Name: Bhapa Doi
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Bengali
Ingredients: 500g Plain Curd (thick creamy curd/ yogurt); 400ml Condensed Milk; 1 Tbsp. Powdered Sugar (to be adjusted considering Condensed milk itself is sweet)

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Bhapa Doi is something I make whenever I have to cater guests in a larger quantity at home! It takes hardly a few ingredients and steaming to make a perfect bowl of this Bengali delicacy. A few days back I had Bhapa Doi at a restaurant which was unbalanced though prepared with the ingredients we in general use to make the steamed yogurt. I never thought to check any book for the recipe in the past as this dessert actually is quite common in the Bengali households. However, the unbalanced Bhaapa Doi was enough to boost me to check further.

How Bhapa Doi is to be made as per the Bengali cookbooks!

This part is quite interesting actually. I found the recipe of Bhapa Doi in some of the famous cookbooks and the process varies book to book. Though the basic ingredients are almost the same and so is the process however, the recipes are different. While the first Bengali cookbook is having a recipe of Bhapa Doi where Doi prepared with full-cream cowmilk is steamed after mixing with only sugar. Here, the milk itself is full-cream and hence the Doi for sure if cooked following the recipe will be rich.

Renuka Devi Chowdhurani's book, on the other hand, says to mix the Doi with Mawa aka solidified milk before steaming!

Then came the almost modern books and even the family diaries. I found in Boropishi's diary that she used to make it with condensed milk along with Doi.

I do not find any recipe where they have added extra flavorings or nuts. All the recipes are about steaming the Doi. One thing for sure is clear from the recipes, the thicker the Doi, the more chance to get rich Bhapa Doi.

Misti Doi and Bhapa Doi; misconception and beyond!

I found there is a misconception that Misti Doi and Bhapa Doi are the same. You must know both are completely different. Misti Doi can turn into Bhapa Doi BUT NOT vice versa. When you steam doi it becomes bhapa doi while Misti doi is Doi prepared with thickened milk and sweetener. We do not steam the curd/ yogurt to make Misti Doi.

Debjani's take on Bhapa Doi!

I do not use Khowa Kheer to make the dessert, instead, I use condensed milk. Khowa makes it a bit grainy which I do not like. One very important trick was mentioned in Pak Rajeswar which I found the easiest way to make the Bhapa Doi perfect. Instead of using a muslin cloth to tie the curd to discard the whey it is better to use an earthen pot to set the Curd or to purchase curd from the sweet shop where they sell it in an earthen pot if possible. I keep the cur full of earthen pot in the fridge for one day and this helps in extracting the moisture from the curd yet not making it dry.

Another thing that I do is while steaming the doi I do not use earthen pot. It has to be metal or ramekin so that there is no chance of extracting moisture by the pot while steaming.

Bhaapa Doi or Bengali Steamed Yogurt; the modern way of making it!

Bhapa Doi is a Bengali dessert where the curd/ yogurt is creamed and then mixed with condensed milk and sweetener if needed. The mixture is then steamed. The word Bhapa stands for steamed. You can use an oven and steam the doi in a water bath; else you can use a pressure cooker to steam the doi; you can use a normal pot to steam the yogurt and you can even use a microwave to steam. You must not use any utensil which may absorb moisture such as earthen pot to make this. As excess absorption may lead to dry bhapa doi.

Here's how I make Bhapa Doi at Debjanir Rannaghar!

Bhapa Doi

Author: Debjani Chatterjee
Total Time: 25 mins
Yield: 4 People 1x
Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

Bhapa Doi is a traditional Bengali steamed dessert prepared with Curd or Yogurt.

Ingredients

Units Scale

500g Plain Curd (thick creamy curd/ yogurt)
400ml Condensed Milk
1 Tbsp. Powdered Sugar (to be adjusted considering Condensed milk itself is sweet)

Instructions

Bengali Bhapa Doi recipe

If using curd from an earthen pot, use it after one day of settling the curd. Same applies to store-bought curd. Store it in the refrigerator to allow the pot to soak the moisture.
Else place the curd over a Cheesecloth/ Maslin and unite all the ends of the cloth.
Now hang the cloth along with the curd for 1 hour to remove the moisture from the Curd.
Once the curd is without whey, take it in a bowl.
Using a whisk blend it till the curd is completely smooth and creamy.
Now add Condensed milk to the curd along with the cream.
Add the sugar if needed. Blend it to make a smooth mixture.

Making Bhapa doi using the traditional steaming method:

Take the mixture in a round-shaped deep bottom metal container with a lid or in a metal bowl.
In case the bowl is not having a lid, cover it with aluminum foil and tie with a string.
Take a deep bottom vessel and place a stand inside.
Pour hot water in the vessel and place the container/ bowl over the stand.
The water should cover the ⅔ length of the container.
Cover the Vessel with a lid and steam the Doi for 30 minutes on low flame.
Once cooled open the lid and remove the container once it is completely cooled and open the cover.
Refrigerate the Bhapa Doi before serving.

Making Bhapa Doi in a Pressure Cooker:

Take the mixture in a round-shaped deep bottom metal container with a lid or in a metal bowl.
In case the bowl is not having a lid, cover it with aluminum foil and tie with a string.
Place a stand inside the pressure cooker and place the container.
Pour hot water in the Cooker.
The water should cover the ⅔ length of the container.
Put the lid along with the vent weight. Cook on low flame till 2 whistles come out.
Open the cooker once the pressure drops completely.
Once cooled open the lid and remove the container.
Refrigerate the Bhapa Doi before serving.

Making Bhapa Doi in an Oven:

Preheat the oven in 180 degrees C for 10 minutes.
Take the mixture in a round-shaped deep bottom oven-safe container or ramekin.
You may distribute the mixture into ramekins.
The container/ Ramekins must be covered with aluminum foil.
Place the containers/ Ramekin over a deep trey.
Pour hot water on the tray to make a water bath.
Place the tray in the middle rack and on the top of the tray place the ramekins.
Steam for 20 minutes in 160 degrees C.
Once done wait till the temperature drops.
Open and take the doi out.
Refrigerate the Bhapa Doi before serving.

Garnishing:

While serving the bhapa doi, you may top it with chopped nuts.

Notes

Instead of plain curd, you may use Greek Yogurt.
It is better to use curd prepared with full-cream milk. If not available while mixing the ingredients add 2 Tbsp. of cream to it.
You may use Khowa instead of condensed milk and adjust the sweetness accordingly.
It is better to not use an earthen pot or a pot that can soak moisture while steaming the Doi.

Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Category: Dessert
Method: Steam
Cuisine: Bengali

Keywords: Bhapa Doi recipe, bengali mishti doi recipe, debjanir rannaghar

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