15 Signature Recipes From the Bengali Cuisine

Most people may associate Bengali cuisine with maach (fish) and bhaat (rice). Though Bengalis do share a close bond with these two foods, the Bengali cuisine is quite rich and varied and has a lot to offer to food enthusiasts. It is like a delight for food-lovers with so many scrumptious dishes to savour and relish. From mouth-watering snacks to yummy sweet dishes, the Bengali cuisine presents a great range of flavours and essences. There is a hint of European influence as well seen in foods like cutlets and chops.

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Bengali cuisine is a beautiful assortment of spicy and sweet flavours. The seasoning plays a key role in giving the simplest of the meals an exquisite twist. The ‘panch phoron’ is generously used while preparing most of the dishes. It is a blend of five spices- nigella, fenugreek, cumin, mustard seed and aniseed. Some common Bengali food recipes that you may love sampling can be:

1. Luchi

A Traditional Bengali breakfast may be incomplete without deep-fried, fluffy luchis. They have a lovely golden texture and go well with both dry vegetables and gravies.

Ingredients

• 200 grams maida (refined flour)
• 20 grams kalonji (black onion seed)
• Salt to taste
• 500 grams desi ghee
• Oil for frying

Total Cook Time

• About 15 minutes

Servings

• Two

How to Prepare

• Mix the flour, kalonji and salt well.
• Add the ghee and knead the mix into a dough.
• Divide the dough into little balls. Now, roll each one of them and deep fry them.

2. Dimer Dhokkar Dalna

This is a Bengali non-veg recipe which consists of potato cakes and steamed eggs.

Ingredients

• Seven eggs
• 300 grams of potatoes (boiled)
• 10 grams of ginger(chopped)
• 10 grams red chilli powder
• 10 grams turmeric powder
• 10 grams cumin powder
• 30 grams garam masala powder
• 10 grams coriander powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Green chillies (chopped)
• Oil for greasing

For Curry

• 10 grams panch phoran
• Four liters chicken stock
• 150 grams onion paste
• 10 grams ginger-garlic paste
• 50 grams tomato puree
• 10 grams turmeric powder
• 10 grams red chilli powder
• 10 grams of sugar
• 10 grams coriander powder
• 10 grams cumin powder
• 20 grams garam masala
• 50 grams curd
• Salt to taste
• Mustard oil for cooking and frying

Total Cook Time

• About an hour

Servings

• Two

How to Prepare

• Grate the boiled potatoes and add beaten eggs to it.
• Add all the powdered spices and mix well.
• Grease a baking dish and transfer the mixture into it.
• Steam for about 20 minutes. Upon cooling, cut into preferred shape.
• Deep fry the pieces and keep aside.
• To prepare the curry, take a pan and place it on medium heat.
• Add panch phoran, onion paste, ginger-garlic paste and temper it.
• Next, add the tomato puree, spices, salt, sugar and cook for a few minutes.
• Pour the chicken stock and reduce the flame.
• Add the fried pieces and allow the mix to simmer for a while or until it becomes soft and juicy.
• Garnish with coriander before serving.

3. Prawn Malai Curry

Traditional Bengali recipes may include this tasty prawn curry. Prawns are laced with palatable spices and creamy coconut milk and served with rice.

Ingredients

• 400 grams prawns
• Half a tablespoon cumin seed
• Two tablespoons ginger paste
• A teaspoon of red chilli powder
• A teaspoon of turmeric powder
• A teaspoon garam masala
• Two teaspoons cumin powder
• Salt to taste
• Two teaspoons sugar
• 1 ¼ cup of coconut milk
• Two teaspoons ghee
• Mustard oil

Total Cook Time

• About 30 minutes

Servings

• Four

How to Prepare

• Wash out the prawns in some turmeric water.
• Heat little mustard oil in a non-stick pan and add whole cumin, ginger paste.
• Temper for 2 minutes and add cumin powder, red chilli powder, sugar, turmeric powder.
• Next, add the prawns and mix well.
• Pour the coconut milk and allow the mix to simmer for a few minutes.
• Add salt, sprinkle garam masala and ghee on top before serving.

4. Bhapaa Aloo

This easy Bengali sabzi recipe makes use of baby potatoes tossed in delightful flavours and coconut paste. Simple yet fulfilling!

