Fish - Meals without fish is no meal

The importance of fish to Bongs runs deep in their blood. And even people refer bongs as maache bhaate bangali. Sounds interesting right? but fishes to is bangali are just like beer to Germans or apples to Americans. A staple to every Bangali household, a meals without fish in it is no meal.

Both my paternal and maternal grandparents hailed from Bangladesh and fled to India during partition. Whenever they used to reminisce about their sweetest memories of childhood, they often used to talk about the various fishes which were caught fresh from the river, specially padmar ilish. So here is a list of fish dishes that you must try out when you are in Kolkata. Although I must warn you, many of these dishes are not available in fancy restaurants, and some these are high on spice! (in a good way).

                    1. Tel koi – rich, spicy and comforting, this heartwarming winter delicacy is one of my ¬dida’s specialty. Although koi is available through out the year, winter is the best time to enjoy this dish with steamed rice because it very hot (no jokes). A very interesting fact about this dish which my dida often used tell my ma is that tel koi does not get its name from loads of mustard oil in the dish. The name comes from the fact that when koi maach is fresh enough, it secretes oil by itself which gives the unique taste to the fish. I actually have seen people prepare this dish with onion and garlic, but the recipe closest to my heart remains the one cooked with ginger and cumin paste and of course mustard oil.

2. Ilish beguner jhol – probably the simplest way to cook the delicate hilsa fish after ilish mach bhaja is ilish beguner jhol aka hilsa and eggplant curry. A light curry cooked with brinjal wedges and hilsa fish is a treat to your taste buds if you are tired of the same old ilish bhaapa (its good though). The limited amount of spices used, makes the delicate flavors of fish shine. 

3. Aam shol aka shol macher tok – a comforting light curry cooked during the summer with snakehead murrel fish and green mangoes, this dish formed a daily part of my childhood summer lunches. I must argue on the fact that my ma cooks this dish better than my dida ( which doesn’t happen quite often).

4. Lau patay ilish bhapa – paturi is a bengali delicacy where the fish is cooked with a paste of mustard, coconut and poppy sees along with mustard oil and green chili, all wrapped up in a leaf ( edible such an banana leaf or bottle gourd leaf) and served with hot rice.

5. Shorshe bata diye parshe maccher jhal – this thick curry is prepared with fresh mulled fish along with a paste of mustard seeds, mustard oil, nigella seeds, chilies and tomatoes. Try making this dish with dim bhora parshe  aka mullet fish filled with roe.

6. Maacher kalia ¬– I must warn you, this one dish is surely not humble, period! The richness of this maacher kalia speaks for itself and its definitely not for the light hearted, it is a rich gravy based dish cooked with big fish chunks along with potato chunks in an aromatic and silky gravy.

7. Ilish maccher matha diye badhakopi – I believe it takes a lot of finesse to cook with the almost discarded parts of fish and make a delicacy out of it. This strongly flavoured dish is cooked with hilsa head, cabbage, potatoes and peans and slowcooked.

8. Daab chingri – well most of you had chingri maacher malakari right? now daab chingri is a traditional Bengali delicacy cooked with jumbo prawns along with coconut flesh. This mildly sweet dish, though takes a lot of time to prepare, surely does taste like heave.

These are some of the not so famous, but must try fish dishes in Kolkata. However you can surely never miss upon chingri maacher malaikari, shorshe ilish, shorshe ilish, macher muro diye mug dal etc.           

                                       

Sweets - Misti mukh na kore jawa jabe na

 

From jhal muri to bhaapa ilish, Bengali cuisine is a dream come true for every foodie out there. The typical bangali bhodrolok ( Bengali gentleman) are a sophisticated lot who have always fascinated the finer things in life, be it music, film, literature or cuisine. Amongst other things like Rabindranath Tagore, durga pujo, macher jhol (fish curry), dupurer bhaat ghum (afternoon nap after having rice) and Victoria Memorial, us Bongs take immense pride in our huge range of ambrosial mishti. Sweets, besides forming a core part of delectable Bengali cuisine, are also very popular amongst people of all ages, across the countr and even abroad. Kolkata, the hub of Bong culture proudly features the best of every part of bangaliyana and this includes a wide array of sweet meats too!

1. ROSHOGOLLA – the soft, spongy round sweets, made of cottage cheese, soaked in sugar syrups are surely a mouthful. They are simply the icon of Bengali mishti and you simply can not miss out on them when you are in Kolkata.

2. MOHAN BHOG – a traditional Bengali semolina based sweet which has a rich and delicious sugary sweet taste.

3. LOBONGO LOTIKA – a scrumptious blend of maida, khoya, grated coconut, ghee, nuts, raisins, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg powder and sugar, this sweet is a crowd pleaser. The unique folding of this sweetmeat sealed with a clove is the striking feature of this delicacy.

