Indrani’s recipes cooking and travel blog
A site containing recipes to prepare restaurant style food at home
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Contains authentic and traditional Bengali recipes
Attended this popup lunch based on the cuisine of Bengal before partition which is now Bangladesh . Bengal was divided into East and West Bengal by Lord Curzon in 1905 long before the partition of India to improve administrative efficiency and there are drastic differences between the cuisines of these two regions. The cuisine portrayed …
Banana blossoms are widely used in Bengali vegetarian cuisine. We serve them as main course along with Dal and rice or make cutlets and serve them as starters. It’s a traditional classic recipe ingredient which is on the verge of becoming lost recipe due to the complicated process of cleaning the flowers.
Goddess Lakshmi the Hinduism is considered to be the Goddess of wealth and abundance. As per Hindu mythology the churning of ocean was performed by the Gods and the daemons (Asuras) to extract the heavenly nectar (Amrit), which will impart immortality to creations of the Universe. Mount Mandara was uprooted and used as the churning rod …
Chicken chaap is one of the Mughlai delicacies which became popular in Bengal during the rule of Nawabs in Bengal. It has been an intricate part of the food popular during the Bengali festivals like Durga puja. The Biryani and chicken chaap are the most cherished food combination served as part of the traditional Mughlai …
This is one of my childhood favorites you can say. According to Wikipedia the word “Dolma” is of Turkish origin meaning ” something stuffed” .In Middle Eastern and Greek cuisine, Dolma is a recipe in which the grape leaves are stuffed with lemon flavored rice and meat. In this recipe the pointed gourds are stuffed …
This is a wonderful creative recipe, heaven for vegan foodies completely dairy free and tastes delicious. The dish needs the use of Aam papad or Amavat which is sun dried mango pulp made to sheets available in stores for use during the entire year. Instead of Aam papad you can also use any store bought …
“Chitol ” also known as clown knife fish is a fresh water fish variety found in Bengal and other Asian countries. This is a huge fish and the meat of the fish is rich in protein and colloids like eggs on heating. They are create for preparing fish balls popularly called “muithya” in Bengali. You …
Poush Sankranti is a festival in the state of Bengal which starts the end of harvesting time for the farmers. Poush and Magh are the two months in Bengal which depict the Winter season. The Poush Sankranti is celebrated on the last date of “Poush” month and is considered as an auspicious day for the …
The Indianised version of Chinese food also known as Indo-Chinese food dates back to the time when Chinese migrants settled in Kolkata erstwhile Calcutta.Their cuisines undergone significant changes since then to adapt to the local taste ,flavors and weather conditions. Along with the popular Chinese ingredients like Soy sauce and vinegar ,the Indian ingredients sometimes …
The dal or the pulses control the pulse of Indian food.No meal is complete without this humble dal(pulse) boiled and flavored with a spicy tempering in clarified butter or Desi Ghee,called tadka. The house feels like home when the aroma of tadka fills the house .There are many varieties of pulses used in Indian cooking …
Through out the year the Bengali community who hail from East and West Bengal celebrate festivals like any other Indian community and we call it “Baro mashe tero parbon” ,which means that the community celebrates 13 festivals in 12 months of the year.The cooked meat of a male goat called “khashi” form the center …
Bhetki or Vetki is a catadromous fish ,a fish or machh called in bengali which migrates from river to sea for breeding.When caught from the rivers in Bengal this fish is very popular in flavor for Bengali cuisines.When the same fish is caught from sea,it loses its flavors which are required to cook it the …
Diwali, the festival of lights ,is celebrated all over the world by the Hindus with pomp and glory.The traditional festivals have an important part to play in our lives as they give us moments to remember ,rejoice,forget sorrows, build new hopes and motivation to carry on. The Diwali word derives from the word deepawali as …
Potol or pointed gourd is a vegetable which is found in abundance in any part of India.But the vegetable varieties found in West Bengal are amazing and are best for the Bengali recipes as they are prepared from the local yields.Most of them are seedless and have a soft texture which gets tender quickly and …
If you are from Kolkata, the fish Kobiraji cutlet will definitely hold a special place in your heart. It is a recipe which is from the British era when Kolkata used to be a Winter capital of India and derived from the English coverage cutlet recipe. The boneless fish or chicken fillets are covered with …
I was in love with this dal (Lentils) served with steamed rice since my childhood in Kolkata .This is a recipe cooked by the “Bangals” whose ancestors hail from East bengal ,from undivided Bengal era.The Bengali’s are divided into these two groups “Ghoti” and “Bangal” owing to the origin of their ancestors having variations in …
