Bengali Cuisine

Bengal was a large section of East India, but after partition West Bengal retained lots of flavours of the Bengali Cuisine. Here are a list of few of Vegetarian Bengali recipes.

* Mango Pickle Bengali Style
* Panch Pooran Masala
* Bengali Ghee Rice
* Brinjal Raitha

Mango Pickle Bengali style

This pickle is made using Panch Puran and Mustard oil. These two give the enhanced Bengali taste to this recipe. But if the taste of mustard oil is not liked then gingely oil can be used.

Ingredients:
Mangoes - 6 nos (raw)
Jaggery - 1/2 kg
Panch Pooran Powder - 1 tbsp
Red chilly Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Mustard Oil - 1/2 cup
        or
Gingely Oil - 1/2 cup
If mustard oil is not used Mustard powder - 2 tbsp

Method:
Grate the mangoes. Powder the jaggery. Mix the grated mangoes, jaggery, turmeric powder and salt. Put the mixture in a shallow vessel and cover it with a thin cloth. Keep the vessel in sun for about 4 to 5 days. Tie the clotch with a thread below the rim of the vessel.

      Mix panch pooran powder, red chilly powder (and mustard powder) and keep the mixture again in sun for another 4 to 5 days.

      Before storing it add mustard oil or gingely oil and mix it thoroughly.

Panch Puran Masala

The Panch Pooran Masala is the one that gives the unique flavour and taste to most of the Bengali dishes. As the name suggests, the masala is made up of 5 distinguished ingredients. The normal combination is equal proportion of all the ingredients. As this masala is tend to loose is flavour and fragrance very fast, making smaller quantities whenever needed is better.

In general, Panch Pooran masala is added to the oil directly before adding vegetables or lentils to release the fragrance throughly.

Ingredients:
Nigella seeds (Kalonji/Karum Jeeragam) - 1/4 cup
Black Mustard Seeds - 1/4 cup
Fenu greek seeds (Methi) - 1/4 cup
Fennel (Perum Jeeragam) - 1/4 cup
Cumin seeds - 1/4 cup

Method:
Dry roast all the ingredients in a pan and when cold grind it to a very fine powder. Store it in an airtight container.

Can be used to make Bengali dishes.

Recipe for Bengali Ghee Rice

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 1/4 kg
Ghee - 5 to 6 tbsp
Bayleaf - 1
Cloves - 2 nos
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece
Black pepper corns - 4 nos (if more spiciness is liked can add upto 8 nos)
Salt to taste
Water - 2.5 cups
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup
Cashew nuts - 6 nos

Method:
Wash and clean rice and soak it for about 2 hours. Drain the water thoroughly. Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a pan and saute the rice in it till all the rice is coated with ghee. Remove the rice from the pan and set aside.

Add 2 tbsp of ghee to the pan and add cloves, cinnamon, bayleaf and black pepper corns. Add rice to the pan and add water and salt. Close the pan with a lid (ensure that there is no gap). Cook untill the rice is done. Remove from flame and transfer it to a shallow bowl.

In a seasoning laddle heat ghee. Add finely chopped cashewnuts and when they turn golden brown add it to the cooked rice. Decorate it with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Spicy Egg Plant Gravy goes well with this dish.

Kathirikaai Tahyir Pachidi (Brinjal Raitha)

Ingredients:
Brinjal - 1/4 kg
Curd - 2 cups
Oil - 1 tbspn
Urad dal - 2 tbspn
Mustard - 1 tspn
Coriander powder - 1 tbspn
Jeera powder - 1 tbspn
Chilly Powder - 1 tbspn
Salt to taste

Method:
Cut brinjal into thin slices. Spread it in a plate. Mix coriander powder, turmeric powder, 1 tspn of salt and chilly powder and marianate the brinjal slices in this powder. Let it set for atleast 15 mins. Fry it in oil or spread them in a glass plate and keep it in oven for 1 min.

It will turn golden brown. Remove from oil/oven. Beat 1 curd and add a pinch of salt to it. Put the brinjal into it and season it with mustard and urad dal. Let it set for half an hour. Refrigerate it immediatly. Before serving add the remaining curd.