KOLKATA R SHADA MISHTI DOI / HOMEMADE SWEETENED YOGURT

You have known by now, I cannot stay away from my Kolkata chapter for long. A kind of guilt feeling works, since my prime wish was to show case the cuisine of my region, get them acquainted with the people who do not have any idea of what Bengali Cuisine is. Others are doing it for quite sometime, my effort is my right. Bengali Cuisine is not only about Fish Curry and Roshogolla, there is lot more to it. From fritters to desserts, we have a wide range of choices for you. Just because of lack of proper marketing techniques, our cuisine may not be in the top chart of the world cuisine. Otherwise, we offer  unique vegetarian and non vegetarian food.... I feel we need a couple of Anjan Chaterjee[restauranteur and owner of a chain of Bengali restaurants].

Going back and perhaps till date a Bengali meal would not complete without Mishti Doi[Sweet yogurt] & Roshogolla. Treating the guests with Doi, Roshogolla, Pantua[gulabjamun] and Shingara[Samosa] was the norm, an essential part of our food culture. I remember whenever there were sudden guests at home, mom would prepare luchi[indian bread] and dum aloo and send me to the neighbouring sweet shop to get mishti doi and roshogolla. Till date, that generation Bengalis will not get chicken roll for the guests. Plain yogurt mom would prepare at home.

In West Bengal, there are two kinds of Mishti Doi[sweetened yogurt]... one is less sweet white one, i.e. the Kolkata r Shada Mishti Doi and another is the more famous Kolkata r Lal Doi. However, I have always loved the less sweet one and so much wished to blog about it. No qualms in admitting, this is my 4th attempt of doing it and when I was about to quit, I could finally get the taste of success. Life is perhaps this, you succeed when you are at the verge of losing hope. I believe if we do no wrong, God / The Universal Power is the saviour.

They say earthern pots are best for preparing yogurt. Never mind if you do not have, use glass or steel bowls. I got this Matir Khuri[earthern pots] from my last visit to Kolkata to try my hands on Kolkata r Shada Mishti Doi.

This Kolkata r Shada Mishti Doi is done simply in few easy steps. Let us see how we do it.

INGREDIENTS :

Full Cream Milk : 500 ml
Plain Yogurt : 3-4 tbsp
Sugar : 4 tbsp
Cardamom Powder : 1/4tsp [optional, I did not use]

METHOD :

Take the milk in a heavy bottomed container and put on the gas top. Let it boil for 8-10 minutes. We will not let it brown.

Add the sugar and boil for another 5 minutes. Now add the cardamom powder if you are using it, stir and pour in the bowl. Let it turn to lukewarm state.

This setting of the temperature is important for setting the yogurt. Once the milk is luke warm, beat the plain yogurt and add to the lukewarm milk. Gently stir.

Cover with a plate or lid. Cover the bowl again with a deep bottomed vessel. Now wrap a heavy towel all over.

After this we will not touch or move it till the yogurt is set. Keep it in a warm place, preferably inside a microwave oven for 10-12 hours. However it took me 14 hours to get the right consistency.

Enjoy the home made dessert bliss from my region.