Bengali cuisine

Bengali cuisine is one of the finest blend of non-vegetarian and vegetarian dishes. Here are some recipe for the delicious and authentic Bengali food.

The serving of Bengali's food is adopted from the French. Bengali's
first serve the shukto as the starter which is like a taste cutter for the tongue so that, after having this you can enjoy the delicious taste of the main course and at last the sweets or dessert.

Veg Bengali foods recipe:

Shukto: 

shukto

shukto is most common and famous side dish in Bengal.it is a mixed vegetable dish which is bitter in taste and a little sweet.it is  served first to eat with hot plain rice before eating the other dishes.

Here is the recipe of this dish:

Preparation time:	30 min
Cooking time:	40 min
Dietary:	Vegetarian
Serves:	3
Main ingredient:	Ridge Gourd, Potato, Carrot, Drum Stick, Bitter Gourd.

 Ingredients:

Ø 5 tbsp. of Mustard oil

Ø 5 tbsp. of panchporon

Ø 1 tbsp. of ginger chopped

Ø 3 tbsp. of poppy seed paste

Ø 3 tbsp. of mustard paste

Ø 1 tbsp. of fennel seed

Ø 2 Green chillies

Ø 1 potato cut into long sliced

Ø 1 bitter gourd cut into long sliced

Ø 1 drum stick cut into long sliced

Ø ½ cup ridge gourd cubes

Ø ½ cup carrot small cubes

Ø 1 ½ tbsp. sugar

Ø ½ cup coconut milk

Ø 1 tbsp. Ghee

Ø Salt to taste

Steps to make:

·        Take a pan, add oil and heat it and then fry panchporon in it.

·        Now fry potato, Bitter gourd, drum stick, ridge gourd and carrot till it turns soft and set them aside.

·        Now saute Green chilli and chopped ginger in oil.

·        Now add poppy an mustard seed paste and add sugar and salt to taste and stir well

·        Now add the fried vegetable and continue.

·        Then add coconut milk and fennel seed and stir for 7 min.

·        And at last add ghee and switch off the flame.

Your shukto is ready to serve.

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Radhaballabi or Dal puri

Radhaballabi

Bengali's have this in their breakfast It is very famous in Bengal. In every nook and corner one can find this dish in ad hock stalls.   

Ingredients:

Ø All-purpose flour/Maida : 1 cup

Ø 1 tbsp. of oil

Ø Salt to taste

For the filling:

Ø ½ cup Chana or Chola dal soaked in water for 4-5 hrs.

Ø 2 Cardamom

Ø Cinnamon ½ inch stick

Ø ½ tbsp. Cumin seed or jeera

Ø ½ tbsp. saunf or fennel seed

Ø Turmeric a pinch

Ø Salt and sugar to taste

Ø Ghee or Oil for deep frying

Method of preparation:

1.     Add 1 tbsp. of oil to the Maida and knead it well with water and make a hard dough and set aside for 30 min.

2.     Now take the soaked dal and grind it to a coarse paste with a minimum adding of water.

3.     Now roast the cinnamon, cardamom and cumin seed and then grind to powder.

4.     Heat ½ tbsp. of oil and add dal paste and then add the roasted powder, turmeric, salt and sugar and fry it well.

5.     Make small balls of the dough and put the filling into it and then roll into puri.

6.     At last deep fry in the oil till it become light brown.

Now dal puri is ready. Serve it with any vegetable side dish.

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Potolar Dolma/Stuffed Pointed gourd

potolar Dolma

Potolar dolma is a classic dish of Bengalis. potol stuffed with cheese and potatoes.

Ingredients:

Ø 12 Potol/parwa

Ø ¾ cup oil

For the stuffing:

Ø Potatoes, Indian cottage cheese.

Ø 350 Gms of onion sliced.

Ø Fresh ginger paste 1 tbsp.

Ø 3-4 fresh garlic cloves.

Ø 2 Green chilli, chopped

Ø 2 tbsp. red chilli powder

Ø 1 tbsp. turmeric powder

Ø ¾ tbsp. garam masala

Ø Salt to taste

Method:

·        Wash and clean potol and scrap it.now cut the tips from both end and then scoop out the seed from one side without breaking the the other side.

