BENGALI CUISINE

Bengali cuisine is a style of food preparation originating in Bengal, a region in the eastern South
Asia which is now divided between the Indian state of West Bengal and the independent country
of Bangladesh. With an emphasis on fish and lentils served with rice as a staple diet, Bengali
cuisine is known for its subtle flavours, its confectioneries and desserts, and has perhaps the only
multi-course tradition from India that is analogous with the likes of French and Italian cuisine in
structure.
Traditional Bengali cuisine
The traditional society of Bengal has always been heavily agrarian; hunting, except by some
local clans men, was uncommon. However, cattle rearing have been common as reflected in use
of milk primarily for sweets and desserts. Also, as one would assume, general food at home is
different from that served during functions and festivals and again very different from what
might be served a larger gathering (e.g. a marriage feast).
An abundant land provides for an abundant table. The nature and variety of dishes found in
Bengali cooking are unique even in India. Fish cookery is one of its better-known features and
distinguishes it from the cooking of the landlocked regions. Bengal's countless rivers, ponds and
lakes teem with many kinds of freshwater fish that closely resemble catfish, bass, shad or mullet.
Bengalis prepare fish in innumerable ways - steamed or braised, or stewed with greens or other
vegetables and with sauces that are mustard based or thickened with poppy seeds.
Bengalis also excel in the cooking of vegetables. They prepare a variety of the imaginative
dishes using the many types of vegetables that grow here year round. They can make ambrosial
dishes out of the oftentimes rejected peels, stalks and leaves of vegetables. They use fuel-
efficient methods, such as steaming fish or vegetables in a small covered bowl nestled at the top
of the rice cooker.
The use of spices for both fish and vegetable dishes is quite extensive and includes many
combinations not found in other parts of India. Examples are the onion-flavored kalonji
seeds,radhuni and five-spice or paanch phoron(a mixture of cumin, fennel, fenugreek, kalonji,
and black mustard). The trump card of Bengali cooking probably is the addition of this phoron, a
combination of whole spices, fried and added at the start or finish of cooking as a flavouring
special to each dish. Bengalis share a love of whole black mustard with South Indians, but the
use of freshly ground mustard paste is unique to Bengal as it is used to make fish curry gravy or
in the preparation of steamed fish. Mustard paste called Kasundi is an accompanying dipping
sauce popular in bengal.
Fish and meat
Fish is the dominant kind of meat, cultivated in ponds and fished with nets in the fresh-water
rivers of the Ganges delta. Almost every part of the fish (except fins and innards) is eaten; the
head and other parts are usually used to flavor curries. The head is often cooked with dal or with
cabbage.
More than forty types of mostly freshwater fish are common, including carp varieties like rui
(rohu), koi (climbing perch), the wriggling catfish family of tangra, magur, shingi and the pink-
bellied Indian butter fish, the pabda katla, magur (catfish), chingŗi (prawn or shrimp), as well as
shuţki (small dried sea fish). Chingri could be of varieties - kucho (varieties of shrimp), usual
(prawns), bagda (tiger prawns), and galda (Scampi).
 Shorshe Ilish, a dish of smoked hilsa with mustard seeds paste,
has been an important part of both Bangladeshi and Bengali
cuisine.
Salt water fish (not sea fish though) hilsa (hilsa ilisha) is very
popular among Bengalis, can be called an icon of Bengali
cuisine. Ilish machh (hilsa fish), which migrates upstream to
breed is a delicacy; the varied salt content at different stages of
the journey is of particular interest to the connoisseur, as is the
river from which the fish comes - fish from the river Pôdda
(Padma or Lower Ganges) in Bangladesh, for example, is
traditionally considered the best. To some part of the community,
particularly from West Bengal, Gangatic Ilish is considered as
the best variety.

