Mishti doi is a fermented dessert made primarily out of milk, yoghurt (curd) and sugar or jaggery. It is a very popular sweet dish in several states of India specially West Bengal, Assam, Odisha & Tripura and also in Bangladesh. Variations of mishti doi are also available in few other states of India as well.

Milk is boiled until desired thickness is achieved. Either sugar or jaggery is added for adequate sweetness and allowed to ferment overnight, traditionally in earthen pots. It is usually served chilled.

Origin of Yoghurt: Benefits of fermented milk products can be found in Indian Ayurvedic scripts dated back to 6000 BC. Yogurt was well known in the Greek and Roman empires. Greeks were the first to mention the usage of yoghurt in written references in 100 BC. But it was not until 1905, in a laboratory in Geneva, that Dr. Stamen Grigorov, a famous physician and microbiologist of Bulgaria, discovered the bacteria which helped in making yoghurt. The yeast was named as Lactobacillus Bulgaricus. Eventually, the Grigorov Glacier on Brabant Island in Palmer Archipelago, Antarctica was named after Dr. Stamen Grigorov.

Origin of Mishti Doi: There are several stories as to how it originated. One version claims that it was first made in earthen pots in Bogura, a district in Rajshahi division of northern Bangladesh. In the ancient times, Bogura District was a part of the territory of Pundravardhana. The name Pundravardhana can be found in the Mahabharata, Ramayana, and the Puranas. Another version claims that it was first developed 150 years ago by the famous Bose family of Sherpur District in Mymensingh Division of northern Bangladesh. 

Variations: Apart from Bogura and Sherpur, other popular variations are Nabadwip-er lal doi (a.k.a. kheer doi or chakku doi), bhapa doi (baked/steamed), flavoured doi using different spices and/or fruits (mango is quite popular), Shrikhand using saffron & nuts.