🌿 The Legacy of Niramish Muri Ghonto In old Bengal, widowed ladies lived under strict food restrictions — no fish, meat, onion, or garlic. Yet, with resilience and creativity, they transformed these limitations into culinary innovation. Their kitchens gave birth to a wealth of vegetarian dishes that carried the richness and satisfaction of non-vegetarian fare, …
When you think of biryani, Kolkata’s iconic version—with its fragrant rice, tender meat, and that unmistakable aroma of kewra and saffron—stands tall. But within this cherished tradition lies a lesser-known gem: Kofta Gosht Biryani, a preparation featuring delicately spiced minced meatballs (koftas) in place of bone-in cuts. This variation doesn’t just elevate the texture and …
Kofta Gosht Biryani: A Persian Legacy in the Heart of Kolkata Read More »
For Marinating prawns: Medium Tiger prawns – 6 to 8 pieces (deshelled , cleaned, head separated) Turmeric powder – 1 tsp Salt – to taste For the curry: Mustard oil – 2 to 3 tbsp Bay leaf – 1 FS Bengali Garam Masala – 1 tsp Onion paste – 3 tbsp Ginger paste – 1.5 …
Recipe: Chingri Macher Malai Curry (Prawns in Coconut Milk) Read More »
“What’s in a name?” Shakespeare asked this very eloquently in his 1597 epic – “Romeo and Juliet”. Little did he know that 7,000 miles East of London, in Calcutta, the “Bangalees” were scripting their own epic with the same theme; not in Literature, but in food. The same extends to Bengali food. “Chorchori”, “Ghonto”, …
The varied “Mangal Kabya” were introduced into the ancient literature of Bengal during 14th n15th centuries. The Welfare Verses sang the well-being n happiness, festivities n sufferings in the folk -life of contemporary Bengal. The verses were inspired by changing seasons, bounty of nature, rain-fall n harvest ,crops in the fields and rivers, grace of …
Dhoka – the name is steeped in history, irony, and despite its humble origins – is a pillar of Bengali “Niramish” food. The diamond shaped, crunchy on the outside yet fluffy on the inside fritters of chana dal and “motor” dal in a tomato, ginger and green chilly based gravy inspire sighs of happiness when you dig into it with your …
Picture this – it’s a cloudy afternoon, lightning and thunder accompany an intermittent rain – which at times, lashes, and at others, heavily drizzles. The wind sways the raindrops – angling toward you and away sometimes. The fragrance of petrichor engulfs your senses, as you suddenly feel a gentle rumble in your belly. What food …
There is an urban legend among a lot of Bengali families that in the early 1500s, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came across a rather stubborn fisherman who wouldn’t budge an inch from his staunch non-vegetarian stance. It was his adamancy that forced Mahaprabhu to denounce Bengal and move to Puri (in present day Odisha). More than 500 …