Fried Rohu served in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

There are numerous ways of cooking fish depending on the
texture, size, fat content and the bones. It could be fried,
cooked in roasted, a simple spicy tomato based gravy (jhol),
or mustard based with green chillies (shorshe batar jhaal),
with posto, with seasonal vegetables, steamed, steamed
inside of plantain leaves, cooked with doi (curd/yogurt), with
sour sauce, with sweet sauce or even the fish made to taste
sweet on one side, and savory on the other. Ilish is said be
cooked in 108 distinct ways
Chicken is a late entrant into Bengali cuisine relative to
mutton. Khashi, the meat of younger goats, is preferred.
Vegetables
The variety of fruits and vegetables that Bengal has to offer is incredible. A host of gourds, roots
and tubers, leafy greens, succulent stalks, lemons and limes, green and purple eggplants, red
onions, plantain, broad beans, okra, banana tree stems and flowers, green jackfruit and red
pumpkins are to be found in the markets or anaj bazaar as popularly called.
Cereals
Bengali people are primarily rice eaters, and the rainfall and soil in Bengal lends itself to rice
production as well. Many varieties of rice are produced from the long grain fragrant varieties to
small grain thick ones. Rice is semi-prepared in some cases when it is sold as par-boiled, or in
some cases as un-polished as well, still retaining the color of the husk. Rice is eaten in various
forms as well - puffed, beaten, boiled and fried depending on the meal. The first two are used
usually as snacks and the other as the main constituent in a meal. Lightly fermented rice is also
used as breakfast in rural and agrarian communities.
Luchi (circular deep fried un-leavened bread) or Parothha (usually triangular, multi-layered, pan
fried, un-leavened bread) are also used as the primary food item on the table. It is considered that
wheat based food came in from the north and is relatively new in advent. Both Luchi and
Parothha could have stuffed versions as well, and the stuffing could vary from dal, peas etc.
Pulses (or lentils) form another important ingredient of a meal. These dals vary from mushur đal
(red lentils), mug đal (mung beans), kadhaier dal, arhar dal' etc. and are used as an
accompaniment to rice.
Cooking medium and spices
Shorsher tel (mustard oil) is the primary cooking medium in Bengali cuisine although Badam tel
(groundnut oil) is also used, because of its high smoke point. Of late, use of sunflower oil,
soybean oil and refined vegetable oil, which is a mixture of soybean, kardi, and other edible
vegetable oils, is gaining prominence.This later group is popularly known as "sada tel", meaning
white oil, bringing out the contrast in color between the lightly-colored groundnut and the
somewhat darker mustard oil and the other white oils. However, depending on need ghee
(clarified butter) is often used .e.g. for making the dough or for frying bread.
mustard paste, holud (turmeric), posto poppyseed), aadaa (ginger), dhonia (coriander, seeds and
leaves) and narkel (ripe coconut usually desiccated) are other common ingredients. 'The pãch
phoron is a general purpose spice mixture comprising of radhuni (Carum roxburghianum seeds),
jeere (cumin), kaalo jeere (black cumin, also known as nigel), methi (fenugreek) and mauri
(anis). This mixture is more convenient for vegetarian dishes and fish preparations. In addition to
the specific flavour and taste obtained by these combinations, behind the recipes there has been a
solid knowledge of the medicinal properties known in the traditional system of aayurveda.
Bengal is also the land of aam (mangoes), which are used extensively — ripe, unripe, in
chutneys and pickles. Dried mangoes (unripe, known as aamchur and ripe, in form of aamsatta)
are much appreciated. The sweet drink made out of roasted green mangoes is a delicious antidote
against sunstroke.
A touch of gôrom môshla or hot spices (elach cardamom, darchini cinnamon, lôvongo clove, tej
pata bay leaves, and gol morich peppercorn) is often used to enliven food through taste and
aroma. Gôrom môshla is used either roughly broken or ground to different levels of fineness,
especially suitable for meat preparations.
Instruments and utensils
Another characteristic of Bengali food is the use of a unique cutting instrument, the bothi. (This
instrument is also used in Maharashtra, where it is known as vili and in Andhra Pradesh, known
as kathi peeta (kathi = knife and peeta = platform) ). It is a long curved blade on a platform held
down by foot; both hands are used to hold whatever is being cut and move it against the blade.
The method gives excellent control over the cutting process, and can be used to cut anything
from tiny shrimp to large pumpkins. Knives are rare in a traditional Bengali kitchen.
A korai (wok) is a universal cooking vessel for most Bengali food, for making sauces,
frying/stir-frying etc. Dekchi (a flat bottomed pan) is used generally for larger amounts of
cooking or for making rice. The dekchi comes with a thin flat lid which is used also to strain out
the starch while finishing up cooking rice. The other prominent cooking utensil is a haandi,
which is a round bottomed pot like vessel. All the three mentioned vessels come in various sizes
and in various metals and alloys.
Silverware, as expected, is not part of traditional Bengali cookery. A flat metal spatula, khonti is
used often, along with haatha (scoop with a long handle), jhaanjri (round shaped sieve like
spatula to deep fry food), the sharashi (pincers to remove vessels from the fire), the ghuntni
(wooden hand blender) for puréeing dal and the old wooden chaki belon (round pastry board and
rolling pin), sil nora (grinding stone) is also used.
Preparation and cutting
Bengali cuisine is rather particular in the way vegetables and meat (or fish) are prepared before
cooking. Some vegetables are used unpeeled, in some preparations fish is used un-skinned in
contrast as well. However, in most dishes vegetable are peeled, and fish scaled and skinned.
In many cases the main ingredients are lightly marinated with salt and turmeric (also an anti-
bacterial and anti-septic). Vegetables are to be cut in different ways for different preparations.
Dicing, Julienne, strips, scoops, slices, shreds are common and one type of cut vegetables can not
replace another style of cutting for a particular preparation. Any aberration is frowned upon.
Cooking styles
In East Bengal, now Bangladesh, the culinary style developed rather independently; it was not
greatly influenced by the rest of India and Southeast Asia because of the difficult geography of
the Ganges delta. Some characteristics stand out: fresh-water fish, beef (only for Muslims), the
extensive use of parboiled rice, and much spicier food (Some of the hottest dishes in the world).
Floods are common in the region, so there is an extensive use of root vegetables and dried fish
(shuţki). Milk and dairy products, so widely used in the neighboring India, are not as common
here; the geography prevents large scale breeding of cows, thus making dairy an expensive
indulgence. Notably, hardly any food calls for curd/yogurt or ghee. However, sweets do contain
milk and dairy products as well as jaggery and rice paste.
As you move eastwards, anthropologically the people become more and more different, and the
language takes a different tone and flavour all together. The far eastern parts are closer culturally
to Burma than to India. In western parts of Bengal, more connected with the rest of India and
dominated by the megacity of Kolkata since the late eighteenth century, the culinary style
evolved to become different. The delta is thinner there, with fewer rivers and more open plains.
