Mishtidoi recipe

Mishti Doi is a popular Bengali dessert from India that is made by fermenting sweetened milk. It has a creamy and smooth texture with a slightly tangy flavor. Here's a traditional Mishti Doi recipe for you:

Ingredients:

1 liter full-fat milk
1 cup condensed milk
2 tablespoons plain yogurt (curd/yogurt culture)
For the caramelized sugar:

1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
For garnish (optional):

Chopped nuts (almonds, pistachios)
Instructions:

In a heavy-bottomed pan, pour the milk and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Stir occasionally to prevent the milk from sticking to the bottom.

Reduce the heat to low and continue simmering the milk, stirring occasionally, until it reduces to approximately half the original quantity. This process can take around 45 minutes to an hour. Keep in mind that the milk will thicken further as it cools, so don't over-reduce it.

While the milk is simmering, prepare the caramelized sugar. In a separate small pan, heat the sugar and water over medium heat. Let it cook until the sugar melts and turns a deep golden brown color, stirring occasionally. Be careful not to burn the sugar. Once the desired color is achieved, remove it from heat and let it cool for a minute.

Pour the caramelized sugar into small earthenware pots (clay pots) or oven-safe ramekins. Swirl the pots around to coat the bottoms evenly with the caramel.

Once the reduced milk has cooled down slightly (lukewarm), add the condensed milk and stir well until everything is combined.

In a small bowl, take 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt and add a few spoons of the milk-condensed milk mixture. Mix it well to make a smooth paste. This step is important to ensure that the yogurt culture is evenly distributed in the mixture.

Now, add the yogurt paste to the rest of the milk-condensed milk mixture and whisk until everything is well combined.

Pour the mixture into the caramel-coated pots/ramekins, dividing it equally among them.

Cover the pots/ramekins with a clean cloth or plastic wrap to prevent any dust or unwanted particles from entering the yogurt mixture. Keep them in a warm place, like an oven with the light on or in a warm corner of the kitchen.

Allow the Mishti Doi to ferment for at least 8-10 hours or overnight. The longer you leave it to ferment, the tangier the taste will be.

Once fermented, refrigerate the pots/ramekins for a few hours or until they are completely chilled.

When ready to serve, run a knife around the edges of the pots/ramekins and carefully invert them onto serving plates. The caramelized sugar will form a sauce on top of the Mishti Doi.

Garnish with chopped nuts, if desired, and serve chilled. Enjoy the creamy and delicious Mishti Doi!

Note: The traditional method uses earthenware pots to give the Mishti Doi its distinct flavor. However, if you don't have access to earthenware pots, you can use oven-safe ramekins or any other small serving bowls.