This may be one of the simplest fish curry recipe you have come across as well as an extra ordinary one.It is also highly customizable and you can add your favorite ingredients creating amazing range of varieties.I had learnt this dish after my marriage ,watching my mother in law cooking ,as it seemed to be …
I am delighted if sometimes get a chance to visit Kolkata during the Winter season. Kolkata ,earlier known as Calcutta is the capital of Bengal which is a state in North Eastern part of India.Since my marriage I have the chance to visit the city of joy only once a year,and that may not be …
Pretty,beautiful ,elegant and unique!! ,No I am not talking about any beautiful lady but this dish, which will mesmerize you with its charm and deliciousness.We call it “chutney” in Bengali which is homophonous to the other spicy chutneys which are popular in India but it is actually a dessert ,without which food in any grand …
This is a fun snacks which I was familiar since the childhood.In the streets of Kolkata ,it was the most popular street foods.The Indian fried flat-breads were coated with fried egg and filled with various mouthwatering fillings like meat kebabs,chilly chicken or raw vegetable salads to form a scrumptious delicacy.The street food business can never …
This is a recipe popular during the Bengali wedding season.The gravy is rich and creamy curry.It is served in Bong Weddings along with the other non-vegetarian items like Bengali chicken curry or Bengali Mutton curry and steamed rice.Apart from prawns you can use any other fresh direct seafood like crabs,oysters in the curry. Ingredients Prawns …
Pitha are baked ,fried or steamed dumplings popularly relished in the Eastern part of India and Bangladesh .They have quite similarity to handmade pastas made in Italy ,only they are egg-less in India. Chushi are small elliptical dumplings of the length of approximately two rice grains taken together.They are traditionally made of rice powder.Some people may …
This is a traditional recipe, which is prepared by the Christian community of West Bengal, India. The preparation for this grand dish begins 15 days before Christmas when the leg of a male goat or lamb is marinated in a rich sauce and then sealed in a clay pot. The sealed clay pot is then …
These chutneys prepared in the Bong community are similar to sweet pickles which can be stored for more than 15 days or even more than a month in the refrigerator.Pickle making is an age old tradition in Indian household.In my family specially because we are Bengalis ,having something sweet after meal is a compulsion.The taste …
Khichudi a delicious one pot meal , is one of the favorite meals of the people from the state of West Bengal popularly known as Bongs all over the world.It is a casserole which consists of nutritive and filling food items such as rice lentils ,vegetables ,meat etc. Khichudi is also known as khichdi is …
This is a simple yet delicious chicken curry from North East India specifically the Khasi mountainous regions.The cooking here is very healthy using minimal or or not using oil at all .Instead the chicken skin and fats are used to impart taste to the dish.I have followed the recipe from a book “Recipe of Meghalaya” …
These fritters are fragrant of childhood memories with remembrance of evening get-together with neighbors at home or watching World cup or Wimbledon together with the whole family in television .During my childhood not every neighbor had their own TV sets so we as kids used to have fun in the evening watching TV serials or …
Murg musallam is an authentic Mughlai dish which is extremely popular in Northern and Eastern part of India.Authentic dish contains a roasted and marinated whole chicken stuffed with spices,prawns ,eggs or rice and then cooking it in a yoghurt based spicy gravy .Today I will teach a royal dish which is still a favorite among …
This is a special bengali style mutton curry recipe cooked in special occasions .In older days this dish was cooked without onion and garlic and the mutton used was the meat of a male goat (Patha)sacrificed in front of the Goddess Kali.Yes animal sacrifice in front of God was predominant among the community which was …
Poila Baisakh is the first month of the Bengali Calendar). It’s the first day of the Bengali New Year, which usually falls in mid-April every year. It is celebrated in India and Bangladesh where Bengali is the mother tongue, and people wear new clothes, exchange sweets and gifts among friends and neighbors. Besides language if …
Dahi vada is a common North Indian dessert which contains lentils dumplings deep fried and then soaked in a sweet and sour yoghurt sauce with a lot of spicy and sweet chutney.Like any other North Indian street food it contains an interesting mix of flavors but then I read this recipe “keema dahi vada” in …
This is another mutton dish which is a part of Mughlai cuisine in Bengal .The dish is characterized by a light soupy whitish rich gravy due to the addition of white poppy seeds paste and cashew nuts paste .The mutton needs to be marinated and should be a melt into mouth kind in the dish.You …
Mahi in farsi means fish and Mahi Pulao is a dish which is originally Persian .But Mahi or fish biryani is a delicacy which originated in the Murshidabad province of Bengal where fish is a staple food and its presence in food is considered auspicious and enjoyed by all .Murshidabad in west bengal was the capital …