There is significant commerce with the rest of India, leading to a flow of spices, ingredients and
techniques and more importantly culture. The presentations are more elaborate and a significant
feature of the cuisine is a vast array of sweets based on milk and sugar as part of tradition. While
fresh-water fish is still common, mutton is more common among the Muslim population than
beef and dried fish. Wheat makes its appearance alongside rice, in different types of breads such
as luchi, kochuri and pôroţa. For the former however, flour, not wheat is used. Mustard paste is
extensively used, and so is mustard oil. There's a greater use of coconut, both in cooking and in
desserts.
Prosperity and urbanization also led to the widespread use of professional cooks who introduced
complex spice mixtures and more elaborate sauces, along with techniques such as roasting or
braising. Also introduced around this time, probably as a consequence of increased urbanization,
was a whole new class of snack foods. These snack foods are most often consumed with evening
tea. The tea-time ritual was probably inspired by the British, but the snacks most popular are
Kolkata - chaţ, kachori,beguni,mochaar chop, samosa, phuluri and the ever-popular jhal-muri.
Puchka is the ever popular street food.
Common Bengali Cooking Styles
AUMBOL : A sour dish made either with several vegetables or with fish, the sourness being
produced by the addition of tamarind pulp. BHAJA : Anything fried, either by itself or in batter.
BHAAPA : Fish or vegetables steamed with oil and spices. A classic steaming technique is to
wrap the fish in banana leaf to give it a faint musky, smoky scent.
BHORTA : Any vegetable, such as potatoes, beans, pumpkins or even dal, first boiled whole and
then mashed and seasoned with mustard oil or ghee and spices.
BHUNA : A term of Urdu origin, meaning fried for a long time with ground and whole spices
over high heat. Usually applied to meat.
CHACHCHARI : Usually a vegetable dish with one or more varieties of vegetables cut into
longish strips, sometimes with the stalks of leafy greens added, all lightly seasoned with spices
like mustard or poppy seeds and flavoured with a phoron. The skin and bone of large fish like
bhetki (Red snapper (fish)) or chitol can be made into a chachchari called kanta-chachchari,
kanta, meaning fish-bone.
CHHYANCHRA : A combination dish made with different vegetables, portions of fish head and
fish oil (entrails).
CHHENCHKI : Tiny pieces of one or more vegetable - or, sometimes even the peels (of
potatoes, lau, pumpkin or patol for example) - usually flavored with panch-phoron, whole
mustard seeds or kala jeera. Chopped onion and garlic can also be used, but hardly any ground
spices.
DAALNA : Mixed vegetables or eggs, cooked in a medium thick gravy seasoned with ground
spices, especially garom mashla and a touch of ghee.
DOM : Vegetables, especially potatoes, or meat, cooked over a covered pot slowly over a low
heat.
GHONTO : Different complementary vegetables (e.g., cabbage, green peas, potatoes or banana
blossom, coconut, chickpeas) are chopped or finely grated and cooked with both a phoron and
ground spices. Dried pellets of dal (boris) are often added to the ghanto. Ghee is commonly
added at the end. Non-vegetarian ghantos are also made, with fish or fish heads added to
vegetables. The famous murighanto is made with fish heads cooked in a fine variety of rice.
Some ghantos are very dry while others a thick and juicy.
JHAAL : Literally, hot. A great favorite in West Bengali households, this is made with fish or
shrimp or crab, first lightly fried and then cooked in a light sauce of ground red chilli or ground
mustard and a flavoring of panch-phoron or kala jeera. Being dryish it is often eaten with a little
bit of dal pored over the rice.
JHOL : A light fish or vegetable stew seasoned with ground spices like ginger, cumin, coriander,
chilli and turmeric with pieces of fish and longitudinal slices of vegetables floating in it. The
gravy is thin yet extremely flavorful. Whole green chillies are usually added at the end and green
coriander leaves are used to season for extra taste.
KAALIA : A very rich preparation of fish, meat or vegetables using a lot of oil and ghee with a
sauce usually based on ground ginger and onion paste and garom mashla.
KOFTA (or Boras) : Ground meat or vegetable croquettes bound together by spices and/or eggs
served alone or in savory gravy.
KORMA : Another term of Urdu origin, meaning meat or chicken cooked in a mild yoghurt
based sauce with ghee instead of oil.
PODA : Literally, burnt. Vegetables are wrapped in leaves and roasted over a wood or charcoal
fire. Some, like eggplants (brinjals/aubergines), are put directly over the flames. Before eating
the roasted vegetable is mixed with oil and spices.
TORKAARI : A general term often used in Bengal the way `curry' is used in English. Originally
from Persian, the word first meant uncooked garden vegetables. From this it was a natural
extension to mean cooked vegetables or even fish and vegetables cooked together.
Culinary Influences
Bengali food today has some broad (though not so distinct) variations - Traditional, Mughal,
Anglo-Indian and Chinese.
Mughal influence
Islam arrived in Bengal probably around the mid-thirteenth century, coming into force with the
penetration of the Muslim rulers from the northwest. Dhaka (the present-day capital of
Bangladesh), in particular, expanded greatly under Mughal rule. The partition of India in 1947
resulted in a large migration of people to and from present-day Bangladesh, resulting in a much
stronger divide along religious lines. Bangladesh today shows a much greater Muslim influence
than West Bengal.
The influence on the food was top-down, and more gradual than in many other parts of India.
This led to a unique cuisine where even the common man ate the dishes of the royal court, such
as biryani, korma and bhuna. The influence was reinforced in the Raj[disambiguation needed] era, when
Kolkata became the place of refuge for many prominent exiled Nawabs, especially the family of
Tipu Sultan from Mysore and Wajid Ali Shah, the ousted Nawab of Awadh. The exiles brought
with them hundreds of cooks and masalchis (spice mixers), and as their royal patronage and
wealth diminished, they interspersed into the local population. These highly accomplished cooks
came with the knowledge of a very wide range of spices (most notably jafran saffron and mace),
the extensive use of ghee as a method of cooking, and special ways of marinating meats.
In Bangladesh, this food has over time become the staple food of the populace. In West Bengal,
however, this has remained more than the other categories, the food of professional chefs; the
best examples are still available at restaurants. Specialties include chap (ribs slow cooked on a
tawa), rezala (meat in a thin yogurt and cardamom gravy) and the famous kathi roll (kebabs in a
wrap). The local population absorbed some of the ingredients and techniques into their daily
food, resulting in meat-based varieties of many traditional vegetarian dishes, but by and large the
foods remained distinct.
The Mughal influence is most distinct in preparations involving meat especially mutton.
However, even chicken and other meats became more prevalent. The influence was also seen in
desserts; traditional desserts were based on rice pastes and jaggery but under the Mughal
influence moved towards significantly increased use of milk, cream and sugar along with
expensive spices such as cardamom and saffron.
Chinese food
The Chinese of Kolkata originally settled into a village called Achipur south of Kolkata in the