 4. BHAAPA DOI – a delicious blend of yoghurt and condensed milk, which is steamed to perfection and garnished with almonds and pistachios, this sour- sweet dish is best enjoyed straight out of the refrigerator.

5. MALAI CHOMCHOM – ah, an unforgettable rendezvous. Made with chenna with a slight hint of kesar, the lovely golden-brown delicacy with a rice dense texture is enough to blow away your minds.

6. NOLEN GURER PAYESH – a quintessential delicacy of Kolkata and any other Bongs during Winter, this thick milky goodness is made with, rice, milk and loads of nolen gur. the heady fragrance of jaggery is all we crave during the chilly season

7. PANTUWA – these deep brown sweet balls are deep fried and are served in any kind of occasion to win hearts so damn easily

 8. PATI SHAPTA – another winter essential which is a part of Kolkata and bong culture. Prepared during posh shankranti, the thin crepes of sooji, maida and rice flour with a delicious filling of coconut and jaggery are a must have. 

9. SHOR BHAJA – this deep fried sweet is made purely of milk cream. A tedious process indeed but a foodgasm is guaranteed.

10. MISHTI DOI – the Bengali mishti doi is a must have during any kind of occasion. This light, sweet and sour blend of milk, yoghurt and brown sugar, fermented overnight, is a showstopper  in any auspicious occasion or just as a dessert after a meal. 

                

                                        

PUCHKA - Dada aro aktu jhal dau Puchka tate(Make it a little more spicy)

Puchka or Kolkata style paanipuri is one of the most beloved street food of the city of joy. The streets are laden with vendors and stalls which serve out these delicious puffed crisp balls filled with a spicy mix of potatoes, some lentils like black gram or “chola” and “matar”, and a tangy spicy tamarind water. “chol puchka kheye asi”( lets go ad have some puchka) is perhaps my staple mission during afternoon every other day. But I’d never regret it. I mean who can deny the delicious burst of spicy, tangy flavors in your mouth, and for us from Kolkata, puchka always meant “dada, ar ektu jhal dao” ( please add more hotness to the puchka). Like you know? Kolkata does not like bland food!

Puchka is the best! And its not up for debate. Its our personal opinion that golgappa is too bland for my taste.  Puchka in Kolkata gets its unique taste from a special spice blend call the muri masala. Although I do not remember the exact contents of this spice mix, but it does contain a healthy dose of roasted cumin, red chilli, dried mango powder and black salt. The mix of potatoes, lentils, onions, muri masala, coriander and good dash of lime and tamarind is pure ecstasy. No joke, but you can substitute your meals for puchka.

We guess all Bengalis can relate to this but our biyebarir stall ( food stalls in our marriage ceremonies) should have puchka. For me skipping the chicken pakora to stuff myself with more of the spicy deliciousness was a ritual. Us friends would be in a competition on who could have the most fuchkas. For my defence I must say, I was quite good at packing my stomach with the crispy balls ( I had a maximum of 65) but ended up not being able to have lots of mutton or chicken in the menu ( sad life!).

The puchka stalls in Kolkata also serve out some of the most delicious chaats and churmur. Chaat is savoury, spicy, tangy and flavorful snack which has a balance of cruncy textures, boiled potatoes and onion, lentials and a generous topping of sweet spicy chutney ( includes tamarind chutney, red garlic chutney, mint chutney,) with a dusting of chaat masala ( primarily make of black salt). The crispy toppings of friend potato bits, sev ( deep fried noodles made from chickpea flour) make the dish complete. The most important varieties of chaat that you must are aloo chaat, tikki chaat, bhelpuri, fuchka chaat, papdi chaat, sev puri, samosa chaat, kachori chaat and raj kachori chaat

CHAI & SUTTA

 

 

Us Bengalis have a sort of emotional connection with“chai”. Yes you can be the millennial and call it tea, but chai is the best version for us. And the perfect combination is “chai sutta” that is tea with cigarettes. When it comes to Kolkata, there is a sudden upheaval in the rage of chai sutta. The streets are flanked by numerous small stalls which sells the best “dudh cha” (tea with milk) complimented with a pack of cigarette.Now I’m not a sutta person at all, but the heartwarming combination of tea brewed with cow’s milk with a bit of sugar, served in “matir bhaar” (also known as kulhad or small earthen clay pot) definitely hits the sweet spot. Chai is like the best addiction for us Bengalis. So let me explain how it goes.

“ghum pachhe? Cha kha”  ( feeling sleepy? Have some tea) 

“matha dhoreche? Cha kha” ( have a headache? Have some tea). I might add, the “adrak wali chai” is the best for this

“mood off? Cha kore di ektu kora kore chini diye?” ( feeling low? Should I make some strong tea with a bit more sugar?)