Ingredients

• 200 grams of baby potatoes
• Half a teaspoon panch phoron
• Two dry red chillies
• Half a teaspoon mustard paste
• A teaspoon of hung curd
• ¾ teaspoon coconut paste
• Dash of turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• Lime juice
• Mustard oil
• Two banana leaves

Total Cook Time

• About 45 minutes

Servings

• Four

How to Prepare

• Parboil the baby potatoes in salted water.
• Drain and put aside.
• Heat some oil in a pan and add red chillies, panch phoron.
• Sauté for 2 minutes until they splutter.
• Sprinkle over the potatoes.
• In a bowl, add the mustard paste, coconut paste, curd, turmeric powder, lime juice, salt and mix well
• Roll the potatoes in this mix.
• Place the potatoes in a steam utensil and cover them with banana leaves.
• Steam for 7 to 8 minutes.
• Serve hot.

5. Sorsebata Ilish Maach

This delectable fish recipe is one of the authentic Bengali fish recipes. Flavoured with a variety of spices, ilish maach is sure to be a winner at your dinner table when served with rice. You can also use it as a snacks recipe.

Ingredients

• 600 grams hilsa fish
• Two tablespoons mustard seeds
• Three teaspoons poppy seeds
• Four tablespoons ginger paste
• A tomato (finely chopped)
• A teaspoon of panch phoron
• A teaspoon of red chilli powder
• A teaspoon of turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• Five green chillies (slit)
• Mustard oil

Total Cook Time

• About 40 minutes

Servings

• Four

How to Prepare

• Coat the fish with turmeric and salt.
• Soak poppy and mustard seeds in little water and grind them to a fine paste.
• Add mustard oil to a pan and place it on medium flame.
• Add panch phoron, ginger paste, poppy-mustard paste and temper for a few minutes.
• Next, add red chilli powder and turmeric.
• Add the coated fish along with salt and green chillies.
• Put the diced tomatoes and cook on low heat for about 6 to 7 minutes.
• Serve with cooked rice.

6. Doi Maach

Doi Maach can be one of your go-to fish dishes to be served for friends and family.

Ingredients

• One kg rohu fish (washed and cut into pieces)

For Marinating

• ¾ teaspoon red chilli powder
• Half a teaspoon turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• Two teaspoons mustard oil

For Curry

• Four green cardamoms
• A bay leaf
• Four cloves
• Half an inch cassia cinnamon
• Half a teaspoon cumin seed
• Half a teaspoon turmeric powder
• A teaspoon red chilli powder
• Two teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
• An onion (fine paste)
• Half a kg curd
• Salt to taste
• Two tablespoons mustard oil

Total Cook Time

• About an hour

Servings

• Four

How to Prepare

• Into a bowl, add the ingredients mentioned under the marinating instructions.
• Mix them well and coat the fish pieces with it.
• Keep aside for about 15 minutes.
• In another bowl, whisk the curd and add red chilli powder and turmeric powder.
• Add mustard oil to a pan and place it on medium heat.
• Add the coated fish pieces and stir-fry them till each side turns golden brown.
• Remove the fish pieces and put aside.
• Use the same pan to temper. Add whole spices, cumin seeds, bay leaf and temper them for about 2 minutes.
• Add the onion paste, ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a couple of minutes.
• Next, pour the whisked curd and allow it to simmer for a while.
• Sprinkle salt and add the fried fish pieces.
• Lower the flame and cook for about 10 minutes.
• Garnish with coriander before serving.

7. Bengali Lamb Curry

You are sure to earn loads of compliments with this enjoyable dish. You can pair it with both rice and roti.

Ingredients

• Five lamb drumsticks
• A tablespoon thick yoghurt
• Two teaspoons red chilli powder
• Two teaspoons turmeric powder
• Three teaspoons castor sugar
• An onion (chopped)
• Three teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
• Six green chillies (chopped)
• Two teaspoons mustard seed (soaked and ground to a paste)
• Mustard oil
• Few almonds for garnishing

Total Cook Time

• About 1 hour and 30 minutes

Servings

• Four

How to Prepare

• Steep the lamb drumsticks with turmeric powder, yoghurt, castor sugar, red chilli powder, salt and mustard oil.
• Heat a little mustard oil in a big pan and add ginger-garlic paste and onions.
• Sauté for a few minutes.
• Next, add the lamb pieces, green chillies and some water.
• Let the mix simmer for a while.
• Add the mustard seed paste and cover the pan.
• Cook for about 20 minutes.
• Garnish with almonds before serving.

