5 Delicious Bengali Recipes You Must Try

Bengali food is a combination of sweet and spicy flavour. In Bengali cuisine, the simplest of the dish gets an exquisite taste on adding different spices. In traditional Bengali recipe, spices are blend in 'sil pata' - stone grinder so that spices do not lose their aroma.

Here are 5 simple yet delicious Bengal recipes to try :

1. Bori diya lau torkori 

(Bottle gourd with lentil dumplings) 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cup chopped bottle gourd
• 1 potato cut in cube sized pieces (optional)
• 1 small tomato chopped
• 1/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1/2 tbsp  Panch phoron( a mixture of 5 different spices: cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds and nigella seeds)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• 2 tbsp oil (extra oil if required for frying lentil dumplingd)
• 12-15 dried cone shaped lentil dumplings(any)
• Salt to taste

For garnishing:- chopped coriander leaves

METHOD:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Fry sun dried lentil dumpling. Drain and keep aside. In the remaining oil add panch phoron. When crackling add ginger garlic paste.  Stir and add turmeric powder. Add chopped tomatoes. Fry till oil separates.
2. Now add chopped bottle gourd. Stir and fry. Cook till water absorbs.  Add cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and salt.cover the pan and cook till bottle gourd becomes soft and tender.  Add water if required.
3. Add fried lentil dumplings and garam masala. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Add coriander leaves and remove from heat.
4. Serve hot with rice.

2. Bhapa Ilish 

(Steamed Hilsa)

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 Pieces hilsa fish
• 2 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp grated coconut
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 tomato  chopped
• 2 green chillies
• 1 tbsp yogurt (curd)
• 2 tbsp mustard oil
• 1/2 tbsp turmeric
• salt to taste

METHOD:

1. Wash fish pieces and keep aside.
2. Soak yellow mustard seeds together with poppy seeds in a bowl in warm water for half an hour.
3. In a blender jar take yellow mustard seeds,  poppy seeds,  grated coconut,  green chillies,  chopped onions and chopped tomatoes.  Add 1/4 cup of water. Blend into a smooth paste.
4. In a bowl take out the smoothie.  Add yogurt (curd), turmeric and salt. Mix well.
5. Place fish pieces into the bowl one by one.
6. Close the lid or cover the bowl with aluminium foil.
7. In a pressure cooker add 2 cups of water.  Place the bowl inside the cooker carefully.
8. Close the lid and in medium heat cook for 2 whistles.
9. Remove from heat. Let the pressure releases and open the cooker itself.
10. Serve hot with steamed rice.

3. Posto Chicken 

(Chicken with poppy seeds) 

INGREDIENTS:

• 350 gms of chicken
• 2 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 big potato (optional)
• 2 onions finely chopped or grated
• 1 tomato finely chopped
• 1/3 tbsp turmeric powder
• 1/3 tbsp cumin powder
• 1/3 tbsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tbsp red chilli powder
• 1/3 tbsp garam masala
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 2 green cardamon
• 2-3 tbsp oil
• salt taste

METHOD:

1. Soak poppy seeds /posto /khus khus in lukewarm water for half an hour. Drain and make a fine paste. Keep aside.
2. Peel potato and make 4-5 pieces.
3. Cut chicken into pieces. Wash under  running water. Keep aside.
4. In a pan heat oil. Add cinnamon, cardamon and cloves. When crackling add ginger  garlic paste and chopped  onions.  Fry till translucent.
5. Add chopped tomatoes. Fry till oil separates.
6. Add chicken pieces. Fry for 2-3 minutes.
7. Add Potatoes and again fry for 5-10 minutes.
8. Add turmeric powder,  red chilli powder, cumin powder and coriander powder.
9. Mix well.  Again fry for some time until oil separates.
10. Add salt.
11. Now add poppy seeds' paste .  Mix well.
12. Add 2 cups of water. Then cover the lid.  Cook until potatoes and chicken pieces become soft. Add more water if required. Stir occasionally .
13. Cook until the gravy becomes thicker.
14. Add garam masala 5 minutes before removing from heat.
15. Serve hot.

4. Aam Kadundi 

(Mango and mustard sauce) 

INGREDIENTS:

• 5-6 garlic cloves 
• 4-5 green chilies 
• 1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds 
• 1 tbsp black mustard seeds
• 1 big raw mango 
• 1/2 cup mustard oil (or as required) 
•  2 tbsp vinegar 
• 1 tbsp salt 
• 1 tbsp sugar 

METHOD:

1. Peel the garlic cloves and wash under running water. Wash green chillies under running water. 
2. wash yellow mustard seeds and black mustard seeds under running water and let it dry under sun for 3-4 hours,  together with garlic cloves and green chillies.
3. Peel and wash raw mango.  Now cut in small pieces and put it under sun to dry for 3- 4 hours. 
4. Now in a blender jar take yellow mustard seeds, black mustard seeds, garlic cloves, green chillies, raw mango pieces, salt, and sugar. Add vinegar and blend into a fine paste. 
5. In a pan heat mustard oil. Off the burner and pour everything from the blender and mix well in the mustard oil. 
6. Let it cool and transfer it in an airtight container. 
7. Keep it in the refrigerator. 

5. Kumro Patay Bora 

(Pumpkin leaves fritters) 

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 medium sized tender pumpkin leaves 
• Oil to fry 

For batter :

• 1/2 cup chickpea flour 
• 1 tbsp rice flour or semolina 
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder 
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder 
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder 
• Salt to taste 

For stuffing :

• 3- 4 medium sized potatos
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tbsp mustard sauce
• 2 green chillies finely chopped 
• 1 tsp  chopped coriander leaves 
• Salt to taste

METHOD:

1. Wash pumpkin leaves and soak in hot salted water for few minutes. 
2. Boil potato.  Peel off the skin and mash it completely. 
3. Add finely chopped onion. Add chopped green chillies and coriander leaves. Add  cumin powder, salt and red chilli powder. Add mustard sauce.  Mix everything well. 
4. For batter, in a large bowl take all the ingredients of batter. Add 1/2 cup water. Mix everything well to make a lump free batter.
5. Now take one pumpkin leaf out of the water speed in a big plate as shown in the video. 
6. Now take a portion of the spicy mashed potato stuffing and place in the middle of the leaf. 
7. Now wrap from each sides to make a parcel. 
8. Heat oil in a large pan. 
9. Dip each stuffed pumpkin parcels into the batter and put them on the hot oil. 
10. When one side becomes golden brown turn up the other side. Fry till both sides become golden brown. 
11. Serve hot.

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