As we head towards almost the end of the season of “kancha aam”(raw mangoes), making anchar or sweet relish was something which was mandatorily done by my mother every year. Tart raw mangoes, cooked in jaggery, aromatized with Paanch phoron, a dollop of aamer anchar …
Begunis are a deliciously simple Bengali style fritter associated with monsoon season in the country. While begunis or eggplant dipped in chickpea flour batter or besan is the most popular way of making begunis, muger beguni is a special one. Thinly sliced eggplant coated in spiced mug …
As I have written many times earlier, dolmas are my favourite. The art of cooking the filled vegetable to perfection gives me a sense of achievement as a chef. So much so that I give away the minimum leisure time I get during the weekends …
Bhorta or Bharta comprises of combination of various mashed vegetables, proteins (eg. lentil, fish, meat) along with herbs, and lots of chilies. While the most common bhartas are aloor bharta, begun bharta, beet bata/bhorta, dhonepata bata/bhorta, lau r khosha bata, other non-vegetarian versions on my …
Morog/ chicken cooked with semi ripe sweet and sour pineapple- an East Bengal preparation.  It is a Sylheti speciality. Sylhet uses a lot of pineapple and citruses in it’s food, and in most creative ways owing to its topography. Of some of these citrus dishes, …
Fish fingers on a rainy winter evening, with a cup of steaming tea, sounds perfect, isn’t it? The weather prediction here says that it is going to rain heavily for the entire week. As I saw the weather report, there was no counter thought on …
Rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, this tropical fruit helps improve immunity, reduce inflammation, and promote eye and heart health. Custard apple, also known as ata in Bengali and sitaphal in Hindi is loaded with antioxidants. Atar payesh is an age old preparation of Bengali …
Dalpuri, once treasured by bongs has become a little rare these days in Bengali kitchens. Dalpuri or Dal Puri has its roots in the cuisine of undivided Bengal during British Raj when Bihar, Bengal and Bangladesh formed a single State . While Bihari Daal puri …
Moringa leaves/sojne pata/ drumstick leaves, loaded with vitamins (A, B1, B2, B3, and C) and minerals(Magnesium, Iron Calcium, Phosphorus, and Zinc) are nutritionally very rich, leaving behind carrots, oranges, and even milk. Their antioxidant properties are known to boost the immune system. The leaves find …
I wake up with rattling of utensils. Oh, maa is cleaning the kitchen. It is saturday today and she has been following this ritual for years now.Our kitchen is cooked thoroughly each Saturday before she begins her cooking. Oh No! Aaj to Niramish I remember. …