late 18th century, later moving into the city and finally into its present home in Tangra at the
eastern edge of Kolkata, which still houses over 100,000 ethnic Chinese[citation needed]. The Chinese
of Kolkata form a substantial and successful community with a distinct identity. With this
identity came Chinese food, available at almost every street corner in Kolkata. They were mostly
Cantonese tradesmen and sailors, bringing with them monosodium glutamate and sweet corn.
The cuisine is characterized as much by what is missing - mushrooms, for instance, are not found
in Bengal - as by what is there, such as a far greater use of pork than any of the other cuisines. As
the Chinese opened restaurants for Bengalis, they spiced up the bland Cantonese sauces with
sliced chillies and hot sauces, creating unique dishes such as Chicken sweet corn soup, Chinese
fried rice, Chowmein (noodles), Chilli Chicken and Manchurian dishes.
Indian Chinese food was given a second boost when a large number of Tibetans migrated into
Indian Territory, when China annexed Tibet. Tibetans brought with them their own delicacies to
add to this genre, such as the very popular momo (a kind of dumpling) or thukpa (a hearty
noodle soup). Tibetans and Nepali immigrants also found ready employment in kitchens as
'Chinese' cooks because of their looks, and helped power the millions of eateries that serve this
unique fusion on every street in Kolkata.
Bangladesh also hosts a large number of Chinese restaurants. In Dhaka, the phrase Chai-niz
khaowa (literally 'to eat Chinese food') often simply means 'to eat out (at a restaurant)', as
Chinese cuisine was the first widely-available food in Dhaka eateries. As with Indian Chinese
food, Chinese food in Bangladesh has evolved much from its Cantonese roots, with greater usage
of chili, lemon and peanut than Indian Chinese and the use of other spices native to East Bengal.
Unlike Indian Chinese food, Bangladeshi Chinese food still retains the use of mushrooms and
although generally hotter, is much sweeter than its Indian counterparts.
The influence of this unique cuisine cannot be overstated; it's available in every town in India
and Bangladesh as Chinese food. Bengali immigrants to other countries have started carrying this
abroad as well; Indian Chinese restaurants have appeared in many places in the United States.
Bengali meals
The Bengalis are great food lovers and take pride in their cuisine. In fact so obsessed are they
about food, that the man of the house goes to the market daily to buy a fresh supply of fish which
is a must in their daily menu. The most common variety of fish that the Bengalis eat are the
Hilsa, Bekti, Rohu and among the shell fish the Prawns. The medium of cooking is mustard oil
which adds on its own pungency. Another very important item of Bengali cuisine is the variety
of sweets or mishti as they call them. Most of them are milk based and are prepared from chaana
(paneer as it is popularly known). The most popular among the Bengali sweets are the Rosogolla,
Sandesh, Pantua and Mishti Doi and these four sweets are a must at every wedding besides some
other sweets, which may vary as per individual choice. A meal, for the Bengali, is a ritual in
itself even if it only boiled rice and lentils (dal bhat), with of course a little fish. Bengalis, like
the French, spend not only the great deal of time thinking about the food but also on its
preparation and eating. Quips like “Bengalis live to eat” and “Bengalis spend most of their
income on food” are not exactly exaggerated. The early morning shopping for fresh vegetables,
fish etc. is the prerogative of the head of the family, even in affluent household, because he feels
that he alone can pick up the best at a bargain price. The Bengalis are very particular about the
way and the order in which the food should be served. Each dish is to be eaten separately with a
little rice so that the individual flavors can be enjoyed. The first item served may be a little ghee
which is poured over a small portion of rice and eaten with a pinch of salt. Then come the bitter
preparation, shukto, followed by lentils or dals, together with roasted or fried vegetables (bhaja
or bharta). Next come the vegetable dishes, the lightly spiced vegetables, chenchki, chokka,
followed by the most heavily spiced dalna, ghonto and those cooked with fish. Finally the
chicken or mutton, if this being served at all. Chaatni comes to clear the palate together with
crisp savory wafers, papor. Dessert is usually sweet yogurt (mishti doi). The meal is finally
concluded with the handing out of betel leaf (paan), which is considered to be an aid to digestion
and an astringent. Traditionally the people here eat seated on the floor, where individual pieces
of carpet, called asans, are spread for each person to sit on and the meal is served on a large gun-
metal or silver plate (thala) and the various items of food are placed in bowls (batis) around the
top of the thala, running from left to right. Rice is mounded and placed on the middle of the
thala, with a little salt, chilies and lime placed on the upper right hand corner. They eat with the
fingers of the right hand and strict etiquette is observed with regard to this. The typical Bengali
fare includes a certain sequence of food - somewhat like the courses of Western dining. Two
sequences are commonly followed, one for ceremonial dinners such as a wedding and the day-to-
day sequence. Both sequences have regional variations, and sometimes there are significant
differences in a particular course between West Bengal and Bangladesh.
At home, Bengalis traditionally ate without silverware: kaţa (forks), chamoch (spoons), and
chhuri (knives) gradually finding use on Bengali tables in urban areas. Most Bengalis eat with
their right hand, mashing small portions of meat and vegetable dishes with rice and in some
cases, lentils. In rural areas, Bengalis traditionally eat, sitting on the floor with a large banana or
plantain leaf serving as the plate or plates made from sal leaves sown together and dried.
The elaborate dining habits of the Bengalis were a reflection of the attention the Bengali
housewife paid to the kitchen. In modern times, thanks to Western influence, this is rarely
followed anymore. Courses are frequently skipped or combined with everyday meals. Meals
were usually served course by course to the diners by the youngest housewives, but increasing
influence of nuclear families and urbanization has replaced this. It is now common to place
everything on platters in the centre of the table, and each diner serves him/herself. Ceremonial
occasions such as weddings used to have elaborate serving rituals, but professional catering and
buffet-style dining is now commonplace. The traditions are far from dead, though; large family
occasions and the more lavish ceremonial feasts still make sure that these rituals are observed.
The slightly elaborate daily meal
The foods of a daily meal are usually simpler, geared to balanced nutrition and makes extensive
use of vegetables. The courses progress broadly from lighter to richer and heavier and goes
through various tastes and taste cleansers. Rice remains common throughout the meal and is the
main constituent of the meal, until the chaţni (chutney) course.
Starter
The starting course is a bitter. The bitter changes with the season but common ones are kôrolla or
uchhe(forms of bitter gourd) which are available nearly throughout the year, or tender nim leaves
in spring. Bitters are mostly deep fried in oil, or steamed with cubed potatoes. Portions are
usually very small - a spoonful or so to be had with rice - and this course is considered to be both
a palate-cleanser and of great medicinal value.
First course