It is certainly a very special dish worth mention in the cuisine of Bengal which was one among the most popular dish dated back to the British colonial rule when Calcutta (now Kolkata) was the capital of British India.The aromatic and beautiful looking dish in which tiger pawns or medium sized prawns coated with mild …
This is a traditional chicken curry cooked the Bengali way.During my childhood around 30 to 40 years back the poultry concept was not so predominant.In contrast local country hen was used for making authentic Bengali curries.The meat contained more flavor and the curries contain less spices compared to chicken cooked in the Mughlai way.Bengali cooking …
Nothing can go wrong with a lamb curry cooked this traditional Bong way.The pieces of lamb mutton melting in the mouth and a spicy not so oily or greasy gravy with the flavor of green chilies and a sharp zing of mustard oil fills your whole house and your neighbor’s homes also with a aroma …
This exotic vegetable comes from one of the most common and popular plant without which we cannot imagine our daily lives. Many people are not aware of the fact that the flower of our popular fruit ,the humble banana makes an interesting and delicious vegetable with several health benefits. Specially for vegetarians or vegans addition …
Crabs make one of the tastiest meals. This curry is typically from the heart of Bengal situated on the banks of river Ganges and eastern part of India, North of the Bay of Bengal I had an opportunity to taste this wonderful curry when I visited a beautiful sea beach called Mandarmoni nearby. We had …
This s a very simple and easy chicken soup which can be a hot favorite of kids and elders alike specially during cold winter mornings. Oh ! my mouth starts watering even imaging the dish. You can serve this with garlic breads or Indian flat breads.. My child loves it. But while cooking for a …
This is one of those traditional delicacies of Bengal which definitely miss in Mumbai.Pumpkin leaves has a healthy amount of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, and Iron, while being very low in calories.The people who belong to Bengal which is a state in Eastern India consume almost all the parts of pumpkin tree including leaves,flowers …
This is a traditional recipe and many variations to this exists but I made it a fusion one by adding homemade mayonnaise and it tasted really great.But I insist on homemade mayonnaise only.The shop bought one will definitely serve the purpose but the flavor will not be that great as this.In case anybody does not …
This is a traditional recipe of West Bengal .The name “Dhoka” meaning in Bengali or Hindi is deception. This is actually a lentil curry but made in a very unusual way. I had earned many good review about this dish when I cooked it during get-togethers or packed in lunch boxes at work, among my …
Patishapta is a type of “pitha” which is a scrumptious bengali sweet dish common in India and Bangladesh prepared primarily during the rice harvesting festivals.It is generally made of rice flour .But my mother used to make it with refined wheat flour and semolina and I mastered it the same way.These are sweet pancakes which …
These are sweet dishes which can be enjoyed during any festive seasons with family.The main constituents are grated coconut,fine semolina and sugar.Instead of sugar one can use jaggery. Ingredient 1.Grated coconut (3 to 4 cups) 2.Sugar 1 cup 3.Fine semolina (1/4 th cup) 4.Milk (as per requirement) 5.Green Cardamom (2 to 3) 6.Saffron soaked …
This is a traditional Bengali recipe which involves cooking lentils with the fried head of carps. Carps are river fishes and huge heads of carps are available for sale separately in fish markets. It is very popular among the people living in Eastern part of India.One can cook with any sea fish also. But I …
Machher kalia is a traditional Bengali spicy fish curry which is a part of almost every Bengali family’s everyday lunch menu. So this should be a mild type of curry with less spices and can be served with rice . Traditional Bengali dishes do not use tomatoes a lot.But you can use them to give …
This is an old traditional fish recipe from Bengal in which the fishes are cooked in milk.In Bengali cuisine this dish is known as “doodh koi”.The gravy is spicy and creamy.You may cook any fish which has tougher texture otherwise the fishes will get blended in the gravy.You may fry the fishes in mustard or …
A recipe by my mother .The gravy is spicy and colorful and the use of mustard oil adds a sharp taste to the gravy.Fit to be served in any festival get together.You can use any other vegetable oil in case mustard oil is not available. Ingredients 1.Prawns (6 to 8) cleaned keeping the tail and …
Baingan bharta is a common Indian dish made with eggplants.So I tried chicken bharta the same way I cook grilled eggplants with eggs .I served it during the dinner with Mooli ka parathas.Every body enjoyed it.It is quick and easy to make recipe. Ingredients 1.Boneless chicken 400 gms. 2.Onion 3 to 4 finely chopped …
It is a traditional recipe which is popular in West Bengal.it is made with chicken and eggs.It is said that this recipe originally belonged to Great Britain and is popular from the times since when British used to rule India and Calcutta was their capital. The main attraction of this recipe is that the cutlet …