Bengal is presently decked up in glittering lights in preparation for the most important festival, Durga Puja. Despite the fact that the celebrations have been somewhat reduced this year due to the ongoing pandemic, the 5-day festival is still being celebrated with tremendous grandeur and splendour.
Throughout the city, several puja committees have greeted Devi Durga with beautiful themes adorning the pandals. Jubilant crowds, friends reconnecting, and all-night pandal hopping are just a few ways to describe this massive festival. The finest part of Durga Puja, though, is undoubtedly the delicious dishes that are served.
We've selected the ideal gastronomic journey through a traditional Bengali cuisine, and we guarantee that these delicacies will blow your mind.
This year, Durga Puja is celebrated from October 11 (Shashthi) to October 15(Vijaya Dashami). Here we are presenting you 5 unusual delicious Bengali dishes which you might not be aware of:
Kumro Pata Chingri Bora (Pumpkin Leaf Wrapped Shrimp Fritters)
This crispy starter, which has been cooked in Bengali households for decades, is perfect for snacking.
Recipe
Paste the shrimp with turmeric and salt. Mash the coconut paste and green chili paste properly. Heat some oil then add the kala jeera (kalonji) and shrimp mixture. Add salt and sugar to taste. The filling is done. Blanch a few pumpkin leaves, then add the shrimp mixture and wrap it tightly with a toothpick. Then just deep fried the bora to complete your crispy Bengali delicacy!
Potol Dudh (Milk Parwal)
This thick and creamy dish is a must-have if you want to try something different type of taste.
Recipe
Peel the parwals well and slit both ends. Heat some oil in a pan and add a bay leaf and jeera. Stir in the cumin and coriander paste and sugar, until the mixture is light brown. Then add the ginger paste, turmeric, and a little water. Add the parwal and red chilli paste, followed by the boiling milk. Add salt accordingly. Cook until the veggies are soft. Then serve it with ghee.
Kasundi Fish
A Bengali's love for fish is infinite, like the stars in the sky. This unique dish is here to prove why.
Recipe
First, cook the fish pieces (bhetki, rui, or basa are good choices) till light brown. Warm the mustard oil and add the finely chopped chillies. Prepare a ginger garlic paste with high garlic content. Now comes the difficult part. For 5 pieces of fish, use 3 tbsp Kasundi (Bengali mustard sauce). Mix in some chaat masala and a pinch of garam masala.
Cook the fried fish in the sauce until the fish is tender. Garnish with lime juice and coriander leaves.
Chicken Malai Curry
You may have heard of Prawn Malai Curry. Here's the chicken version of this popular dish.
Recipe
Begin by finely chopping some onions and pasting some almonds, green chilies, and garlic. Cut the chicken into small pieces. Then, heat a pan with little ghee and cook the onions until brown. Then add the water, sugar, and almond-chili-garlic paste. Mix chopped tomatoes, chicken, and salt accordingly. Then, once the mixture has been stir-fried, add the coconut milk. Cover for a few minutes after adding the ghee and garam masala. Serve it hot with a dollop of ghee.
Plastic Chutney
Wrap your dinner with this unusual dessert that is sure to stimulate your taste buds.
Recipe
Slice up raw papaya very thinly (the thinner, the better the consistency). Begin by preparing a sugar mixture (chasni). Add the slices and a sprinkle of salt to the mixture. After 10 minutes of boiling, the papaya slices will be translucent. Boil for another 2 minutes after adding the cashews and kismis.
At the end of your meal, indulge in the sugary goodness. When cold, it tastes finest.
Shubho Sharodiya!