Another bittersweet preparation usually eaten in summer, especially in West Bengal, is a thick
soupy mixture of vegetables in a ginger-mustard sauce, called shukto. This usually follows the
dry bitters, but sometimes replaces it, and is eaten in much bigger portions. Shukto is a complex
dish, a fine balance of many different kinds of tastes and textures and is often a critical measure
of a Bengali housewife's abilities in the kitchen. However, shukto is not popular in Bangladesh.
Shaak
This is followed by shaak (leafy vegetables) such as spinach, palong chard, methi fenugreek, or
amaranth. The shaak can be steamed or cooked in oil with other vegetables such as begun
(eggplant). Steamed shaak is sometimes accompanied by a sharp paste of mustard and raw
mango pulp called Kasundi.
Dal
The đal course is usually the most substantial course, especially in West Bengal. It is eaten with
a generous portion of rice and a number of accompaniments. Common accompaniments to đal
are aaloo bhaate (potatoes mashed with mustard oil), and bhaja (fritters). Bhaja literally means
'deep-fried'; most vegetables are good candidates but begun (aubergines), kumro (pumpkins), or
alu (potatoes) like french fries, or shredded and fried, uchhe, potol pointed gourdare common.
Machh bhaja (fried fish) is also common, especially rui (rohu) and ilish (hilsa) fishes. Bhaja is
sometimes coated in a beshon (chickpea flour) and posto (poppyseed) batter. A close cousin of
bhaja is bôra or deep-fried savoury balls usually made from posto (poppyseed) paste or coconut
mince. Another variant is fried pointed gourd as potoler dorma with roe stuffing.
Another accompaniment is a vegetable preparation usually made of multiple vegetables stewed
slowly together without any added water. Labra, chorchori, ghonto, or chanchra are all
traditional cooking styles. There also are a host of other preparations that do not come under any
of these categories and are simply called tôrkari - the word merely means 'vegetable' in Bengali.
Sometimes these preparations may have spare pieces of fish such as bits of the head or gills, or
spare portions of meat. A charchari is a vegetable dish that is cooked without stirring, just to the
point of charring.
Main course
The next course is the fish course. Common fish delicacies include machher jhol, tel koi, pabda
machher jhal, Doi machh, Chingri machh (shrimp) malai curry, and bhapa ilish (steamed hilsa).
Doi Maach Recipe: First the fish needs to be seasoned with salt and turmeric and then fried in
mustard oil. Then fry some grated onions, add ginger and garlic paste, cumin powder, coriander
powder, garam masala powder and termeric and saute. Add yogurt and salt and slow cook until
the spices blend to form a smooth mixture. Add fish and slow cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Serve hot
with steamed white rice.
Additional main course
Then comes the meat course. The divide among the Bengalis of Bangladesh and West Bengal is
most evident when it comes to the meat course. Meat is readily consumed in urban parts of
Bangladesh and some consider it the meal's main course. Khashi mutton or goat meat is
traditionally the meat of choice, especially West Bengal, but murgi chicken and đim eggs are
also commonly consumed. At the time of Partition, it was rare for caste Hindus to eat chicken or
even eggs from hens, choosing rather, duck eggs if eggs were to be consumed. Although it is
debatable as to whether chicken is more popular than khashi in West Bengal today, the
proliferation of poulty farms and hatcheries makes chicken the cheaper alternative. Beef is
popular in Bangladesh.
Chutney
Next comes the chutney course, which is typically tangy and sweet; the chutney is usually made
of am mangoes, tomatoes, anarôsh pineapple, tetul tamarind, pepe papaya, or just a combination
of fruits and dry fruits. The chutney is also the move towards the sweeter part of the meal and
acts also as a palate cleanser. In French cuisine, this would perhaps be replaced by a Sorbet.
Papoŗ(papadum), a type of wafer, thin and flaky, is often made of đal or potatoes or shabu
(tapioca) and is a usual accompaniment to the chutneys.
In Bangladesh, chutney is usually eaten during the đal course and no separate course is dedicated
to chutney.
Pickles
Raw mangoes are pickled in mustard oil and spices and tamarind pickles,which are usually tangy
& sweet are also had along with the dal course.
Desserts
The last item before the sweets is Doi or yoghurt.It is generally of two varieties, either natural
flavour and taste or Mishti Doi - sweet yoghurt, typically sweetened with charred sugar. This
brings about a brown colour and a distinct flavour. Like the fish or sweets mishti doi is typically
identified with Bengali cuisine.
In a daily meal it is likely that some of the courses might get missed, for instance the 'Shak',the
additional course, Chutney and Papor. In some cases, the dessert might be given a miss as well.
The courses overall are the same at home or at a social function (e.g. marriage fest). Rice, which
is the staple across the meal gets replaced by 'loochi'or 'radhaballavi' i.e., loochi stuffed with dal
or mashed green peas. Interesting thing to note is that the replacement is a relatively recent
phenomenon and has been seen in practice only from about early 20th century.
Mishţi (sweets)
Sweets occupy an important place in the diet of Bengalis and at their social ceremonies. It is an
ancient custom among Hindus to distribute sweets during festivities. The confectionery industry
has flourished because of its close association with social and religious ceremonies. Competition
and changing tastes have helped to create many new sweets, and today this industry has grown
within the country as well as all over the world.
The sweets of Bengal are generally made of sweetened cottage cheese (chhana), unlike the use
of khoa (reduced solidified milk) in Northern India. Additionally, flours of different cereals and
pulses are used as well. Some important sweets of Bengal are:
Shôndesh
Made from sweetened, finely ground fresh chhana (cottage cheese), shôndesh in all its variants is
among the most popular Bengali sweets. The basic shôndesh has been considerably enhanced by
the many famous confectioners of Bengal, and now a few hundred different varieties exist, from
the simple kachagolla to the complicated abar khabo, jôlbhôra or indrani. Another variant is the
kôrapak or hard mixture, which blends rice flour with the paneer to form a shell-like dough that
last much longer. Note that Shondesh is also the name of a sweet pancake-like snack eaten in
Bangladesh and West Bengal (where it is called malpua). What West Bengal call "shondesh" is a
type of halwa in Bangladesh. Shondesh also means "letter" in Hindi.
Rôshogolla
Rôshogolla
Rôshogolla is one of the most widely consumed sweets. The basic version
has many regional variations.
Pantua
Pantua is somewhat similar to the rôshogolla, except that the cottage cheese
balls are fried in either ghee (clarified butter) or oil until golden or deep
brown before being put in syrup. There are similar tasting, but differently
shaped versions of the Pantua e.g. Langcha (cylindrical) or Ledikeni. Interestingly, the latter was
created in honour of Countess Charlotte Canning (wife of the then Governor General to India
Charles Canning) by Bhim Nag, a renowned sweets maker in Kolkata.
Chômchôm (Porabarir chomchom) - Chômchôm (especially from
Porabari, Tangail District in Bangladesh) goes back about 150 years.
The modern version of this sweet was inspired by Raja Ramgore of
Ballia district in Uttar Pradesh in India. It was then further modernised
by his grandson, Matilal Gore. This oval-shaped sweet is reddish brown
in colour and it is of a denser texture than the rôshogolla. It can also be
