First Few Steps - with Steamed Yogurt /Bhapa Doi

"You must take the first step. The first steps will take some effort, maybe pain. But after that, everything that has to be done is real-life movement."

If you have been reading this blog for a while, you’ll know that I just put my daughter to a new playschool. It does make me happy to select a nice playschool, with a loving daycare, however it’s not one the most pleasing times for my little one. Changes like these, which calls for a goodbye to her mommy and daddy are painful. She is doing her bit to make the world around her know it by howling and crying with her full might. It does not please me a lot to see her crying either, but as they say, it must be done.

To make up for the advent of the unhappy hours in her day, I have tried to do atleast one happy hour for her, and NO it’s not the Mc Donald variety. My happy hour begins with picking her up and hers begin shortly after that, when I slowly inch our way towards home explaining the surprise I have planned for her.

I don’t think it’s a new concept though. It’s perhaps same as what my mother did for me in school, only difference being that back then she was oblivious to the concept of happy hours, and more of a happy day believer. Welcome to the life and times of a working mom, Ahem! And I don’t mind my taking a shortcut to happiness. After all, it’s all about celebration of the fact that we ‘mother daughter duo’ could laze around playing under the dull spring sun, for about for an hour (or two) after work, enjoying some ridiculously creamy and decadent steamed yogurt (bhapa doi) or crisp parathas  and sometimes a far simpler version of yogurt in  a little glass of summery lassi, all the while decoding the Doremon puzzles!

Of course, being as busy as I perhaps sound here, I will not go beyond basic pantry ingredients. So, I am proud to report that I have whistled away any cooking inertia and successfully turned around bowls after bowls of spring favorite toddler friendly food this week. So my happy week continues. Would you like to a spoonful?

Bhapa Doi or Steamed Yogurt

Ingredients

250 g plain yogurt

250gm condensed milk (sweet)

2-3 green cardamom (crushed fine ) 

A few strands of saffron (soaked in a tbsp. milk)

1 tbsp milk

How I did it : 

Whisk the yogurt and condensed milk together till its of a smooth and creamy consistency, now flavor with the powdered cardamoms.

Heat an oven at 180 degree C.  Put the above mixture in a pie dish or baking cups. Place those cups is a large baking dish filled with sufficient hot water to come halfway up the sides  of the baking  cups. Bake in the oven for around 10-12 minutes.

Lastly add a dollop of the saffron infused milk over each cup and bake for 5-6 minutes  , until it appears to be set.  Cool and then refrigerate till chilled. Serve it chilled.