Bengali food has its origin in the Indian state of Bengal. Not only this state but Bangladesh, Tripura and Barak Valley region or Assam also share this cuisine. The food traditions of Nawabs of Bengal with rich sauces and extravagant usage of meat has its influence in the Bengali food even today.

The Brahmins of Bengal eat a different type of food and other people eat fish, goat and chicken. Beef is eaten only by the Muslim communities. Freshwater fish is available in abundance here as there are many rivers, ponds and lakes in the Bengal region and this influence the food style of the place greatly. The different varieties fish available here are rohu, koi, pabda, herrings and hilsa. People eat fish at least in one meal a day.

Bengalis cook almost all the parts of the vegetables such as leaves of vegetables, peels and stalks. They cook both vegetables and fish in the bowl that is kept over the rice pot. So by the time the rice is ready, these items are also cooked. The combination of spices used in the Bengali food is not found elsewhere in India. They make use of paanch phoron or five spices that include cumin, kalonji, black mustard seed, fenugreek and fennel. They fry these spices and powder them and use whenever needed. Along with this there is an extensive usage of the mustard paste or mustard powder; usually the Bengalis prefer making freshly ground paste.

The catchment area of Ganges and ponds where fish are cultivated gives the variety of fresh water fishes like rohu, catfish, tangra, shingi, magur and chingri or prawn and salt water fishes like Ilish mach take a regular place in the Bengali food. Fish are cooked in a number of ways, with spicy tomato, with ginger gravy and with vegetables. A unique type of cooking fish which tastes sweet on one side and savory on the other side is done here.

Meat, khashi, kochi pantha are used to cook delicious dishes. Santal tribes of the region eat pork and Muslim community eats beef. People do not prefer chicken much though this is slowly changing over the last decade that both eggs and chicken are getting popular. Kebabs are famous Bengali foods that are cooked over open grill and the varieties include Sutli kebab, Boti kebab, Bihari kebab, Shammi kebab, etc. They are cooked with both meat and beef. The layers of rice and layers of mutton pieces steamed together in a sealed pot make the delicious Dhaka Kachchi, the important item of marriage feasts.

Some other common Bengali food recipes are Ombol or Aum bol, Achar or pickles, Baora which is fried in oil, Bhaja, Bhapa, Bhate, Kalia, Kofta, Korma, Dolma, Dalna, Dom, Chutney, Chhenchki, Torkari, Pora, Posto, Paturi, Kosha, Shukto, Shak, etc. The first course starts with vegetables or herbs and they are fried in oil and these are said to have high medicinal value. The vegetables with ginger mustard sauce called Shukto are eaten during summer season. The Shaak or leafy vegetable dishes and Dal follow the starters. Fish is included in the main course and it is taken at least once a day. It is served with rice and sometimes meat is taken as the main course. Then they eat the chutneys and desserts. Finally the Mishti or sweets are consumed. The Bengali cuisine thus has its own unique food items that are not seen anywhere else.

Article Posted By : Sumazla  On January 16, 2012lView All Articles

Suhaina Mazhar is a freelance content writer and blogger and has written thousands of original articles. http://sumazla.blogspot.com is her blog.

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