel, you’re going to add two to three ladels of milk. You’re going to add hot milk to super hot caramel, so your first ladel might make the mixture bubble up, don’t worry, it is normal and just make sure you’re stirring LOTS.
Add this caramel milk to the rest of your saffron milk and make sure you mix these two lots, ensuring its well combined on a medium heat.
Take it off of the heat, and let it get to a lukewarm state.
Back to the yoghurt. You should see a separation of liquid in your bowl and a thicker yoghurt in the cheese cloth. Pictured is the residual liquid that came out of the yoghurt.
Remove the yoghurt from the cheese cloth, add into a mixing bowl and give it a good whisk.
Gently ladel in some milk, whisk until well combined. Repeat until you have added your milk mixture to the yoghurt.
*just be super careful to ensure that the mixture doesnt get too thin, it needs to have the consistency of a thick cream.
Whisk well until the milk is frothy-ish. You should have a liquid that’s thicker than milk but not super thick.
Ladel your doi mixture into your clay pots, cover with foil, and place in a warm environment for 6 – 12 hours. You can check in at around half way, but don’t move the mixture around too much as it will disrupt the setting process.
The best place to store my doi was in the oven at super gentle temperature. If your oven light is strong enough, leave the light on and place it in the oven.
The temp should be at around 37°C to 43°C.
If your oven light isn’t hot enough, then pre-heat your oven at the lowest temperature, place the doi in some lukewarm water in an oven safe dish, turn off the heat and put the doi in the oven!
Once it has finished setting put it in the fridge to rest overnight or for a minimum of six to eight hours. Top it off with your favorite toppings, strawberries, pistachios, fruits, saffron, rose petals.
Expert tips?
- Mishti Doi NEEDS warmth: ok so this is the bit I struggled with the most.
- Store in oven: My house struggles to retain warmth apparently, so the best place to store my doi was in the oven in a super gentle temperature. If your oven light is strong enough, leave the light on and place it in the oven. The temp should be at around 37°C to 43°C. If your oven light isn’t hot enough, then preheat your oven at the lowest temperature, place the doi in some lukewarm water in an oven safe dish, turn off the heat and put the doi in the oven!
- The heat is absolutely necessary for it to set and ferment properly, it won’t set if the desert pots that you’re using are cold. If your apartment / home has a good room temp, then you should be ok. Just make sure the clay pots are actually warm.
- Mishti Doi also NEEDS the cold: Once the setting process is done, you’re going to store it in the fridge for a minimum of six to eight hours and for the best results, overnight.
- Let it rest: Depending on your doi and fermentation process, it will need around six to twelve hours. Try not to check on it too much, it will disrupt the setting process.
- Pots to be used: Use a clay pot if you can, it sets really good in a clay pot – feels like I am back in India also when I eat out of one of these! If not for the practicality, do it for the authenticity.
How to store?
It can be stored in the fridge for up to three to four days. Avoid freezing this mixture because it’s going to ruin the texture.
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Bengali Mishti Doi (Sweetened Yoghurt)
This is my Bengali Mishti Doi recipe, it is sweet, creamy but holds a delightful delicate balance in all desert elements. It you like something that’s sweet but not too sickly, then mishti doi is for you.
Equipment
- 2 clay pots
- 1 whisk
- 1 cheese cloth for straining
Ingredients
- 3 cups milk full fat (around
- ½ cup sugar or jaggery
- 700 grams yoghurt full fat. would recommend greek or normal!
- 3 strands saffron
- 2 cloves cardamom
- ¾ cup pistachios chopped
Instructions
prepare hung curd (yoghurt)
- First thing you’re going to do is make the hung curd. Get all of your yoghurt and dump that in a cheese cloth and put the cheese cloth in a siv, and bowl underneath. This is going to get rid of all of the liquid in the yoghurt. Leave to strain for one hour or so and you’ll be left with a thick yoghurt. This IS essential for having a thick and creamy consistency, so don’t skip it please. While this is setting, you can get started on the other steps.
- After an hour or so, you should see a separation of liquid in your bowl and a thicker yoghurt in the cheese cloth.
milk mixture
- In a heavy bottomed pan, pour in all of your milk. Let it get to a warm temp and then take it to a full boil, STIR furiously while its boiling and let it reduce by about a cup of milk. Once its reduced, keep it at a super low temperature.
- At this point, you can infuse the milk with your saffron. You can either add your saffron into the milk or, add the saffron into a separate bowl, add a couple of tablespoons of warm milk in and once it has changed colour, add in the golden milk. You can also add two to three cardamom pods to the milk.
make caramel
- In a pan, add in all of your sugar and set to a low heat. Once your pan reaches a medium to high heat, add in a couple of splashes of water, until you have a thick caramel consistency. I eye-ball this process - but slowly add the water, to make a smooth caramel.
- To your caramel, you’re going to add two to three ladels of milk. You’re going to add hot milk to super hot caramel,so your first ladel might make the mixture bubble up, don’t worry, it is normal and just make sure you’re stirring LOTS. Add this caramel milk to the rest of your saffron milk and make sure you mix these two lots, ensuring its well combined on a medium heat. Take it off of the heat, and let it get to a luke warm state.
add in the mixture to the yoghurt
- Remove the yoghurt from the cheese cloth, add into a mixing bowl and give it a good whisk.
- Gently ladel in some milk, whisk until well combined. Repeat until you have added all of your milk mixture to the yoghurt. Whisk well until the milk is frothy-ish. You should have a liquid that’s thicker than milk but not super thick - should be kind of like watered down whipped cream! If you find that the mixture is getting too thin, then reduce the amount of milk mixture added.
- Ladel your doi mixture into your clay pots, cover with foil, and place in a warm environment for 6 – 12 hours. You can check in at around half way, but don’t move the doi around too much as it will disrupt the setting process.
letting the mixture set
- The best place to store my doi was in the oven at super gentle temperature.If your oven light is strong enough, leave the light on and place it in the oven. The temp should be at around 37°C to 43°C. If your oven light isn’t hot enough, then pre-heat your oven at the lowest temperature, place the doi in some lukewarm water in an oven safe dish, turn off the heat and put the doi in the oven! Make sure you check in on the warmth of the oven, doi needs continuous heat to set and ferment and the pot itself that the doi is sitting in, should be warm. You should set the doi for around 6 - 8 hours. Check in on it during the 4 hour mark, you should see progress by then.
- Once it has finished setting put it in the fridge to rest overnight or for a minimum of six to eight hours. Top it off with your favorite toppings, strawberries, pistachios, fruits, saffron, rose petals.
Notes
the nutritional information is an estimate automatically calculated using the WPRM recipe maker and I am not responsible for its veracity.
Nutrition
Calories: 410kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 18gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 167mgPotassium: 849mgFiber: 3gSugar: 45gVitamin A: 405IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 501mgIron: 1mg
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