Mishti doi

Mishti doi (Bengali: মিষ্টি দই; transl. Sweet curd) is a fermented sweet doi (yogurt) originating from the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent^[1] and common in the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura, Assam's Barak Valley,^[2] and in the nation of Bangladesh.^[3][4] It is made with milk and sugar or jaggery. It differs from the plain yogurt because of the technique of preparation. There are many variations of mishti doi according to their popularity. Sweet curd of Nabadwip, Kolkata, Bogra, etc are very popular.^[5]

Mishti Doi

Mishti doi
Alternative names	Mitha doi (Assamese), Meeṭhi dahi (Hindi), Miṭha dahi (Odia)
Type	Dahi (yogurt)
Course	Dessert
Place of origin	Indian subcontinent
Region or state	Bengal
Associated cuisine	India, Bangladesh
Main ingredients	Milk, Curd, Sugar, Jaggery
Variations	Nabadwip-er lal doi, Bograr Mishti doi
Media: Mishti Doi

Mishti doi is prepared by boiling milk until it is slightly thickened, sweetening it with sugar, either gura (brown sugar) or khejur gura (date molasses), and allowing the milk to ferment overnight.^[6] Earthenware is always used as the container for making mitha dahi because the gradual evaporation of water through its porous walls not only further thickens the yoghurt,^[7] but also produces the right temperature for the growth of the culture. Very often the yoghurt is delicately seasoned with a pinch of cardamom for fragrance. Baked yogurt is a similar preparation in the West.

Before the discovery of miracle drugs for typhoid, well-known alopathic physicians like Dr. B. C. Roy, Col. Denham White and Nilratan Sircar prescribed mishti doi for their patients which helps to accumulate Vitamin Bs.^[8]

References

1. Tamang, Jyoti Prakash (5 August 2016). Ethnic Fermented Foods and Alcoholic Beverages of Asia. Springer. p. 20. ISBN 978-81-322-2800-4.
2. Mudgil, D.; Mudgil, S. B. (1 January 2015). Glossary of Dairy Technology. Scientific Publishers. p. 84. ISBN 978-93-86102-32-4.
3. Tamang, Jyoti Prakash; Kailasapathy, Kasipathy (1 July 2010). Fermented Foods and Beverages of the World. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press: Taylor & Francis Group. p. 17. ISBN 978-1-4200-9496-1.
4. Whyte, Mariam; Lin, Yong Jui (2010). Bangladesh. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark. p. 144. ISBN 9780761444756.
5. Ruj, Subrata (2019). Mistanno Mitare: A Collection of Prose (in Bengali). Howrah: Sristisukh Prokashan LLP. p. 88. ISBN 978-93-88887-73-1.
6. Brien, Charmaine O' (15 December 2013). The Penguin Food Guide to India. Penguin UK. ISBN 978-93-5118-575-8.
7. Krondl, Michael (1 October 2011). Sweet Invention: A History of Dessert. Chicago: Chicago Review Press. pp. 59–60. ISBN 978-1-56976-954-6.
8. Dasgupta, M. (14 October 2000). Calcutta Cookbook: A Treasury of Recipes From Pavement to Place. Penguin UK. ISBN 978-93-5118-149-1.