8. Baigun Bhajja

Baigun bhajja is one of the tempting Bengali vegetarian recipes in which pan-fried eggplants sizzle with aromatic spices.

Ingredients

• Three eggplants (large)
• Two teaspoons red chilli powder
• A tablespoon of ginger-garlic paste
• A teaspoon turmeric powder
• A teaspoon coriander powder
• A teaspoon garam masala powder
• Two onions (chopped)
• Salt to taste
• Lemon juice
• A cup of mustard oil
• Fresh coriander leaves
• Four green chillies (chopped)

Total Cook Time

• About 50 minutes

Servings

• Four

How to Prepare

• Slice two eggplants into half-inch sized pieces and coat them well with a mix of red chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, lemon juice and salt.
• Roast the residual eggplant on low flame till it gets cooked.
• Peel the skin and chop it into pieces.
• Add chopped onions, fresh coriander, green chillies, salt.
• Heat mustard oil in a pan and stir-fry the coated eggplants till they turn light brown on each side.
• Serve them hot with roasted eggplant.

9. Bengali Chana Dal

This healthy dish is laced with delectable spices and is nutritious when served with rice or roti. This is a much-loved lunch recipe.

Ingredients

• A cup chana dal
• Half a cup chopped coconut
• A teaspoon of ghee
• A bay leaf
• A clove
• Half an inch cinnamon stick
• Half a teaspoon turmeric
• Salt to taste
• A dash of sugar
• Two cups of water

For Tadka

• A teaspoon cumin seed
• Two bay leaves
• Two cloves
• Half an inch cinnamon stick
• Four cardamom
• A teaspoon ghee
• Two whole red chillis

Total Cook Time

• About 35 minutes

Servings

• Two

How to Prepare

• Soak chana dal in a little water for around 10 minutes.
• Add some ghee to a pan and place it on medium heat.
• Add chopped coconut and fry till they turn golden brown.
• Pressure cook the chana dal after adding clove, cinnamon, bay leaf, turmeric, salt, sugar, fried coconut and water.
• To prepare tadka, heat ghee in a small pan.
• Add bay leaves, cloves, cumin seeds, cardamom, cinnamon and whole red chilli.
• Sauté them for about 2 minutes.
• Sprinkle it on the cooked dal and mix well.
• Garnish with chopped coconut.

10. Bengali Chicken Kosha

This is one of the Bengali chicken recipes that is not only easy-to-cook but also very flavoursome.

Ingredients

• 1000 grams of chicken
• 300 grams chopped onions
• 50 grams ginger-garlic paste
• Three tomatoes (chopped)
• Four green chillies(chopped)
• A teaspoon cumin seeds
• A teaspoon coriander powder
• A teaspoon red chilli powder
• A teaspoon garam masala powder
• Two cups chicken stock
• Mustard oil
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves

Total Cook Time

• About 20 minutes

Servings

• Six

How to Prepare

• Boil the chicken in salt water for a few minutes.
• Heat mustard oil in a wok or pan and add the chopped onions.
• Sauté them till they turn light brown.
• Add the garlic-ginger paste, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, salt.
• Mix well and then add the tomatoes.
• Cook for two minutes and add the boiled chicken.
• Cover the pan and reduce the flame.
• Cook for about 10 minutes.
• Next, pour the chicken stock and allow it to simmer for a while.
• When gravy starts to thicken, add green chillies, fresh coriander leaves and garam masala.
• Serve hot with rice or parathas.

11. Chorchori

It is sure-shot a vegetarian’s delight with a fresh blend of vegetables like cauliflower, potato and brinjal.

Ingredients

• A cup of chopped potatoes
• Four baby brinjals (halved)
• A cup of chopped cauliflower
• A cup of chopped pumpkin
• Five pods of garlic
• Two teaspoon ginger paste
• Two green chillies
• Three bay leaves
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon jeera powder
• ¼ teaspoon coriander powder
• Two green chillies (slit)
• A teaspoon of panch phoron
• Salt and sugar to taste
• Mustard oil
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing

Total Cook Time

• About 30 minutes

Servings

• Three

How to Prepare

• Pound garlic and green chillies together.
• Add ginger paste, salt and mix well.
• Heat mustard oil in a pan and add bay leaf, ginger-garlic paste and panch phoron.
• Sauté for a few minutes.
• Add the potatoes and cook them for about 3 minutes.
• Next, add the cauliflower and salt.
• Sprinkle little water and cover the pan.
• Cook on low heat for about 4 minutes.
• Add the brinjals and pumpkin.
• Scatter coriander powder, turmeric, jeera powder.
• Give the mix a good toss and cook for around 5 minutes.
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves before serving.

