BENGALI CUISINE

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

The Bengal region lies in the low-lying Ganges-Brahmaputra River Delta or the Ganges Delta. The Ganges delta arises from the confluence of the river Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna Rivers and their tributaries.

In Bengal, the major cultivation is of Paddy.

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

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 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 have been great influences on the cuisine from the Nawabs, Chinese, Bruisers and Marwari.

The Nawabs or the Mughal ruled the state for a very long time and Mughalai 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 in the Bengal’s snacks and food tradition).

Baking, which was pretty unknown till 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 the Indian sub-continent is a community of immigrants and their descendant that emigrated from china to work at Chittagong and Calcutta Port. MSG and Corn Flour got influenced into Bengali-Chinese cuisine.

In west Bengal’s cuisine, small quantities of sugar are also added to differentiate it from Bangladesh’s cuisine.

There was also an influence of Widows on Bengali cuisine.

SEASONAL AVAILABILITY

The tropical climate of Bengal is conductive for the growth of many green vegetables and fruits. Availability of such unique ingredients has led to combinations of meat, fish and vegetables to produce many famous dishes.

Runner beans: these twin long beans are commonly used to make vegetable preparation. The dried bean from this is known as Lobhiya or the cowpea.

Snake gourd: as the name suggests, this vegetable resembles a snake. It is also commonly used in south India.

Oval gourd: a small spiny vegetable usually sliced and deep fried.

Red spinach: it is a red leafy vegetable usually sautéed in carom seeds and onion.

Banana flowers: the small flower inside the banana flower is cooked with poppy seed paste.

SPECIAL EQUIPMENTS

Some Tradiyional Equipments

BOTI (also called Dao in some dialects) is along curved blade on a platform held down by foot; both hands are used to hold the vegetable.

DEKCHI (a flat bottomed pan) I generally used for larger amounts of cooking or for making rice. It comes up with a thin flat lid.

KHUNTI (a flat metal spatula), is often used along with hata (scoop with a long handle).

JHANGRI is a round shaped sieve-like-spatula used to deep fry food.

SANRASHI are pincers to remove vessels from the fire.

GHUNTRI is a wooden hand blender for pureeing Dal.

SHIL-NORA is a rough form of a mortar and pestle or grinding stone.

KURUNI is a uni-tasker used to grate coconut.

BELUN-CHAKI is a round pasty board with a rolling pin.

STAPLE DIET

The staple food of Bengal is Fish and Rice. It can be cooked din many different and distinct manners. Fish is a part of even Brahmin-Bengalis. The most proffered form of meat in Bengal is mutton.

Vegetables like Jack Fruit, Bitter Gourd, Bottle Gourd, Saag, Banana tree stem and flower and whole lot of vegetable is liked.

Pulses like Masoor, Moong, Chana and Arhar are also liked.

SPECIALITY DISHES

AMBAL: a sour preparation made up with fish or with different vegetables. Tamarind pulp is added to get the desired sourness.

BHAJA: bhaja can be a Bengali version of north Indian pakoras. It is basically a common term for any preparation that is deep fried by it or batter fried.

BHAPA: the literal meaning of bhapa is steamed. It denotes a special cooking technique by which fish or vegetables are steamed. Bhapa Elish is a famous dish that is prepared by steaming Elish in a banana leaf.

CHACHARI: it is a crispy preparation mad with different vegetables cut into longish strips.

DALNA: it is a mixed vegetable or egg preparation with medium thick gravy. It is spiced with garam masalas and other spices.

GHANTO: this is a dry or semi-dry preparation made with finely chopped vegetables that are spice with “Panch Phoran”.

JHAL: the literal meaning of jhal is ‘hot’. It is made with is, shrimp or crab. First, the fish is fried and cooked in red chili and mustard based spicy and flavored with Panch Phoran.

JHOL: it is basically vegetable, fish or meat preparation with thin gravy. The gravy is finished with garam masalas powder and coriander leaves.

MISHTI DOI: it is synonymous with Bengal literally means sweet curd. It is among well known desserts.

TARKARI: it is a general term used for vegetable preparations. The Hindi version of Tarkari is ‘Sabzi’.