bengali cuisine

BENGALI CUISINE

Ronojoy BhattacharyyaSahil Ohri

(Institute of Hotel Management, Pusa)

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION• The Bengal region lies is in the low-lying Ganges–

Brahmaputra River Delta or the Ganges Delta• The Ganges Delta arises from the confluence of the

rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers and their respective tributaries

• The Bengal region today comprises of parts of West Bengal and Bangladesh

• West Bengal is on the eastern bottleneck of India, stretching from the Himalayas in the north to the Bay of Bengal in the south

• In Bengal the major practice of cultivation is of Paddy• The average rainfall over the region, the type of soil, and the

cultural practices prefer the growth of paddy

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND• Bengali food has inherited a large number of influences from both

foreign travelers and pan-Indians• Bengali cuisine is perhaps the only cuisine in the Indian region which still

holds its authenticity over 1000 years, though the region has been ruled by the Mughal emperors and was also the capital of British colonization

• Though there has been great influences on the cuisine from the Nawabs, Chinese, Britishers and Marwari

• The Nawabs or the Mughals ruled the state for a very long time and Mughlai cuisine has had a great impact on the Bengali cuisine

• The key culinary influence of the Christian community was the ritual of tea (introduced by the British, and in Bengal’s snack food traditions)

• Baking, which was pretty much unknown till the British came along, became widespread

• Chops and cutlets were once British in origin but they are now firmly Bengali

• Baghdadi Jews set up Kolkata’s famous Jewish bakeries which are now dead or dying, but their influence is everywhere

• The Chinese community in Indian sub-continent are a community of immigrants and their descendants that emigrated from China to work at the Chittagong and Calcutta port

• MSG and sweet corn got infused into the popular Bengali Chinese cuisine

• In West Bengal’s cuisine small quantities of sugar is added to it’s dishes especially in vegetarian dishes differentiating it from Bangladesh's cuisine

• There was also an influence of widows on the Bengali cuisine

Seasonal Availability LOCAL NAME ENGLISH NAME

Bandhakopi Cabbage

Phulkopi Cauliflower

Olkopi Kohlrabi

Sarisa shaak Mustard green

Mula Radish

Motor Pea

Sheem Hyacinth bean

Beet Beet

Tala kuchi Ivory gourd

Shajina Drumstick

Palonggshak Spinach

Gajor Carrot

Dhone pata Coriander

Special Equipments

• Boti• Kuruni

SHIL-NORA

Staple Diet• The Staple food of Bengal is – Fish and Rice• It can be cooked in many different and distinct manners• Fish is a part of diet even for Brahmin Bengalis• The most preferred form of meat in Bengal is Mutton or goat

meat • Vegetables like Jack fruit(enchor), bitter gourd(korola), bottle

gourd(Lau), saag, banana tree, stem and flower and whole lot of other vegetables

• Pulses like Masoor, Moong, Chana and Arhar

• Sukto• Panch meshalo torkari• Dalna• Maach• Dal + bhaja• Chutney • Mishti Doi• Meeshti

Course Menu

Specialty of cuisine for Festival

• Durga Puja and Saraswati Puja (Bhog – Lunch)1. Khichudi2. Labra3. Panch Bhaja4. Tomato chutney5. Payeesh• Night Bhog1. Loochi2. Sooji Halwa

Specialty of cuisine for Festival

• Sankranti1. Peethe Puli2. Patishapta

Specialty of cuisine for Special Occasions

• Loochi• Gooder Payesh• Mochar Ghanto• Prawn Malai Curry• Dab Chingri• Radhballavi• Kosha Mangsho• Alur Dam• Chola Dal

Breads

• LUCHI

• KHASTA LUCHI

• POROTHA

• DHAKAI POROTHA

• MUTTER KACHURI

• RADHABOLLOBBI

Snacks

• Cheere Bhaja• Jhal Moori• Aloo Chop• Mochar Chop• Deemer debil• Moa• Nimki• Shingara

SWEETS

PULI PITHE GOKUL PITHE

PATISHAPTA SANDESH

PANTUA ROSOGULLA

DORBESH

BeverageAAM PANNA HATH AMBOL