West Bengal, the land of Maach Bhaat and Rosogulla, is a place for gastronomic charms. Accordingly with regional strengths to conventional dishes, one gets a chance to gorge on puzzling taste the state offers. A clear food history has traces of Mughals well as the kingdoms that have been a part of West Bengal. Additionally, traditional food from the kitchen, group of street food, and the wide span of Bengali sweets, the food of West Bengal is a mouth-watering indulgence. Traditional food of west Bengal is a special mix of panchforan which is a blend of five spices and mustard oil that not only adds the clear taste but also keeps the fondness of the dish.
Bengali Folks are born foodies and are known for their sweet tooth, they have a lot to hog on. So be ready.
Traditional Food of Bengal:
1. Ilish Maach
The traditional food of West Bengal, Ilish Maach, cooked with a set of Ilish or Hilsa fish that is known as the queen of fish. This dish clasps a significance in Bengali Kitchen. Known as Ilish Maach or Shorshe Ilish or Ilish Bhapa, this deep-fried mouth-watering fish devising has a special taste. Apart from the taste, the fish also has tender flesh and sparkling silver color that makes it good looking to the eyes. Made in both dry and wet forms, the much-loved local fineness of West Bengal, served as a side-dish with rice. Fish lovers, please try!
2. Bhetki Macher
Parcels of whole fish wrapped in oil basted banana leaves; Bhetki Macher Paturi is the hallmark of Bengali cuisine. The Bhetki fish slices or whole fish soaked in a mustard paste, panchforan with a dash of mustard oil, and wrapped in banana leaves. Bhetki Macher Paturi steamed on low flame till it becomes tender. As you open these packets of banana leaves, there is a release of aroma and fresh flavours that elegantly wrapped with the fish. It tastes as heavenly as it sounds.
3. Tangra Macher Jhol
Altogether, a seasonal fineness, Tangra Macher Bhol is a freshwater fish broth. An age-old recipe that has passed on by grandmothers of the Bengali clan, it is a bit of final home-style comfort food. Prepared with freshly grounded spices that are typical of Bong Kitchen, the broth is thick and full of flavours. As Bengali cooking go around using a variety of freshwater fishes, Tangra is yet another variety of fish that pass on a light aroma and it tastes great in any difference of cooking. This sharp Catfish curry can eat with a quanity of steamed rice. You certainly must taste this one.
4. Kosha Mangsho
This Traditional food of west bengal came into being in the British age, Kosha Mangsho is an excellent red meat preparation. Basically, flowing across Bengali families from one generation to the other, the deep wealthy mutton curry is a Bengali’s answer to Sunday roast. This delicious dish of West Bengal is tasty because cooked in mustard oil, tangy tomato, and yogurt curry with a mixture of freshly ground spices that are representative to Bengali food. But the outstanding mutton curry preparation has an unforgettable aroma and would leave you yearning for more.
5. Bengali Cholar Dal
Certainly, Chana dal is prepared in almost every kitchen in India, however, Bengali Cholar Dal has a special taste because it is prepared with coconut bits and jaggery. Sweet in taste, this classic preparation is also sharp and packed with nutrition. The munch of coconut and aroma of entire spices that seasoned in ghee adds wonders to the recipe. Chana Dal, served with steamed rice and luchis. Despite being in any place of West Bengal, the capital city, or the hilly region such as Siliguri and Darjeeling, just don’t fail to remember to eat Chana dal as Bengali’s do.
4. Aloo Potol Posto
The crucial vegetarian Bengali Dish made with a sharp gourd (parwal) and potato is a staple in West Bengal. Hot, sharp, and rich in taste; Aloo Potol Posto is cooked in thick poppy seed puree and coconut puree. With the right quantity of salt, sugar, and spices; this traditional food of west bengal tastes incredibly mouth-watering and is served with Bong staple, steamed rice.
5. Keemar Doi Bor
West Bengal is unquestionably a paradise for non-vegetarians. Empathetically a paradigmatic cut up meat preparation holds the ethnic link with the family of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Keemar Doi Bora, floated by Purnima Thakur when she found the Tagore family cookbook. Especially, an orgination of the Thakur Bari, Keemar Doi Bora are fried meatballs in sweet and spiced curd that is a twist to the habitual Dahi vada. Eventually, Bengalis’ normally make these balls with mutton or chicken keema. But, for a vegetarian, it can also made with soya granules. It is a perfect snack for any time.
6. Daab Chingri:
Firstly, this melt in mouth recipe of Daab Chingri is one of the finest cooking intricacies of the state that is well known for the seafood. TFollowing, the fresh prawns, soaked in mustard puree and fine spices and then cooked in coconut shells. The tender and juicy prawns in this curry taste unique due to the distinct style of cooking. Mainly prepared during the festival of Pohela Boishakh. Daab Chingri, considered as an iconic dish of West Bengal.
7. Shukto
Further conventional food of west Bengal is a healthy, good vegetarian dish; Shukto is prepared with plantains, brinjals, radish, bitter gourd, sweet potatoes, and drumsticks. The representative Bong style mixed vegetable is a mix of thick texture and aroma of the signature panch phoran. Generally, the traditional Shukto is so delicious that it controls all the meat delicacies of the state. Hence, this bitter and sweet flavored dish has a smooth texture as cooked in milk. Henceforth, this signature dish of West Bengal is the food for the soul.