preserved longer. Granules of maoa or dried milk can also be sprinkled over chômchôm.
Several varieties of yoghurts such as mishţi doi, custards, and rice pudding (khir or firni) are also
popular in both Bangladesh and West Bengal.
Shôndesh, chhanar jileepi, kalo jam, darbesh, raghobshai, paesh, nalengurer shôndesh, shor
bhaja, langcha and an innumerable variety are just a few examples of sweets in Bengali cuisine.
Piţha or pithe
In both Bangladesh and West Bengal, the tradition of making cakes, locally known as piţha, still
flourishes. They are usually made from rice or wheat flour mixed with sugar, jaggery, grated
coconut etc. Piţhas are usually enjoyed with the sweet syrups of khejurer gur (date tree
molasses). They're usually fried or steamed; the most common forms of these cakes include
bhapa piţha (steamed), pakan piţha (fried), and puli piţha (dumplings), among others. The other
common pithas are chandrapuli, gokul, pati sapta, chitai piţha, muger puli and dudh puli. The
Pati Sapta variety is basically a thin-layered rice-flour pancake turnover with a milk-custard
creme-filling. In urban areas of Bangladesh and West Bengal most restaurants hold Pitha-
festivals sometime during the winter months.
The celebration of the Piţha as a traditional sweet coincides with the Winter Harvest festival in
rural Bangladesh and West Bengal. The harvest is known as 'Nabanno' -- (literally 'new
sustenance') and calls for not only rare luxuries celebrating food and sweets but also other
popular and festive cultural activities like Public Dramas at night and Open Air Dance
Performances.
Snacks
Muŗi
Muŗi (puffed rice) is made by heating sand in a pot, and then throwing in grains of rice. The rice
can have been washed in brine to provide seasoning. The rice puffs up and is separated from the
sand by a strainer. Muŗi is very popular and is used in a wide variety of secular and religious
occasions, or even just munched plain.
A variant of muŗi is khoi, which is flattened puffed rice. Both varieties are used to make many
different snack foods.
Jhal-Muŗi
One of the most popular and iconic snack foods of Bengal, jhal literally means 'hot' or 'spicy'.
Jhal-muŗi is puffed rice with spices, vegetables and raw mustard oil. Depending on what is
added, there are many kinds of jhal-muŗi but the most common is a bhôrta made of chopped
onion, jira roasted ground cumin, bitnoon black salt lôngka / morich chilis (either kacha 'ripe' or
shukna 'dried'), mustard oil, and dhone pata (fresh coriander leaves).
Moya
A moya is made by taking muri with gur (jaggery) as a binder and forming it into a ball. Another
popular kind of moa is Joynagorer moya, a moya particularly made in Joynagor from a district
of West Bengal which uses khoi and a sugar-milk-spices mixture as binder.Moya is mainly
found during the winter season.
Glossary
Ambal: A sour dish made either with several vegetables or with fish, the sourness being produced
by the addition of tamarind pulp.
Biryani: Fragrant dish of long-grained aromatic rice combined with beef, mutton, or chicken and
a mixture of characteristic spices. Sometimes cooked in sealed containers (dum biriyani).
Bhaja or Bhaji: Anything fried, either by itself or in batter.
Bhapa: Fish or vegetables steamed with oil and spices. A classic steaming technique is to wrap
the fish in banana leaf to give it a faint musky, smoky scent.
Bhate: ('steamed with rice') any vegetable, such as potatoes, beans, pumpkins, or even dal, first
boiled whole and then mashed and seasoned with mustard oil or ghee and spices. Traditionally
the vegetables were placed on top of the rice; they steamed as the rice was being boiled.
Bhuna: A term of Urdu origin, and applies to meat cooked in spices for a long time without
water. The spices are slow-cooked in oil (bhunno). The spices first absorb the oil, and when fully
cooked release the oil again.
Bora: See Kofta
Chachchari: Usually a vegetable dish with one or more varieties of vegetables cut into longish
strips, sometimes with the stalks of leafy greens added, all lightly seasoned with spices like
mustard or poppy seeds and flavoured with a phoron. The skin and bone of large fish like bhetki
(Red snapper (fish)) or chitol can be made into a chachchari called kanta-chachchari, kanta,
meaning fish-bone.
Chhanchra: A combination dish made with different vegetables, portions of fish head and fish
oil (entrails).
Chechki: Tiny pieces of one or more vegetable - or, sometimes even the peels (of potatoes, lau,
pumpkin or patol for example) - usually flavored with panch phoron or whole mustard seeds or
kala jeera. Chopped onion and garlic can also be used, but hardly any ground spices.
Dalna: Mixed vegetables or eggs, cooked in medium thick gravy seasoned with ground spices,
especially garom mashla and a touch of ghee.
Dam or Dum: Vegetables (especially potatoes), meat or rice (biriyanis) cooked slowly in a sealed
pot over a low heat.
Ghonto: Different complementary vegetables (e.g., cabbage, green peas, potatoes or banana
blossom, coconut, chickpeas) are chopped or finely grated and cooked with both a phoron and
ground spices. Dried pellets of dal (boris) are often added to the ghanto. Ghee is commonly
added at the end. Non-vegetarian ghantos are also made, with fish or fish heads added to
vegetables. The famous murighanto is made with fish heads cooked in a fine variety of rice.
Some ghantos are very dry while others a thick and juicy.
Jhal: Literally, 'hot'. A great favorite in West Bengali households, this is made with fish or
shrimp or crab, first lightly fried and then cooked in a light sauce of ground red chilli or ground
mustard and a flavoring of pãch-phoron or kala jira. Being dryish it is often eaten with a little bit
of dal pored over the rice.
Jhol: A light fish or vegetable stew seasoned with ground spices like ginger, cumin, coriander,
chili, and turmeric with pieces of fish and longitudinal slices of vegetables floating in it. The
gravy is thin yet extremely flavorful. Whole green chilis are usually added at the end and green
coriander leaves are used to season for extra taste. This term is also used to refer to any type of
stew in meat, fish or vegetable dishes.
Kalia: A very rich preparation of fish, meat or vegetables using a lot of oil and ghee with a sauce
usually based on ground ginger and onion paste and garom mashla.
Khichuŗi: Rice mixed with Moong Dal or Masoor dal(kinds of lentil) and vegetables, and in
some cases, boiled or fried eggs. Usually cooked with spices and turmeric powder.
Kofta: Ground meat or vegetable croquettes bound together by spices and/or eggs served alone or
in savory gravy.
Korma: Another term of Urdu origin (literally 'braised with onions), meaning meat or chicken
cooked in a mild onion and yoghurt sauce with ghee.
Luchi: Small round unleavened bread fried in oil.
Pôroţa: Bread made from wheat flour and fried in the oven until golden-brown.
Paturi: Typically fish, seasoned with spices (usually shorshe) wrapped in banana leaves and
steamed or roasted over a charcoal fire.
Polau (See Pilaf): Fragrant dish of rice with ghee, spices and small pieces of vegetables. Long
grained aromatic rice is usually used, but some aromatic short grained versions such as Kalijira
or Gobindobhog may also be used.
Pora: The word literally means charred. Vegetables are wrapped in banana leaves and roasted
over a wood, charcoal or coal fire. Some vegetables with skin such as begun, are put directly on
the flame or coals. The roasted vegetable is then mixed with onions, oil and spices.
Ruţi: Unleavened bread made in a tawa and puffed over an open flame.
Tôrkari: A general term often used in Bengal the way `curry' is used in English (it is speculated