·        Put some salt inside and outside the potol and leave it for 10 min.

·        Heat oil in a wok and fry that potal until it become red brown. Then drain it and keep aside to cool.

For the stuffing:

·        In the same oil fry onion and garlic till golden brown and the add turmeric powder, ginger, red chilli, green chilli and a little salt.

·        Mix it with mashed boiled potato and crumbled the cottage cheese.

·        And then mix garam masala to it and keep it a side.

·        Stuff the potol with this and pack tightly.

For the gravy:

Heat up the remaining oil, add bay leaf, ginger and onion paste, red chilli, turmeric powder and fry it well. Then add water and let it boil and then add the stuffed potol to it cover it with lid. Let it simmer in low heat. The gravy will be thickened.

Potolar Dolma is ready. Serve it with boiled rice or palao.

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Bhoger khichuri

This is a traditional and authentic dish which is served to god during all festival. The fragrant rice, yellow dal and some spice is cooked and it result into sticky mashup bhoger khichuri.

Bhoger Khichuri

Ingredient:

Ø Gobindobhog or any other par boiled rice.

Ø 1 cup Yellow moong dal.

Ø 1 cup Chopped vegetable of choice.

Ø 1 Tomato

Ø 2-3 halved potato

Ø 2-3 Green chilli

Ø 1 inch Ginger

Ø 2 pcs Bay Leaf

Ø 1tbsp of cumin seed or Jeera.

Ø 1 tbsp. cumin powder or Jeera powder

Ø 2 tbsp. Dhaniya or coriander powder

Ø 1 tbsp. turmeric powder

Ø 1 tbsp. Garam Masala

Ø 1 tbsp. red chilli powder

Ø 1 tbsp. Ghee or Butter

Ø 3 tbsp. Sugar

Ø Salt to taste

Ø Mustard or white oil.

Method of Preparation:

Ø Heat the oil in a Wok and add whole jeera , Bay leaf, turmeric powder, chilli powder, Coriander powder .Now saute it for 30 seconds and then add sugar and salt to taste. Sugar should melt completely.

Ø Now add Rice and Dal and saute it for 3-4 mins till the rice become translucent.

Ø Make a puree of tomato, green chilli and ginger and add it to rice and lentils and cook well until the tomato is properly cooked.

Ø add some water and fix it with some salt and sugar in the khichuri to prevent it from sticking to the kadhai or wok. Add the ghee.

Ø Now transfer the content from the wok to the pressure cooker it helps to cook faster and to get sticky consistency. Add 4 cup water and vegetable.

Ø Pressure cook for 20 min till rice and lentil is completely cooked and mushy. Add some ghee and serve it with bagun bhaja.

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Non-Veg Bengali foods recipe:

Bong’s are true fish eater most of them cannot live without their piece of fish.

So here are some recipe of fish.

Doi sarso Maach (fish in curd)

Doi Sarso maach

Doi sarso mach is a signature Bengali dish.it is a common dish in bongs lunch.

l Ingredients:

Fish (preferably rohu) 4 Pcs

Turmeric powder-1/4 tbsp.

Salt to taste

Oil for frying.

l For paste:

Mustard seed- 1 tbsp.

Curd- 1 cup

Garlic- 4 -5 cloves

Green Chilies- 2

l For Tampering:

        Few Curry Leaves

        Cumin Seeds-1/2 cup

Method of Preparation:

§  Marinate the fish with salt, turmeric powder for 10 minutes. Heat oil & half fry the fish.

§  Make a paste of the Mustard Seed, Ginger and Green chilies and refrigerate it for 10 minutes.

§  Mix curd with the paste.

§  Heat 1 tbsp. oil in the wok and add cumin seeds, then curry leaves and chilies.

§  After ½ minute add the mixture of curd and paste with 2 cups of water.

§  Add salt as per your taste and bring it to a boil. Finally add the half fried fishes and cook it for 10 minutes

§  Garnish with coriander leaves.

Your Doi sarso Maach is ready. Serve it with hot boiled rice.

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Chingri Malai Curry

chingri malai curry

Chingri malai curry or prawn malai curry is a very famous dish of Bengal served with boiled white rice.