Popular Sweets of West Bengal:
1. Mishti Doi
Mishti’ means sweet and ‘Doi’ means curd, However, Mishti Doi is a defintive dish of the state that has cooling properties i.e. Brewed in earthen pots, this well known dessert of West Bengal, made with milk, curd, and palm jaggery. Identically, this easy-to-make sweet serving holds no precision but ranks on top. Indeed, no festivity is complete without this appetizing frozen treat.
2. Sondesh
This delicate finger dessert is a talent dish of West Bengal. Lightly flavored with cardamom, prepared with milk and sugar, Sandesh is a representative Bengali sweet dish that immediately liquefy in the mouth. There are many variations to the representative recipe of Sandesh. It can fill with syrup, mixed with coconut thereafter moulded into shapes such as conch shells, elephants, and fish. Nolen Gurer Sandesh is another well known variety that made with jaggery (Gur). Be it in Kolkata or any other place in the state, this sweet made with huge love during all major festivals of West Bengal.
3. Rosgulla
The soft, white balls immersed in syrup are a vision of huge joy for any sweet lover. Freezing into the soft flesh to relish the syrupy sweet is elated to say the slighetest!
4. Langcha
Nearly like the Pantua, but different in shape and normally is less syrupy. Moreover, the sausage shaped sweet, delightfully suggested by kids and adults alike.
5. Mihidana
Originally from the Bardhhaman district of West Bengal, Mihidana is obviously a popular Besan based sweet. Often favoured occassionally as a dessert. The little yellow balls are a charm to suggest!
6. Rajbhog
A big brother of the Rosogolla, the Raj Bhog is literally a royal fineness with its magnificient size. A yellow, soft, overally syrupy ball of happiness, laced with saffron.
7. Pithe-Pathasopta
One more seasonal dish, particularly the rice crust, turned round and round with the stuffing that is usually liked better to be coconut mashed with jaggery, kheer. This is traditionally prepared during the Bengali month of Poush, on Poush Sankranti.
8. Malpua
Bite into the munchy, sweet crust and divulge the softer stuffing inside. Rather the syrupy base will only make you accelerate the chomping! Also, a dry variant is available, which is like a sweet thin pancake.
9. Joynagrer Moa
A sought after sweet in the winter, Joynagrer moa made with puffed rice, date palm jaggery, seasoned with cashew and raisins. Although it has obtained omnipresence in sweet shops, the moa with original constituents can found only in shops at Joynogor, Bahura, just on the edges of Kolkata, except some shops which obtain the original ones.
10. Lobonga Latika
Basically, this is a sweet, syrupy patty, stuffed with nuts, kheer, and coconut. Secondly, the packing, rolled and topped by a clove. Bite into its sweet crust to enjoy the sweeter stuffing inside!
11. Nolen Gurer Mishti Doi
This mentions to a breed of sweets that are prepared with Nolen Gur. The Nolen Gur, used as a replacement for sugar as a sweetener and the taste it gives is attractive! Nolen Gur, used to prepare to Sandesh and Roshogolla, along with some other sweetmeats like Payesh.
12. Kolar Bora
The well liked munch, Kolar Bora are banana fritters known to be the choice of Lord Krishna. So soft from inside and munchy from outside, these banana fritters or pakoras are the best teatime chewing snacks. This Bong dessert is a must specificially during Janmashtami and Makar Sankranti.
13. Balushahi
Balushahi is sweet with mouth-watering tastes, filled with dessert. In the south of West Bengal, this dessert is fashionable, and impossible to refuse.
Popular Street Food of Bengal:
1. Kathi Rolls
Kathi rolls, said to generate by British officers in Calcutta in the 1930s in a restaurant in Kolkata to lessen hand use when eating kebabs. The Kathi rolls soon lay out across the Indian food system after the birth and are today a specific place amongst India’s famous street foods and in the hearts of the world’s foodies.
2. Jhal Muri
Jhal Muri is one of Kolkata’s most very considered street snacks. You will find a seller selling jhal muri almost everywhere you look. THereafter, it consists of rice, dal fried, peanuts, random nuts, freshly chopped onions, fresh tomatoes, coriander, a few seasonings with masala, and mustard oil drizzle. Though every ingredient, applied to a metal can and agitated to make the mustard fragrance during the mixture. Thus they had eaten like a chips’ pack, generally in a newspaper bag.
3. Chana Gugni
When you hunt for mouth-watering and fulfilling street food in Bengal, till you’re aware of Chana ghugni. A tangy snack, undeniably usually ate in the evening, is familiar for its vegetarian choice. One characteristic undoubtedly it is known for is that nearly anything can serve with ghugni. It consists of cooked chickpeas, cooked with onions and different spices to give it an intense taste. Together they are the appropriate approach for fulfilling your hunger.
4. Phuchka
Phuchka is the most important Indian snacks known by dissimilar names around the nation. It is an eruption of twisted taste and tastes with watery
