Bhapa Doi ~ Misti Doi ~Sweet Steam Yogurt ~ Bengali delicacy

 

This space has been silent for a few days. Even though I have a number of recipes in my drafts to be shared, I could not bring myself to compose a post. Plain lazy, I have been. Today's recipe comes from Miss Masala- a Cookbook by Mallika Basu. I had reviewed it a few days back after trying a couple of recipes from it.

Bhapa Doi/Misti Doi is a popular Bengali delicacy. It is basically steam sweet yogurt and it often called the Indian cheese cake because of its texture. The traditional recipe can be quite time consuming at it involves thickening the milk by slowly cooking it, setting the yoghurt and then steaming it. Mallika however provides us with a quicker recipe. You will be amazed by the simplicity of the recipe.

Serves 4-6

2 green cardamom pounded
10-12 strands of saffron
1 tbsp whole milk
250 g low fat yogurt
200 ml sweetened condensed milk


Process:
1. Preheat the oven at 190 C
2. Soak the saffron in the milk. Powder the cardamom finely.
3. Beat the yogurt and condensed milk together until smooth and add the powdered cardamom.
4. Fill this mixture into ramekins or a baking dish. Place them in a large baking tray. Fill the tray with enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins or dish. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
5. Spoon the saffron mixture over  it and bake it for another 5 minutes. If you are using a large baking dish, it may take longer. The yogurt mixture should appear set. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate. Serve chilled. Once it is chilled, it sets a little more.

Note: I had over baked it by 10 minutes then what is stated above and the result was nice and firm set yogurt. If you want it less firm, change the baking time accordingly. None the less it will taste good.

I am leaving you with links of this delicacy posted on other food blogs:

Bhapa Doi @ Bong Moms Cookbook

Misti Doi @ Cook Like A Bong

Bhapa Doi @ Indian Food Rocks

Misti Doi @ VeggiBelly

I will be up with a quick kulfi recipe I had tried from Mallika Basu's Book - Quick Indian Cooking, next. Stay tuned. Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

Miss Masala by Mallika Basu ~ A Cookbook Review

"Miss Masala"

Isn't that a catchy name?

It is and so is this cookbook with its style- the presentation of recipes, the colors this books is laden with and the way this cook book is written. Actually, it is more than just a cookbook.

I have been writing book reviews and sharing recipes of food I make/experiment with on this space for quite sometimes, so I thought, it would be good idea to do reviews of the cook books I often buy/pick up from the library. And here I am with my first cookbook review on this blog and let me tell you, I am finding it a more daunting task than my usual book reviews.

I believe, one can't review a cook book just by reading it, one has to actually try a couple of recipes to actually see how they work. Miss Masala by Mallika Basu has a very balanced content of both vegetarian and non vegetarian recipes. Since, I am a vegetarian my views are based on the vegetarian content only. Unlike, many other Indian cookbooks which are published in the west, Miss Masala has a wide range of Vegetarian recipes which is a delight for me. From the comfort food like Aloo Gobhi, Tadka Dal, Rajma, Channa Masala, Matar Paneer to the exotic Navratan Korma, Paneer Butter Masala, it has an array of recipes to please your palette. Even street food like Pav Bhaaji, Pakora, Chaats etc finds a place in the menu, not to mention the variety of Indian breads, side dishes, chutneys and sweets.

Just as is mentioned on the cover of the book - 'Real Indian Cooking for Busy Living', the author shares tips on quick Indian cooking, from what pastes and sauces can be made and freezed for later use, to which dishes can be prepared in bulk and deep freezed to be eaten later. This book has everything a new and inquisitive beginner in Indian cooking needs: glossary of spices, gadgets and utensils needed etc.

The book is very colourful and is presented in the style of a notebook. The author has also shared anecdotes about her cooking experience. Her writing style and the way this cookbook has been formatted seems to be reflective of her personality- smart, charming and witty. Only thing I would have liked to change would be the author's persistent banter about her fear of getting drunk even before entertaining her guests!

I have tried two dishes from this book, Kulfi and Bhapa Doi  (recipes to follow in later posts) and I am satisfied with the results. I am very much looking forward to trying her Cheese Bonda and Naan recipe.

As the author is Bengali, I was expecting to see a quick recipe for the famous Bengali sweet- Sandesh. But, there I was disappointed. Also, had there been more pictures in the cookbook, I would have liked it more.

For anyone interested in learning Quick Indian Cooking, this book is a good choice.