New Delhi: West Bengal cuisine is known for its diverse and rich flavors that reflect its cultural and historical influences. It combines a wide variety of ingredients, spices and cooking methods to create different and delicious dishes. The cuisine is shaped by the diversity of the regionhistoryand climate. Fish is traditionally the most common protein. Meat is also a common protein among Bengalis, with goat meat being the most popular.
Here are some recipes you can try at home:
MANGSHOR JHOL (BENGAL MUTTON CURRY)
Sunday afternoon in any middle class Bengali household with Mutton Curry and Rice. The combination of tender lamb in a rich sauce and hot steamy rice is a match made in heaven. Mangsho usually refers to chicken or mutton and is used interchangeably, while mangsho Jhol is a traditional Bengali-style mutton curry. Jhol is a traditional thin sauce but varies by household. It is usually lightly seasoned to preserve the freshness of the meat.
SHORSHE ILISH:
Shorshe Ilish is a Bengali dish made from hilsa. cooked in mustard sauce. The dish is popular in Bangladesh, where the fish is mainly found, as well as the neighboring Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura and the Barak Valley of Assam.
LAU PATA DIYE PATURI AT THE PUB:
Refers to the Indian catfish, which is plentiful in the pub. In the mangroves of the Sunderbans. It is not a particularly bony fish, having only one main bone the length of its body. In the pub Macher Kalo Jeerer Jhol is prepared with less spices.
CALCUTTA BIRYANI (BENGAL’S MUTTON BIRYANI)
Despite the staggering number of spices used, this biryani is light and flavorful. Like its counterparts in Kolkata, Delhi, Lucknow and Hyderabad, it has its own biryani, which is more moist and can be eaten without any accompaniments like raitha or gravy. This biryani is usually served with potatoes.
HELLO POSTO
This is a traditional Bengali dish of lightly spiced potatoes with poppy seed paste. This is a popular comfort food served with rice and daal. This recipe is light on the palate and can be made with or without onions and garlic. Fresh poppy seeds are an important ingredient in this dish and they should be used as fresh as possible.
BENGALI MISHTI PULAO
Mishti Pulao is one of them. signature dishes in Bengal if you’re up for a special dinner. It is flavored with green cardamom, bay leaves and cloves. The addition of ghee or ghee transforms this dish from a simple rice dish to a fancy addition to your dining table.