Kolkata, West Bengal

Mishti Doi

Mishti Doi is Kolkata's signature sweet curd — milk thickened and set with caramelized sugar or jaggery, traditionally set in porous earthen pots that give it a silky, firm texture and a light golden colour. It is the standard dessert of Bengali homes and festivals, and the city's heritage sweet shops have built reputations on it alongside sandesh and rosogolla. Shops in the old markets and lanes have served it for well over a century. Buyers get a creamy, mildly sweet, chilled dessert in earthen or glass pots.

Typical price: ₹100-500

Buying tip: Buy it from a heritage sweet shop in the city markets on the day you want to eat it; it keeps only a short while, and the earthen-pot versions taste best.