to be one of the origins of curry). Originally from Persian, the word first meant uncooked garden
vegetables. From this it was a natural extension to mean cooked vegetables or even fish and
vegetables cooked together.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengali_cuisine"
STAPLES METHODS
The range of different ways to cook fish in a Bengali home is phenomenal. The catch in fresh
waters is as innovative as that in the sea. The market is flooded at any time with all sizes and
shapes of carp, salmon, hilsa, bhekti, rui, magur, prawns and koi.You can fry the fish, curry it or
cunningly sauté it with curd. The possibilities are unlimited and all innovative cooks add a
special dash of magic to individual flavors.
Bengalis have a special seasoning called panchphoron, which includes five spices - mustard,
aniseed, fenugreek seed, cumin seed and black cumin seed. The garam masala is made up of
cloves, cinnamon, cumin and coriander seeds, mace, nutmeg, and big and small cardamoms.
Most of the typical Bengali mithais have their origin in traditional household kitchens. The most
famous of all Bengali mithais is the rasogolla, which is best eaten chilled. The trick of making a
successful rasogolla begins with using cow's milk for the cheese, draining out the excess whey
from the curdled milk and then mashing it to a buttery smoothness, before dropping the lumps
into the boiling syrup.
In the orthodox Bengali ranna bari (cookhouse), fish and vegetables were cooked over separate
fires, rice over another and meat, if cooked at all was done in a portable bucket fire outside the
kitchen. However, recipes that were once cooked there have now been adapted to emerge almost
perfect from the gas, electric and microwave ovens that are used today.
Among the cooking vessels, the karais (woks) in which most of the cooking and frying is done,
the tawa (griddle) on which rotis and parathas are made, the handi-a special large pot for cooking
rice and the handle less, rimmed, deep, flat-bottomed dekchi are all hallmarks of the Bengali
kitchen. Also indispensable are the hatha (ladle), the khunti (metal spatula), the jhanjri
(perforated spoon), the sharashi (pincers to remove vessels from the fire), the ghuntni (wooden
hand blender) for puréeing dal, the old wooden chaki belon (round pastry board and rolling pin),
the sil nora (grinding stone) and the boti, a unique cutting tool.
SPECIALITIES
Bengali cuisine does not start and end with fish, though it forms a large part of the Bengali's food
habits. Among varieties of the fish, the specialty of Calcutta is the hilsa fish. 'Smoked hilsa' and
machher jhol are quintessentially Calcutta. Bengalis also take pride in its luchi - a refined,
sophisticated form of puri.
The Bengalis are compulsive sweet lovers. Mention Bengal and one is immediately reminded of
the delicious sweets of the state-gulab jamuns, rasogolla, sondesh, chum chum and many more.
Made of milk and cottage cheese, these are light and delectable. No account of Bengali food is
complete without a eulogy to its sweet dahi or mishti doi as it is more popularly called. Poyodi-a
thick sweet curd that is colored a subtle pink and rich in texture is synonymous with the city of
Calcutta.
These Bengali sweets have come down the ages but the one Bengali sweet that is popular all
over the world is a relatively new creation. The rasogolla was invented by Nobin Chandra Das of
Calcutta accidentally. He mashed some leftover sondesh and put the roundels thus made into
syrup. He then offered it to those who came to his sweetshop who loved it and thus was born the
most famous Bengali sweet.
Of the local fast food, two very popular snacks are jhaal-mudi and phuchkaa (better known as
gol-gappas outside Bengal) sold by roadside vendors. Jhaal-mudi, a Calcutta specialty, consists
of puffed rice (mudi) spiced with lemon and coriander and mixed with peanuts, chopped onions,
and chili.
SPECIAL OCCASIONS
Potha Parban is a day given to feasting on homemade sweets, pancakes and puffed rice. Instead
of the daily fare of rice and fish curry, the rice harvest is made festive with the addition of
jaggery syrup, coconut candy and condiments, to create a variety of recipes for this day. Platefuls
of specialties are exchanged between neighbors, relatives and sent as gift hampers to in-laws
HOW TO EAT WHAT
Bengalis eat everything with their fingers, as they believe that nothing is better than one's own
sensitive fingers to pick out the bones of fish like Hilsa. The most important part of eating
Bengali food is eating each dish separately with a little bit of rice.The meal is very interesting as
the bitter vegetables are eaten first. Then comes dal (lentil) accompanied by fritters of fish and
vegetables. After this comes vegetable curry and it is followed by fish jhol (a thin stew) and
other fish preparations. Meat always follows fish and, after meat, chutney provides the refreshing
touch of tartness to make the tongue anticipate the sweet dish. At the end pan (betel leaf) is
served, which acts as a mouth freshener and aids digestion.
HOW BENGALI CUISINE DIFFERS FROM OTHER INDIAN CUISINES
An abundant land provides for an abundant table. The nature and variety of dishes found in
Bengali cooking are unique even in India. Fish cookery is one of its better-known features and
distinguishes it from the cooking of the landlocked regions. Bengal's countless rivers, ponds and
lakes teem with many kinds of freshwater fish that closely resemble catfish, bass, shad or mullet.
Bengalis prepare fish in innumerable ways - steamed or braised, or stewed with greens or other
vegetables and with sauces that are mustard based or thickened with poppy seeds. You will not
find these types of fish dishes elsewhere in India.
Bengalis also excel in the cooking of vegetables. They prepare a variety of the imaginative
dishes using the many types of vegetables that grow here year round. They can make ambrosial
dishes out of the oftentimes-rejected peels, stalks and leaves of vegetables. They use fuel-
efficient methods, such as steaming fish or vegetables in a small covered bowl nestled at the top
of the rice cooker.
The use of spices for both fish and vegetable dishes is quite extensive and includes many
combinations not found in other parts of India. Examples are the onion-flavored kalonji seeds
and five-spice (a mixture of cumin, fennel, fenugreek, kalonji, and black mustard). The trump
card of Bengali cooking probably is the addition of this phoran, a combination of whole spices,
fried and added at the start or finish of cooking as flavouring special to each dish. Bengalis share
a love of whole black mustard with South Indians, but the use of freshly ground mustard paste is
unique to Bengal.
All of India clamors for Bengali sweets. Although grains, beans and vegetables are used in
preparing many deserts, as in other regions, the most delicious varieties are dairy-based and
uniquely Bengali.
 BENGALI RESTAURANTS
Aaheli
Aaheli is situated in the hotel Peerless Inn, traditional Bengali delicatessen are served in
charming, traditional style and mother like care to bring you the refreshing experience.
Kewpies
Kewpies restaurant is very famous for its delicious thalis, they offer both vegetarian and non
vegetarian. They served food in a typical Bengali style on cut banana leaves. Reservations
essential. No credit cards.
BHOJOHORI MANNA-9/18 Ekdalia Road, Kolkata-19. Open: (11.30 A.M. - 10 P.M.)Tel:
24401933 AND 7A Marrquis Street, Kolkata-16. Open: (7 A.M - 11 P.M.) Tel: 22523493
OH! CALCUTTA-Forum, 4th Floor, 10/3 Elgin Road, Kolkata-20. Tel: 22837161
SURUCHI-89 Elliot Road, Kolkata-16. Open: (Weekdays : 10 A.M.- 4.45 P.M.) (Sunday: 10
A.M. - 2.45 P.M.) Tel: 22291763.
Other Bengali Restaurants are:

