One of the great pleasures of travelling to Calcutta was to carry back a big pot of Mishti Doi, packed securely in a covered terracotta pot and suspended from a simple rope sling. It was like bearing the spoils of Calcutta for the delectation of family and friends. It was like taking a bit of the essence of that wonderful city with you.
This was, of course, in the distant past, before it became Kolkata .When security issues at airports had not stolen the pleasure of travel by air and liquids not exceeding 100 ml are all that you can carry for any kind of sustenance on board.
Mishti Doi has a special place in the nostalgic memories of the Indian diaspora. Is there a single Bengali from London to Beijing, from Alaska to Timbuktu who does not salivate over the recollection of eating a spoonful of that delicious sweet? It is the East Indian equivalent of Proust’s Madeleine, from his book Remembrance of Things Past; that melt-in-the-mouth biscuit that brings up involuntary memories.
Every community and state has its Mishti Doi, a reduced milk based sweet of legendary fame. Maharashtra has Basundi, Punjab has Kulfi, UP has Kalakand and Kerala has Payasam. Many of these are not solid and so do not travel well. Perhaps that is the reason for the yearning. Nothing’s so good as that which cannot be obtained at will.
Mishti means sweet in Bengali and Doi—yogurt. It is also sometimes known as Lal Doi, red yogurt, because of the pale pink colour acquired from the use of Gur (jaggery). So prized is its taste that Mishti Doi has entered folk tales and literature.
Vikram Seth pays tribute in The Suitable Boy when Kakoli says, “Oh Gulab Jamun,”… imitating Biswas Babu, “and the Chumchum! And Mishti Doi. Oh-the bhery mhemory makesh my shallyberry juishes to phlow.”
There is a general belief that eating it before exams, interviews or an important assignment is auspicious, so locals in Bengal make a point of consuming some for good luck. I could have faith in that too!
There are online paeans of praise and comments given to photographs of the stuff from hungry fans: “… ami parle ekhuni purot kheye nebo! I miss it!” to “Aaahhhhhhh... eta kheye keu morte bollao Ami raji.” to “khai... khai... karo keno... eso boso... aahhre...”.
The thing is that it is actually very simple to make Mishti Doi. Besides the fact the Mother Dairy now makes and markets it successfully in Delhi and other cities, it is easy to make a generous pot of it at home. Moreover you will be sure that there is no added non-milk fat in this Mishti Doi.
Mishti Doi
Ingredients
● 1 litre of full cream milk.
● 1 cup of grated jaggery or three tablespoons of caramelised sugar
● 1 cardomom (elaichi)
● 2 tbs curd (dahi)
Method
● Add the cardamom to the milk and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame and continue to simmer on low heat for an hour or more till it is reduced to 350 ml or one third its volume. Stir occasionally. Grate the jaggery and add when the milk has thickened. Stir till incorporated in the milk. Remove from fire, take out the cardamom pod and let the milk cool till it is lukewarm
● Take the tablespoons of curd and mix into a paste in an earthenware pot if possible. Pour the milk over it and stir gently. Cover with a lid and keep warm with a tea cosy. The doi will be ready in 8 hrs. It can also be made to stand overnight. All the extra water will seep into the pot and the curds will be nice and thick.
● Garnish with some chopped nuts or eat just like that.