“ Thanda lagche? Ektu elach, lobongo, ada cha kha” (feeling cold? Have some tea with cardamom, clove and ginger)

“ei ektu cha korna, sondhebela singara diye khabo” ( hey, make some tea in the evening to have with samosas)

These are some of the daily uses of tea for us. It’s the most staple beverage that is perhaps present in every Bengali household along with rice. And its also a savior for us students who really have no money during the month endings for midnight snacks ( for obvious reasons). Tea saves us during our exams when we really need to study the whole night, because the entire year we were more interested in lyadh (laziness) which is also a quintessential part of the citizens of Kolkata. The hot beverage along with  sutta is central to the loved Kolkata pastime of  “adda” – a practice where friends gather to engage in long lively discussions about life, politics and art. In the 1920s, Kolkata and its communal “tea cabins” became the hub for popular tea drinking. These cabins were basic cafes which offered snacks, meals and tea at a cheap rate. As a part of adda tradition, men would gather over here to socialize and engage in well caffeinated discussions.

Matir bhaar is Kolkata’s traditional clay tea cups. Potters in the city shape these cups by hand from the clay dug from the bank of river Ganga. Although in many places, bhaar are being replaced with easily transportable plastic or paper cups, Kolkata still protects the essence of matir bhaarer cha as the earthy flavor of clay enhances the strong beverage.

The most popular varieties of tea which are must haves in Kolkata include dudh cha ( plain milk tea with a generous helping of sugar), ada cha ( ginger tea which included the addition of ginger to milk tea.The spicy, fragrant notes of ginger impart a refreshing flavor to the tea), masala cha ( this includes the addition of aromatic spices such as cardamom, cinnamon and pepper), liquor cha ( tea without milk which is reddish- amber in color), lebu cha ( salty- sweet lime tea which is a variation of liquor cha and includes sugar, lime juice, ginger, warm spices and sulfurous black salt), darjeeling cha ( a variety of liquor cha with a floral, fruity scent)

Kolkata Biriyani

Kolkata biriyani  The words in themselves arouse a shahi, nawabi yet beloved feeling with which every resident of Kolkata is quite familiar with.  Biriyani in the city of joy is almost like a religion. Now, we know that we might get killed about this nonsense talk, because there have been multiple debates over the origin of Kolkata Biriyani. But hey, please spare a few minutes and read this. Whenever we are sad, or depressed or feel stuck in any situation, we take the help of religion. So here are our top favorite biriyani joints in Kolkata.

1. So tops the list is Dada Boudir Hotel, in barrackpore. Despite having an old looking storefront and a generic name, this place surely blew our minds at the first go. The aroma of their freshly make biriyani alone can make you drool if you are standing in the long queue to book yourself a seat. Yeah, that the only thing which will console you to keep standing. Our hot picks are mutton biriyani, chicken biriyani, chaap, and their other Indian dishes. The mutton is of the melt in your mouth kind, and beware of the quantity! Its huge.

  2. If you are a beef lover, then Zam Zam located in Beniapukur, is the perfect choice for you. Its one of the very few places that serve Beef Biriyani and Beef Bhuna in Kolkata. However, if you are not a keen lover of beef then their chicken and mutton biriyani are equally delicious.

3. If you want to experience a little spicy variant of the Kolkata biriyani, then  can be a great option for you. Located in Ballygunge,  this restaurant serves the mildly flavoured Kolkata biriyani with a bit of more spices along with a cozy dining ambience and a wide array of their delicious kebabs which are definitely worth trying. Our favorites are barra kebab and mutton shami kebabs.

4. If you are looking for a biriyani joint in a fine dining restaurant then Kareem’s, in Salt lake is the best place to go. Here the biriyani is prepared in Awadhi style and the Murg Tikka Dum Biriyani and Gosht Dum Biriyani are their signature dishes. The Dum ki chaap, Gosht kakori kebab and Murg Tangri Kulfi kebabs are the perfect side dish to an already perfect biriyani. This restaurant is also popular for its variety of biriyani for Bengalis, the Kolkata style biriyani with aloo ( potato) and Dim(egg).

5. Just for anyone out there who does not like aloo in biriyani, the  Royal Indian Hotel, in Barabazar market might be a go to option for you. This place has been serving delicious biriyani since the 1905, and their Royal Mutton biriyani is an all time favorite

If anyone is wondering why we did not mention Aminia Arsalaan, its because we personally think that their quality and quantity has decreased over time. However it’s a personal opinion and if you love them, then go ahead. Alas! We were an Aminia lover , once upon a time.