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| Bengali Meal |
Bengalis are famous for the variety of dishes that they can prepare which can be a hit instantly. 5 of the best Bengali non-vegetarian and vegetarian dishes that can keep you licking your lips are given below.
- Chingri Macher Malai Curry
This is essentially a non-vegetarian dish that is made from “chingri” or prawn. The prawns are cleaned and marinated with salt and turmeric powder. Then mustard oil is heated in a karai or pan and the prawn is slightly fried and removed after which bay leaf, cinnamon and green cardamoms are added to the hot.
Then cumin seeds, chopped onion, turmeric, salt, black mustard-seed paste, sugar, red chili powder, green chilies, coconut powder and water are added to make the curry. The fried prawns are then added to the curry and allowed to boil in it for some time and you have the “chingri macher malai curry” ready to be served.
Then cumin seeds, chopped onion, turmeric, salt, black mustard-seed paste, sugar, red chili powder, green chilies, coconut powder and water are added to make the curry. The fried prawns are then added to the curry and allowed to boil in it for some time and you have the “chingri macher malai curry” ready to be served.
- Bhapa Ilish
“Bhapa Ilish” is nothing but steamed Hilsa fish which needs very little oil but tastes heavenly when prepared in the Bengali way. The pieces of the Hilsa fish are sprinkled with salt and turmeric powder. A smooth paste of yellow and black mustard seeds, turmeric powder, ginger, green chilies and salt is made. A few cups of water are poured into a pressure cooker and the ring is placed inside it.
The fish are put in a pan which can be lowered onto the ring inside the pressure cooker. The paste is spread in liberal quantities to fully cover all the pieces of fish in the pan. A little mustard oil is poured over the paste to give the fish a strong taste. Close the pressure cooker and steam the fish on the fire for a few minutes.
Take it out and serve it hot.
- Bhetki Macher Paturi
This is another fish preparation that is a treat from Bengal. A smooth paste is made from mustard seeds, poppy seeds, green chilies, coconut powder, turmeric powder and salt and a bit of mustard oil. The “Bhetki” fish is cut into fillets and marinated in the paste made earlier. Take a piece of banana leaf, put some paste on it, then put a fillet on the paste and then put more paste on the fillet to cover it completely.
Put a few drops of mustard oil on top and then wrap the fillet completely with the banana leaf and tie it up with a string. Put the wrapped fillets in a steamer or in a pan placed on the ring inside a pressure cooker which has been filled with a few cups of water.
Steam the fillets for a few minutes and your “Bhetki Macher Paturi” is ready for you.
Put a few drops of mustard oil on top and then wrap the fillet completely with the banana leaf and tie it up with a string. Put the wrapped fillets in a steamer or in a pan placed on the ring inside a pressure cooker which has been filled with a few cups of water.
Steam the fillets for a few minutes and your “Bhetki Macher Paturi” is ready for you.
- Mochar Ghonto
The purple leaves of the mocha or flower of the banana tree are peeled off and the florets inside are used to make this highly tasty dish which you will not find outside Bengali homes or restaurants. The part of each floret which is not edible is the small head with a black stalk covered by a white plastic like sheath. These stalks are removed along with the tiny head and the white cover.
The florets are next chopped into small pieces, boiled in water and fried in mustard oil with turmeric powder, cumin seeds and bay leaves. Small pieces of potatoes are fried in another pan and the fried florets are added to the fried potato pieces. Ginger, chili and cumin paste along with salt sugar and coconut powder are added and the mixture is tossed and cooked for some time.
Ghee and a mixture of garam masala mix are added to give the dish a great taste.
The florets are next chopped into small pieces, boiled in water and fried in mustard oil with turmeric powder, cumin seeds and bay leaves. Small pieces of potatoes are fried in another pan and the fried florets are added to the fried potato pieces. Ginger, chili and cumin paste along with salt sugar and coconut powder are added and the mixture is tossed and cooked for some time.
Ghee and a mixture of garam masala mix are added to give the dish a great taste.
- Shukto
This is basically a traditional dish of mixed vegetables that you will find in Bengali homes only. It has a distinctive bitter taste which it gets from “karela” or bitter gourd. The vegetables that are used for making shukto are green bananas, green papaya, white radish, drumsticks, potatoes, sweet potatoes, brinjal, “potol” or pointed gourd, hyacinth, ridge gourd, beans, and bitter gourd. Fry some lentil dumplings in mustard oil and set them aside.
Fry the bitter gourd, add bay leaves, ginger paste and garam masala mix to them. Add all the vegetables and fry them for a few minutes. Then add water to cook them for a few minutes more. Add poppy seeds, mustard paste, fenugreek seeds, the fried lentil dumplings and diluted milk and again cook for some time.
Serve when it is still warm.
Fry the bitter gourd, add bay leaves, ginger paste and garam masala mix to them. Add all the vegetables and fry them for a few minutes. Then add water to cook them for a few minutes more. Add poppy seeds, mustard paste, fenugreek seeds, the fried lentil dumplings and diluted milk and again cook for some time.
Serve when it is still warm.
