Fermented Milk Products from All Over the World. Mishti doi (India)

Did you ever try sweetened yogurt? Well, mishti doi is a type of sweet yogurt from India, made out of milk and added sugar. While it is considered a yogurt assortment, mishti is quite different from the regular sweet yogurt you may have tried, due to its making process. Besides sugar, jaggery is also used, which is traditional cane sugar that has not been centrifuged. As mentioned earlier, the making of mishti doi is special. It starts with the boiling of milk, which is kept at high temperature until it gets thicket. Then it is sweetened with sugar, jaggery, brown sugar, or date molasses, and left to ferment throughout the night. It is worth mentioning that only containers made out of clay are used for the fermentation process of mishti doi, due to the porous wall of these vessels, which allows the gradual evaporation of water, leading to a thicker product, and maintains the ideal temperature for bacterial cultures to grow. I common custom is to add a bit of cardamom to the mixture, for improved flavor. While in India, you can also find this product in stores, made by various brands.

But, you can always try to make this Indian dessert at home. It’s best to use whole milk for making mishti doi, as you will need the milk’s fat content for the creaminess of the product. Thus, for 1 liter of whole milk, you will need 300 grams of palm jaggery, sugar, or molasses, and 2 tablespoons of curd. For the heating of the milk, it is recommended to use a pot or pan with a thick base, so that the milk won’t get burned. You will have to boil the milk until it drops ¼ of its volume. After the milk reaches the boiling point, allow it to simmer at low heat until its quantity is reduced. If you are using jaggery, you will have to heat it down and melt it in a pot, by using water. You will have to dissolve the sugar or molasses as well. Once the jaggery is ready, mix it with the boiling milk and give it a good stir. Allow the mixture to cook on the stove for 5 more minutes, then turn off the heat and allow the milk to cool down until it reaches 40 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, you will have to add the curd. Just make sure that the milk is not too hot. Stir the curd in the milk and pour the mixture into a vessel made out of terracotta or clay that is not glazed on the outside or inside. Allow the mixture to set in a warm spot and served after it is chilled.