Bengali Cuisine

 

Bengali food that originated and evolved in the region of Bengal situated in the eastern subcontinent of India (presently divided into West Bengal in India and a separate nation called Bangladesh) is rich and varied in its platter starting from snacks to main courses to sweets. Although the food habits, tastes, preferences and choice of items vary with different districts, communities and religions, the basic course generally remains the same with rice and fish playing a dominant role. Probably this is why a Bengali is often typified as a ‘Maache-Bhaate-Bangali’ where Maach means fish and Bhaat means boiled rice in Bengali. The love for sweets in Bengal are since ages. 

Most of the Bengalis are fond off and mostly prefer sweet water fish. The principal medium of cooking is mustard oil. A distinct flavour is imparted to the fish dishes by frying them in mustard oil, before cooking them in the gravy. Mustard paste is also commonly used for the preparation of gravies.

A variety of spices and their mixes are used in preparing Bengali cuisine, the common ones being halud (turmeric),  jira (cumin), dhone (coriander), radhuni (wild celery seeds), kalo jeera (black onion seeds), dried red chilli, bay leaves, shorshe (mustard), poshto (poppyseed), methi (fenugreek), mouri (fennel), peyaj (onion), ada (ginger), luson (garlic), narikel (ripe coconut)  and a combination of five spices called panch phoron which comprise of kalo jeera, cumin, black mustard seeds, fenugreek  and fennel.

A Typical Bengali Meal Structure

The procession of tastes at a meal runs from a bitter start to a sweet finish. To start with, especially at lunch, is Sukto. Rice is first savoured with ghee, salt and green chillis, then comes dal accompanied by fried vegetables (bhaja) or boiled vegetables (bhate), followed by spiced vegetables like dalna or ghonto. Then maccher jhal(medium spiced fish curry) and  kosha mangsho(mutton curry) is served. This would be followed by a sweet-sour ambal or tauk (chutney) and fried papads. The chutney is typically tangy and sweet;  usually made of aam (raw mangoes), tomatoes, anarôsh (pineapple), tetul (tamarind). Finally a dessert consisting of mishti-doi (sweet curds), accompanied by rasgulla, or by payesh(rice kheer), will end the meal, with paan (betel leaves) as a terminal digestive.

Traditionally meals were served on a bell-metal thala (plate) and in the batis (bowls, except for the sour items).  The night meal omits shukto and could include luchis, a palao and a dalna of various delicately spiced vegetables.