NAME STREET PIN PHONE DESCRIPTION

ANUBHAB 123/2H 84/2 A.P.C. Road 700006 65300289 Bengali. Indian.
(Beadon St crossing)
APANJON 50B, Sadananda Rd 700026 92316- Bengali fast food. Fish fry, Kabiraji,
61917 chicken pakora, egg devil etc.
ARADHANA 205 A.P.C. Road 700004 Bengali
BABU MASHAI Garia Main Road, Garia 700084 24369546 Bengali Speciality. Indian Mughlai.
Chinese. For 2 people: Rs.450
BHOOTER RAJA Patuli, EM Bypass Crossing, 700096 64164734 Bengali Speciality. Rs.100/person
DILO BAR
BHURI BHOJ 318, Kalikapur,East Kolkata 700107 65176077 Bengali Speciality.
Township
GHAROA 5/4E, Dumdum Road, 700030 25560026 Bengali Speciality.
Ghughudanga
GRIHINEE 14, Brindabon Bose Lane 700006 25557686 Bengali, Indian
HENSHEL 108A, A. P. C. Road 700009 23515827 Indian. Bengali speciality.
KASTURI 7/A, Mustaque Ahmed Street 700016 22523493 Indian. Bengali speciality.
(Marquis St)
PAKHWAN 533R, Lane 14, Anandapur 700078 24430067 Specialty - Bengali
( near Ruby General
Hospital)
PRINCE 17D & E, Mirza Galib Street 700016 22521432 Traditional Bengali dishes
(near Jamuna cinema hall)
RADHUNI 17D&E, Mirza Ghalib St 700016 22176465 Indian. Bengali dishes.
RESTAURANT
RANNAGHAR 2/9B,Sahidnagar, Dhakuria 700031 24052774 Bengali Speciality.
ROYAL BENGAL City Centre, A310,DC 700064 23583720 Bengali
ROOM 1,Sector I, Salt Lake
RUPASI BANGLA 1/1C, Muzaffar Ahmed 700016 32941401 Indian. Bengali speciality.
Street
SHOLO AANA GN 34/1, Ground floor, Sec 700091 9831119931 Bengali Indian
V, Salt Lake City
SURUCHI 2 James Hickey , Esplanade 700016 22485509 Bengali specialty food
SUTANOTI 620, Behala Small Scale 700034 4687933 Bengali
Industrial Estate , D H Ro
TERO PARBAN 49C Purnadas Rd 700029 24632016 Bengali.
THE BAY OF 6, Dr Satyananda Roy Rd 700029 24658973 Bengali dishes.
BENGAL (close to Menoka cinema)

TRANSLATION TABLE FOR INGREDIENTS

BENGALI HINDI ENGLISH

chhana paneer cottage cheese

doi dahi yogurt
ghee ghee clarified butter
MILK PRODUCTS
ghole lassi yogurt drink
khoa/kheer khoya thickened milk
payesh kheer rice pudding

atta atta whole wheat flour

bhaat chawal cooked rice
chaler guro chawal atta rice flour
chirey chura, poha flattened or beaten rice
CEREALS moida maida wheat flour
moori moori puffed rice
sewai sewai vermicelli
siddha chaal ushna chawal parboiled rice
sooji sooji semolina

LENTILS arhar dal toor/toovar dal split pigeon peas

besan besan chickpea flour
bori bori small sundried cones of lentil paste
kabuli chhola kabuli chana chick peas
chholar dal chana dal bengal gram
kalai/biuli dal urad dal black gram
matar dal matar dal dried peas
munger dal moong dal moong beans or green gram
musurir dal masoor dal red lentil
 papar papad poppadum

alu alu potato

bandha kopi bund gobi cabbage
begoon baigan brinjal/aubergine/eggplant
enchor kancha kanthal green jackfruit
gajar gajar carrot
jhingey torai ridged gourd
kanch kala kacha kela green banana/plantain
khosha chhilke peels, scrapings
kochu ghuiyan taro/arum root
korola,
karela bitter gourd/melon
ucchey
kumro kaddu red pumpkin
lau lauki white/bottle gourd
V
matarshuti hara matar green peas
E
G mocha kele-ka-phool banana blossom/spadex
E moolo mooli daikon/horse radish
T neem pata neem patti margosa leaves
A ole ole elephant yam
B
paan paan betle leaf
L
E palang saag palak spinach
S phulkopi gobi cauliflower
piaj piaz onion
piaj koli piaz patti spring onion shoots
potol parval/palwal pointed gourd
ranga alu shakarkhand sweet potato
saag saag leafy vegetables
salgam salgam turnip
shosha kheera cucumber
sheem seem broad bean
sorshey saag sarso-ki-saag mustard greens
thor kele-ki-tana white pith of banana plant stem

FRUIT and NUTS aam aam mango

anaras ananas pineapple
caju caju cashew
chine badam mung phali peanut
kala kela banana
kamala lebu santra orange
kancha aam keri/kacha aam unripe/green mango
kanthal kathal jackfruit
 kishmish kismis raisin
kool ber Indian plum
lebu nimbu lemon
narkel nariyal coconut
pepey papita papaya [ripe=fruit, unripe=veg]
pesta pista pistachio
peyara amrood guava
tentul imli tamarind

bhetki bhetki machchi beckti

chingri jhinga prawns/shrimp
gurjali ravas Indian salmon
ilish hilsa machchi hilsa
kankra kakkra crab
koi - climbing perch
maachh machchi fish
maachher machchi-ka-
roe
FISH dim anda
magur,
magur, singhi,
shinghi, cat fish
tangra
tangra
pabda pupta Indian butter fish
parshey boi mullet
rui, mrigel, rohu, mirgel,
carp, buffalo fish
katla katla
shole shole murrel
topshey topsi mango fish

bherar
bheri mutton
mangsho
chaap chaap rib chop
dim anda egg
gorur
gai-ka-gosht beef
mangsho
hansh batak duck
MEAT and POULTRY
keema keema mince/ground meat
khashi khashi fattened castrated goat
mangsho gosht meat
murgi murgh chicken
pantha bakri goat
suwarer
suwar-ka-gosht pork
mangsho
 kochuri kachori fried wheat pastry with seasoned filling
luchi luchi puffed fried fllour bread
BREADS porota paratha thick crispy bread grilled in ghee
pau ruti pau roti loaf bread
ruti chapati unleavened whole wheat flour bread

ada adrak ginger

boro elach bara elaichi black cardamon
daruchini dalchini cinamon
dhoney dhania coriander seeds
dhoney patta dhania patta cilantro/coriander leaves
(choto) elach elaichi green cardamon
cloves, cinamon, cardamons (and black
garam mashla garam masala
pepper for the rest of India but not Bengal)
gol morich kala mirch black pepper
halud haldi turmeric
S
hing hing asafoetida
P
I jaffran zaffran saffron
C jaiphal jaiphal nutmeg
E jaitri javitri mace
S (sada) jeera jeera cumin
and
jowan,
S jwain carom seeds
randhuni
E
A kala jeera kalonji nigella
S kancha lanka hara mirich green chilli
O kari pata kari patta curry leaves
N labongo lavang cloves
I
mashla masale spices
N
G mauri saunf aniseed/fennel
methi methi dana fenugreek seeds
noon, laban namak salt
five spice: aniseed, cumin, fenugreek,
panch phoron panch phoran
mustard and nigella
postho khus khus poppy seeds
pudina pata pudina patti mint leaves
rasoon lasoon garlic
rai sorsey rai sarson mustard seeds
sukha lal
shukno lanka red dried chilli
mirich
tej pata tej patta bay leaf
til til sesame seed