Bongs and their everlasting love for food is well-known to the world. Bengalis are born foodies. To top that they have an innate love to feed others with lip-smacking Bengali cuisines. Every Bengali household has a mother or granny or even a daughter who can cook up a storm with basic ingredients. If you are traveling to Kolkata, then a major part of your tour will be to taste the scrumptious Bengali cuisine. From breakfast to lunch to dinner, Bongs have so much to offer in terms of food. The sheer variety will leave you perplexed as to which one to taste and which one to ignore.
A Tad-bit About Bengali Cuisine
Across the entire Indian subcontinent, Bengali cuisine is the only one which offers a lavish multi-course structure. A complete Bengali platter starts with snacks, make its way to delectable main course and finally ends at mouth-watering deserts. Rice is the staple food for all Bongs and no amount of roti, paranthe, bhature, poori and kachodi can satiate a typical Bong. And not to forget how a Bengali survives on tempting Maccher Jhol.
Fish is an integral part of Bengali cuisine and you will rarely find a Bengali who does not love to have fish. But as portrayed by the mainstream media, Bengali cuisine is not just about fish. Rather, they follow a very elegant pattern of plating and serving the food in a course-wise manner. First comes the Shukto, a slightly bitter concoction of veggies. Then comes Shaak or stirred leafy vegetables. It is followed by dal and vegetable curries. Finally comes the much-awaited part of the meal – fish, meat, mutton or eggs. Remember that a Bengali meal is never complete without chutney and deserts.
Bengali cuisine is quite diverse, and comprises the cooking style of Bangladesh (erstwhile East Bengal) and West Bengal. Besides, their love for cooking has helped them to learn from different cultures such as Mughals, British, French, and Chinese.
Top 6 Dishes You Must Try If You Are in Kolkata
Luchi Aloor Dom: This one is a perfect breakfast option for all the tourists. A common Bengali household often prepares luchi aloor dom for a brunch. Luchi is quite similar to puris, only difference is that the former is light, fluffy and crispy. It is consumed with spicy potato preparation known as aloor dom.
- Shukto: You must try this vegetable delicacy if you are in Kolkata. It is a typical Bengali dish made of potatoes, radishes, bitter gourd and plantains. Bongs use paanch foron or a combination of Bengali spices. The gravy is milky, creamy and highly relishing.
Daab Chingri: Try this heavenly dish to experience the uniqueness of Bengali cuisine. Huge prawns are cooked in mustard and other ingredients inside a tender coconut. If you are planning to have this, be ready to splurge money as this dish is quite expensive.
Kosha mangsho: This one is a blockbuster hit for all the Bongs as well as non-Bengalis. Mutton is prepared in a mixture of yoghurt, tomato and onion paste. The dish dates back to British era. Try this delicacy to experience Bengali cuisine at its best.
Shorshe ilish: This is yet another marvellous Bengali dish made using deep friend Hilsa fish. It is an evergreen Bong dish prepared with mustard. The preparation is steamed inside banana leaf. Gulp this down with piping hot steamed rice.
Sweet Dish: Bengali sweets are immensely popular. Even Bollywood Shahensha Big B ordered Bengali sweets for his son’s wedding functions. When in Kolkata, you ought to taste these dreamy sweets such as chamcham, roshogolla, lengcha, shondesh and so on.
Wrapping Up
If you are a diehard foodie, you will fall for different cuisines every now and again. But with Bengali cuisine, it is slightly different. Once you taste this delicious cuisine, there is no going back. You won’t be able to forget the aroma, taste and the overall experience for the rest of your life. Do visit the beautiful cultural capital of India and experience the soul-satisfying taste of typical Bengali cuisine.