Bengali Dishes

 

Bengal is famous for its magnificent milk sweets. Mostly made from Paneer. By the evening all the men are carrying home earthen pots with some of these mouth watering delicacies.

 

Bengal is also well-known for its chaat and savouries. In fact every lane and by-lane in Calcutta boasts of a sweet shop or chaat shop.

 

MALAI PRAWN CURRY

Ingredients Recipe Recipe
 Prawns 1/2 kg
Tomato 1 small chopped
Onions 2 chopped
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder 1 tsp
Gram masala 1 tsp
Sugar 1/2 tsp
Garlic 3 flakes
Ginger 1/2″ piece
Coconut milk of 1 coconut
Ghee 1 tbsp
Oil 1 tbsp
 Remove the shells and wash the prawns. Grate coconut and immerse in hot water. Grind well and strain. Keep the coconut milk aside. Make a paste of ginger and garlic. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add onions, ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric powder and prawns. Fry for 3-5 minutes. Add chopped tomato, coconut milk, garam masala, sugar and salt. Close lid and bring to 1 whistle. Reduce to a medium for 3-4 minutes. Open cooker immediately by releasing steam. Serve hot.

 

FISH IN MUSTARD OIL

Ingredients Recipe Recipe
 Fish 1/2 kg sliced
Potatoes 3 sliced
Onion 2 sliced
Green chillis 2 sliced
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Mustard oil 2-3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves chopped for garnishing
 Mix the fish with onions, potatoes, green chillis, salt and turmeric powder. Heat the mustard oil and cool. Add this to a pan and add fish and vegetables. Cook on low heat. Cook while turning gently till the fish is cooked and browned. Garnish with chopped coriander. Serve hot.

 

LUCHI

Ingredients Recipe Recipe
 Refined flour 2 cups
Ghee 1 tbsp
Salt 1 tsp
Water 1 cup approximately
Oil, to deep fry
 Powder Sieve flour, add salt. Mix ghee and make a soft dough with water. Cover with moist cloth and keep for half hour. Divide into 20 equal parts. Roll small Pooris about 3″ diameter. Heat oil and fry Luchis to a soft cream colour. Serve hot with sweet Channa Dal.

 

BENGALI DAL

Ingredients Recipe Recipe
 Bengal gram – Channa Dal 2 cups
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Water 3 1/2 cups
Cumin seed 1 tsp
Red chilli whole 4
Bay leaves 3
Cinnamon 1″ piece
Cardamom 4
Ginger 1″ piece chopped
Green chilli 6 slit
Jaggery 2 tbsp powdered
Salt 2 1/2 tsp
Mustard 5 tsp
 Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add red chillis, Bay leaves, Cloves, Cinnamon, Cardamoms, Cumin seeds. Stir for 1/2 minute. Add all the other ingredients, stir and fry for two minutes. Add water. Close the lid and wait for one whistle. Lower the heat for two minutes. When the cooker is cool open and add 1 tbsp ghee. Serve hot.

 

MOCHA GHANTO

Ingredients Recipe Recipe
 Banana flower 1 whole
Wheat flour 1tsp
Red chilli 3 whole
Onion seeds (Kalonji) 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder 1 tsp
Chilli powder 1tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Garam masala 1/2 tsp
Fresh coconut 1/2
Oil 2 tbsp
Ghee 2 tsp
Water 1 1/2 cups
Salt to taste
 Clean the flower well. First remove the outer leaves. Then from each flowerette remove the hard stamen and hard covering at the base. Cut the flowers finely. Grate coconut. Boil in a pressure cooker with 1 cup of water, when cooked remove water. Heat oil in a pan. Add whole Red chilli, Onion seeds, Cumin seeds, Turmeric powder and Chilli powder. Fry lightly. Add Banana flower and grated Coconut. Mix well and add salt. Add 1/2 cup hot water and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1 tsp Wheat flour, pure Ghee and Garam masala. Mix well and serve hot.