Aam Doi / Bengali Sweetened Mango Yogurt

In the fast-forward lives of Bengalis, Mishti Doi is slowly being replaced by different kinds of ice-creams and gelatos. Take any Bengali occassion and now a days, no one can find mishti doi in the menu. Everyone wants to feel so westernized and modern that this is gradually reflecting in their food culture as well, where eating bengali food and talking in Bengali is considered to be a more or less tribe culture. Speak bengali but in foreign accent, go to Nandan but hardly but be ignorant about the author of our national anthem, consider yourself Bong not Bengali...haa!!! There are so many more!!

It makes me so angry sometimes that I have stopped thinking about it anymore. So back to again Mishti Doi...this is a special Bengali dessert, where the yogurt is sweet and has a caramelised color. It is thick and has a very unique kheer like taste. In my home, in every occasion Mishti Doi is a must. Mishti Doi is basically made in earthen pots and then they are kept in a dark warm place to set in. Give it 24 hours and the end result is more than just delightful.

In Hatibagan there is a sweetmeat shop named Apurbo, which sells one of the best Mishti Doi of Kolkata. In summer the sale of Mishti Doi goes up, because to bear the summer heat a lot of Bengali families start eating Mishti Doi or ripe mangoes at the end of the meal. Chire Doi (Flattened Rice with Curd) becomes another comfort food during summer. The sweetmeat shops sell individual small earthen pots of mishti doi also, to feed the hungry passing crowd. If you are perspiring vigorously and the Sun had been too generous towards you, a small earthen pot called "bhar" filled with mishti doi and a flat wooden ice-cream spoon pushed in it, can be the most refreshing scene to your soul and mind.

Aam Doi / Mango Yogurt is a special variation of the sweetened curd / Mishti Doi. I have never ate or made Aam Doi, but recently I read a recipe in Ananda Bazar Patrika and thought to give it a try. The only thing I changed here is the processing. Instead of keeping it in a warm dark place (as the weather now in Abidjan is not at all warm) I baked it. To me the taste was very very alike, and it had the very beautiful aroma of the mangoes. Mind blowing!!!

Aam Doi / Sweetened Mango Yogurt
Serves 6-7

Ingredients:

• Pulp of 1 and 1/2  ripe mango (blend the mango pulps and then strain to get rid of the fibers)
• 2  cups of Greek yogurt or strained yogurt (If you are in Bengal please get Mishti doi aka Sweet Yogurt, for this recipe. It will work wonders.)
• 1 can of sweetened condensed milk or use according to the taste
• 1 litre of whole milk
• Some slivered almonds to garnish
• some saffron strands to garnish
• some mint leaves to garnish

Method:

• In a saucepan pour the milk start to simmer on medium flame. When the milk comes to a boil put the flame on low and simmer the milk, stirring continuosly until the milk is reduced to half. Scrap the sides every 2 minutes or often to collect all the milk solids which will give the reduced milk a creamy consistency.
• When the milk is reduced, switch off the flame and keep the milk aside for 15 minutes maximum.
• In a bowl mix everything in the the thick or strained or greek yogurt, condensed milk and mango pulp with a wire whisk, so that no lumps remain there.
• Then pour in the hot reduced milk to it and mix well to incorporate everything. Taste and adjust the sweetness. 
• Taste and adjust the sugar level. If required add more condensed milk.
• Pour the entire mixture in a baking tray or individual ramekins, and put them inside a roasting pan. 
• Fill the roasting pan half with water.
• Preheat the oven to 350F and bake the yogurt mixture for 30-35 minutes, or until yogurt set in properly.  They should be a little wobbly in the middle but not too much. They will set properly while chilling.
• After the baking process, let them come to the room temperature and then keep them in the fridge overnight.
• Garnish with slivered almonds, mint leaves, saffron strands and serve chilled as dessert.