Mishti Doi (Sweetened Yogurt) is the most popular Bengali dessert made by milk and sugar or jaggery. Traditionally doi prepared with thickened milk, some curd, and caramel from palm jaggery gives beautiful brown colour (instead of sugar). Left for fermentation overnight in an earthen pot. Yeah, authentic mishti doi you can eat in earthen pots. Well, I have decided to make this yogurt with jaggery, not sugar. So, I can feel the rich flavour in my heart. Mishti doi is Bengali sweet delicacy which you can eat as either dessert or snacks.
This sweet yogurt has thick caramel flavour, creamy, silky texture and dreamy sweetness of palm jaggery. I’d always had some kind of affection towards to Bengali sweets and mishti doi is one of them. This sweetened silky yogurt is easily available on the sweet shops or found around Durga puja/Diwali time. This sweet yogurt is a very integral part of the Bengali festival and cuisine. My lovely Odia friend (Mitali Mohapatra) has introduced me to this mishti doi three years ago. We were used to coming back home together from our institute, and she doesn’t like sweets but this one was always favourite.
I have tried out mishti doi in Bengaluru in plastic containers that are sold in the supermarkets. But, when I have visited my uncle in Mumbai during autumn 2018, he took me to the most famous Bengali Durga puja at Ramakrishna math and mission. It was a vibrant place to visit to witness the old custom of traditional Bengali Durga puja along with authentic Bengali food and desserts. Here Bengali people prepare traditional food and sweets in the traditional way. Here I have tasted authentic mishti doi in the earthen pot along with other foods. The smells of the wet earthen pot filled with creamy silky mishti doi give you the actual feel of the festival dessert.
So, Enjoy it. Stay healthy, stay humble!