Mishti Doi
A classic Bengali sweetened curd that is gently caramelized, rich, and creamy with a delicate tang.
Ingredients
Method
- Pour 517 g milk into a wide, heavy-bottomed pan and bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Simmer steadily until it concentrates down to roughly half its initial volume.
- Stir in 100 g granulated sugar and lower the flame, mixing continuously until all the grains dissolve completely. Take the pan off the heat and let the mixture cool down until it is lukewarm.
- Gently warm the milk again in the pan, then thoroughly whisk in 15.3 g yogurt. Remove from the stove, place a tight lid on top, and leave undisturbed in a warm area until fully set.
- Transfer the set curd to the fridge and chill for approximately 2 hours before serving.
Don't have something?
Whole milkUse equal weight; provides the standard rich dairy fat and body expected in creamy Indian bases.
Single creamDilute 3 parts cream with 1 part water to match the weight; yields a richer, glossier gravy that resists curdling.
Plain yogurtWhisk thoroughly and use equal weight; adds extra body and a mild pleasant acidity, best added off the heat.
JaggeryUse equal weight; grate or shave finely so it dissolves rapidly, giving a warm, caramel-like sweetness and slightly darker sauce.
- Plain yogurt
Use 100% of the weight. Whisk thoroughly until smooth before stirring into warm gravies to prevent curdling.
- Single cream
Use 90% of the weight combined with 10% lemon juice to replicate the lactic tang and rich body in marinades and curries.
Similar dishes
- Same: Sherbet-e-Gulab shares a simple base of milk sweetened with granulated sugar.
- Different: Instead of fermenting milk with a yogurt culture, Sherbet-e-Gulab blends chilled milk with a heavy sugar syrup flavored with rosewater to make a drink.
- Same: Kalakand shares a dairy base and granulated sugar with this dish.
- Different: Kalakand uses khoya, ghee or butter, and pistachios, while this dish uses milk and yogurt as a culture and sets by fermentation rather than reducing milk solids.
- Same: Both recipes rely on whole milk sweetened with granulated sugar as their primary base.
- Different: Masala Milkshake is an unfermented chilled beverage flavored with saffron, cardamom, and rosewater, lacking the yogurt starter used to culture and set this dish.
- Same: Homemade Ghee shares a dairy base with this dish.
- Different: Homemade Ghee uses only unsalted butter and is melted, simmered, and strained, while this dish uses milk, sugar, and yogurt and is set by fermentation.