12. Shukto

This famous Bengali ranna recipe enjoys the goodness of many vegetables, making it the ultimate nutritious dish.

Ingredients

• A drumstick
• Three bitter gourds
• A white radish
• An eggplant
• A raw banana
• A ridge gourd (tori)
• A potato
• 100 grams red pumpkin
• Half a teaspoon turmeric powder
• A tablespoon of clarified butter
• Sugar and salt to taste
• Mustard oil

For Tempering

• A bay leaf
• A dash of wild celery seeds (ajmod)
• Half a teaspoon mustard seeds

For Paste

• ¼ teaspoon ginger paste
• Two teaspoons mustard seeds
• Half a teaspoon radhuni seeds

Total Cook Time

• About 30 minutes

Servings

• Four

How to Prepare

• Slice all the vegetables lengthwise after washing them properly.
• Heat mustard oil in a wok or pan and fry the chopped vegetables one by one except drumstick, ridge gourd and red pumpkin.
• Remove from the pan and add bay leaf.
• When it starts sizzling, transfer all the vegetables in the pan again.
• Add ginger paste, turmeric powder, salt and mix well.
• In a blender, put mustard seeds and radhuni along with little water and make a smooth paste.
• Add this mustard-radhuni paste and cook for about 5 minutes.
• Pour a cup of water and cover the pan.
• Reduce the heat and let the vegetables simmer till they get cooked well.
• Add a bit of sugar and cook for about 5 minutes.
• Pour clarified butter and serve with steamed rice.

13. Sandesh

This Bengali sweet recipe is a great charmer with melt-in-the-mouth fresh cottage cheese.

Ingredients

• 150 grams of cottage cheese (paneer)
• Half a cup grated khoya
• Four crushed green cardamom
• A dash of saffron (kesar)
• Five tablespoons gur or sugar
• Six almonds (chopped)

Total Cook Time

• About 20 minutes

Servings

• Three

How to Prepare

• Combine the cottage cheese, sugar/gur and khoya.
• Knead well to get a smooth consistency. You can use a blender too.
• Add the green cardamom and set the mix in a layer of around half an inch thick.
• Refrigerate it till properly set.
• Cut into the desired shape and garnish with chopped almonds.

14. Patishapta

This gorgeous Bengali dessert is stuffed with mouth-watering jaggery and coconut filling.

Ingredients

• A cup maida (refined flour)
• ¼ cup of rice flour
• Half a cup sooji (semolina)
• Two cups of milk
• Oil

For the Filling

• Three cups grated coconut
• Two tablespoons jaggery
• Three green cardamoms

Total Cook Time

• About 25 minutes

Servings

• Six

How to Prepare

• To make the filling, place a pan on low heat and add jaggery and grated coconut.
• Add green cardamom and constantly stir the mix till it becomes sticky.
• Put aside to cool.
• To make patishapta, blend sooji, maida and rice flour in a bowl.
• Pour the milk and mix well.
• Keep the mixture aside for about half an hour.
• Heat a non-stick pan. Pour some oil.
• Put a thin coating of the milk mixture on the pan and spread it evenly with a big spoon.
• Place the filling lengthwise in the centre and lift the edges to roll the pancake.
• When it turns light brown, remove from pan and serve hot.
• You can also serve it cold.

15. Mishti Doi

Meethi dahi or mishti doi is a favourite dessert of many people for its refreshing taste and sweetness.

Ingredients

• A litre of full cream milk
• 300 grams of palm jaggery
• Two teaspoons of curd

Total Cook Time

• About 25 minutes

Servings

• Four

How to Prepare

• Boil the milk in a pan for about 10 minutes or till it reduces to ¼ of its quantity.
• Take another pan and place it on medium heat.
• Add jaggery and little water.
• Cook for about 4 minutes or till it melts completely.
• Pour the melted jaggery to the reduced milk and blend well.
• Cook for about 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add the curd.
• Allow it to set.
• Refrigerate and serve chilled.

The distinctive flavours that Bengali cuisine enjoys owing to the prevalent use of poppy seeds, mustard oil and turmeric along with warm spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg helps it to get the spotlight on it. And the sinful Bengali desserts are simply a class apart!

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