A,B,C of Bengali cooking

While I do not assume my readers are uneducated in the art of cooking but I was wondering where to start from? "From the beginning" is the answer, as they say. Since the site is for people from all over, it is judicious to first let them know what to expect. I will in all likelihood speak of Bengali cuisine mostly. I may also share food I have tried outside of my culture, which very often I do. Having lived out of home for many long years, the food I eat and cook can conveniently be termed, "fusion".

So what is it that makes a cuisine Bengali? Its flavour certainly. Derived from certain typical  ingredients that you will find in every Bengali household and the style of cooking.

Bengali food (called jol-khabar), originated in Bengal and over the course of its journey added to its basket the influences of several other regions, particularly the Mughal (called Mughlai cuisine), the Awadhs (Awadhi cuisine uses liberal amounts of ittars, (essence)) and later, the Christians. Tea and confectionary items now sold in every nook and corner are what the British contributed.

Fish, rice, sweetmeats are the dominant constituents with rice being the staple. The Bengalis eat a many-course meal. I for one have grown up having humongous amounts of rice served with lentil(dal), fritters (bhaja or bora), curry (torkari in the form of chorchori, dalna, chenchki, ghonto, paturi, pora, etc) followed by fish (again curried, steamed) and/or chicken/mutton (also curried). Shaak (leafy green vegetables) is usually served before others. So is fried bitter melon. To round off the meal, chutney, doi(sweetened curd) and mishti (sweets) is served. That is how traditionally things were. In today's busy world, a few courses are happily skipped now and then.

Ingredients that you will find in a typical Bengali home -

1. Panch foran - a five spice mix. It is used to temper the curries, added mostly at the beginning to hot oil. The mustard may be replaced by carom seeds (ajwain).

2. Radhuni  or erroneously, wild celery seeds. Similar in appearance to that of ajwain or carom seeds. It lends a flavour when added to hot oil. A small portion is enough.

3. Nigella seeds (or onion seeds, kalonji). The dry-roasted nigella seeds flavor curries, vegetables and pulses. The black seeds taste like a combination of onions, black pepper and oregano, and have a bitterness to them like mustard seeds.

4. Mustard oil. Mustard often has a sharp, pungent flavor. The pungency of mustard is always reduced by heating, but not just at the time of preparation; if added to a dish during cooking, much of the effect of the mustard is lost. The basic taste and "heat" of the mustard is determined largely by seed type, preparation and ingredients.

5. Yellow Mustard paste: Mustard finds a common ground between South Indians and Bengalis but unique to Bengalis is the use of yellow mustard. The paste is made by soaking yellow mustard grains in water and then grinding with green chillies. It is used to curry fish, vegetables and also used as a condiment called kasundi. Mustard is known for its antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic and has anti-inflammatory properties. And since its pungent, tangy taste enhances food so uniquely, it can easily replace fattier condiment options such as mayonnaise, butters and sugary ketchups.

The above list is not exhaustive, I have only mentioned the core ingredients of a typical Bengali recipe. Other spices like fennel seeds, poppy seeds (khus khus), sesame seeds, jaggery, coriander, cumin, aniseed find extensive use in preparations. So does, coconut, milk(used to make sweets), whole mixed spices (garam masala), etc.

While I go research more about spices, food and their origin and history, you be good and take care. Bong Appetit!!