Prep Time: 11-15 minutes

Cook Time: 6-10 minutes

Serve: 4

Ingredient: 

§  Prawns 200 grams

§  Salt to taste

§  1 teaspoon Turmeric powder

§  Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon

§  Mustard oil 4 tbsp.

§  Green chillies 4

§  Coconut scraped ¾ cup+1 tablespoon

§  Mustard seeds 1 tbsp.

§  Cumin seeds 1 tbsp.

§  Cumin powder 1 tbsp.

§  Sugar 1 teaspoon

§  Red Chili powder ½ teaspoon

§  Ginger paste 2 teaspoons

Prep Time: 11-15 minutes

Cook time: 6-10 minutes

Serve: 4

Level of Cooking: Moderate

Ingredients:

• Prawns (kolambi/jhinga) 200 grams
• Salt to taste
• Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon
• Coconut scraped ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon
• Mustard oil 4 tablespoons
• Green chillies 4
• Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon
• Mustard seeds 1 teaspoon
• Cumin powder 1 tablespoon
• Sugar 1 teaspoon
• Red chilli powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Ginger paste 2 teaspoons

Method

Step 1

Add turmeric powder and salt to the prawns and marinate for 15 minutes.

Step 2

Heat 3 tablespoons mustard oil in a non-stick pan and fry prawns for 1 min and keep it aside.

Step 3

Place three-fourth cup of coconut in a mixture jar and add half cup of hot water and grind it. Now place a muslin cloth and pour the coconut over it.

Gather the edges of the cloth and squeeze tightly to get the coconut milk.

Step 4

Slit green chillies. Add oil and then add cumin and mustard seed and let it splutter

Step 5

Add green chillies prawn and coconut milk and cook for half a minute on medium heat.

Step 6

Now add red chili powder, cumin powder, ginger paste and sugar and cook it till the prawns are done.

Step 7

Garnish it with remaining coconut and serve it hot.

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Ilish Macher Paturi

illish maacher paturi

The pungent taste of the mustard paste and smoky flavour from pan-frying the fish in banana leaf makes the recipe unique.

Prep Time: 11-15 minutes

Cook Time: 31-40 minutes

Serve: 4

§  Hilsa ( ilish) sliced 1 kilogram

§  Banana leaf  7-9

§  Mustard Powder 2 tbsp.

§  Turmeric Powder 1 tbsp.

§  Red chilli powder 1 tbsp.

§  Salt to taste

§  Mustard oil ¾ cup

§  Green chillies slit 8-10

Method of preparation

Step 1

Mix Mustard, turmeric and red chili powder, salt mustard oil and green chillies and apply evenly on fish pieces.

Step 2

Cut each banana leaf into half and place three to four leaves on tawa and put another set of leaves crosswise on top. Carefully place the hilsa pieces on top and put the remaining masala ad oil on top. Fold the banana leaves on the fish pieces and tie with a string. Cook it over high heat.

Step 3

It will take 20-25 minutes for hilsa to cook. Colour of the leaves will start changing from green to yellow.

Your Fish is ready to eat.

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Favourite Desserts/ sweets:

Bengali meal is incomplete without are some recipe sweets.so here of famous sweets.

Sandesh

sandesh

It is a simple and delicious mix of fresh crumbled panner and powdered sugar with invigorating aroma of cardamom-the mouth-watering Bengali sweet recipe.

Ingredients: 1 ltr cream milk

                       2 lemon

                       Powdered sugar 1/3 cup (50 grams)

                       Green cardamom 5 pcs

                       Pistachios 10-15 cut into small pieces

                       A few saffron strands

                      10-12 almonds cut into small pieces

                      2 tbsp. milk powder

Method of preparation:

Step 1: Boil the milk and left it for cooling for 7 min.

Step 2: Add lemon juice to the milk for making milk curd cheese

Step 3: Take a muslin cloth and pour that cheese and squeeze it till the water comes out.

Step 4: Then pour some cold water to the cheese and strain the water completely to extract the lemon juice.

Step 5: Now take out in a plate and press it with figure to make the cheese soft for 5-7 min.

Step 6: Now add sugar powder and saffron strand to the cheese and mix it completely.

Step 7:  Now heat the pan in low flame and fry cheese but it should crumble again fry it for 4-5 min to make it softer.

Step 8: Again take out the cheese in the plate and let it cool and then add cardamom powder.

Step 9: Now make round small balls with your palm and on the top press it with pistachio.

Your Sandesh is ready.

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Rossogulla:

rossogulla

Rossogulla is a traditional Bengali sweet made up of Indian cottage cheese cooked in sugar syrup.

Let’s see the recipe of it.

Method:

Step 1: Make milk curd cheese as mentioned in the above method of preparation of sandesh. (Follow up to step 4)

Step 2: Now take it in a plate and knead it till the lump is removed.

Step 3: Now sprinkle some flour on the cheese and again mix it to make the dough soft.

Step 4: In a pressure cooker add sugar and water and boil it.

Step 5: Now make small balls of the cheese dough and put it gently on the sugar water and cover with lid and wait for the first whistle. After the first whistle wait for 7-8 minutes and then switch off the gas. They will expand double the original size.

After cooling you can pour saffron strands and rose water.

Your Rossogulla is ready to eat.

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Mishti Doi

Mishti Doi or sweet yoghurt is a traditional Bengali dish which is made up of cream milk and jaggery.It is famous in west Bengal and odissa.

Mishti Doi

Ingridient: 

1 ltr cream milk

3-4 tbsp. Yoghurt

250 gms sugar

Method:

Step 1: Boil the milk until it reduce it to half and stir it frequently.

Step 2: Put the sugar into a pan and heat over into the low flame. Allow sugar to caramelize.  Add milk to the sugar and mix it to blend.

Step 3: when sugar and milk are mixed thoroughly then add the yoghurt.

Step 4: pour into a container and keep in a warm dark place to set the doi. For best result you may pour it in a earthen pot.

After chiiling serve the mishit doi.

Mishiti Doi is ready to eat.

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Payesh/kheer

Kheer

Payesh or kheer or rice pudding is a dessert which defines our Bengali culture and love for sweets.it plays important role in every ceremony be it your birthday, your baby shower or any puja.

Ingredients :

2 ltr full cream milk.

400 Gms sweetened cream milk.

1 cup sugar.

1 cup basmati rice.

1 cup cardamom powder.

50 gms of raisins.

50 Gms almond.

Few strands of saffron.

Rose petals.

Methods of preparation

Wash the rice and soak it in water for half an hour and cover it with lid.

Put the milk, condensed milk and sugar in a deep and thickened pan and boil. When milk comes to boil add rice to it.cook till the milk thickens and reduces to half its volume.

Then add almonds, raisins and cardamom and cook for 5 mins.

Then switch off the flame and ad saffron.

Cool it and then serve.

Kheer is ready.

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Food walk by Let’s Meet Up Tours

Exploring street foods of Kolkata

we provide a "non-touristy experience" our guide/ Tour Expert will meet you outside Oberoi Grand Hotel and lead you through the diverse neighbourhood while tasting delicious foods from the best specialty food shops, ethnic eateries, and local stalls.

We explore the local street food shops/stalls, here you may taste the Phuckas (a hollow round chip made with flour, that’s filled with spiced potatoes, and dunked into tamarind water before being served and eaten in a single bite),aalo chat (boiled potatoes with spices),

Jhal muri stall

 Jhal Muri ( It consists of puffed rice like rice krispies), fried dal, peanuts, random crunchy things, fresh chopped onions, a few bits of fresh tomatoes, coriander, a handful of masala seasonings, and a light drizzle of mustard oil to top things off) and Mango lassi topped with cashew nut,almonds,cherries and raisins.

How can you miss the Sweets! Yes, we explore the traditional sweets at some of the famous sweet shops; you may taste the Rosogulla at K C Das.

We visit the Nizams where the katti roll was invented, walk around New Market area to explore the spice shops and oldest tea shops of the city. A man powered rickshaw ride/walk to the food street of the City “Park Street” to taste the Katti roll at Kusums.

We walk towards Russel Street to taste the Kolkata Chai in clay cups.

exploring spice market

Nodal point: Outside Oberoi Grand Hotel

Duration of the tour: upto 2.5 hours

Charge: 4000 for minimum 2 pax

Includes: Food Charge, Tour Expert/Guide Charge.