Some evenings, my kitchen smells exactly like my mother’s did during winter afternoons in Kolkata. This is usually a sure sign that I have been making Dahi Chicken again. No tomatoes, shortcuts or fuss, just chicken slow-simmered in whisked yogurt till the gravy thickens into a shiny, spicy mass. I learned how to make this
Dahi Chicken Recipe | Yogurt Chicken Curry Read More »
Bengali chicken curry with potatoes is the kind of dish that announces itself from the kitchen door. Mustard oil hits a hot wok, and that sharp, nutty smell tells the whole house that lunch is on its way. This is a home-style jhol, not a restaurant gravy where I use bone-in chicken, golden potatoes, and
Bengali Chicken Curry with Potatoes Recipe (Aloo Diye Murgir Jhol) Read More »
Doi Potol was the dish that finally made me stop overthinking Bengali food. I had fried potol a hundred times before, but the day curd and cashew went into the pan instead of tomatoes, something clicked. The gravy turned pale gold, faintly sweet, almost silky, and my grandmother, watching over my shoulder, just nodded once,
Doi Potol Recipe | Dahi Parwal Read More »
Papaya curry was a dish I almost gave up on the first time. I thought it is too bland, too watery but it was nothing like that when I tasted it at a friend’s place in Kolkata. A few failed batches later in my kitchen, I finally cracked the balance of spice and mustard oil.
Papaya Curry Recipe Read More »
Dal palak was the first dish my mother trusted me to cook alone, standing at the stove while she peeled garlic beside me. Red lentils and spinach seem humble, but once mustard oil hits hot panch phoron and that smoky tadka lands on simmering dal, the kitchen tells a different story entirely. The Basics: Dal
Dal Palak Recipe | Lentils Spinach | Spinach Dal Read More »
Aloo Potol Bhaja was one of the first dishes my mother let me cook unsupervised, and I still remember burning the first batch because I could not sit still through the covered frying. This dry, mustard-oil-fried mix of potato and pointed gourd is a staple on Bengali dinner tables, usually tucked beside dal and rice
Aloo Potol Bhaja Recipe | Potato Pointed Gourd Fry Read More »
There is something special about the Shol Macher Jhol that takes me straight back to my grandmother’s kitchen in childhood. This was the dish she made every time monsoon clouds rolled in, and I have been chasing that same comfort ever since. This recipe is my version, built from years of trial, error, and one
Shol Macher Jhol Recipe | Snakehead Murrel Fish Curry Read More »
Growing up, I would not have considered a Bengali monsoon complete without Ilish Macher Matha Diye Pui Shak simmering on the stove. This recipe comes from my own kitchen as I make pui shak, five vegetables, and hilsa heads slowly cooked together to create something that tastes like home. Simple ingredients come together to make
Ilish Macher Matha Diye Pui Shak Recipe | Hilsa Fish Head with Malabar Spinach Read More »
I still remember the first time I cooked Tomato Chicken Curry in my grandma’s chulah. The aroma of mustard oil, along with various other spices and tomato, takes me back to those wonderful days. It is such a comfort food, and I try to recreate this recipe with minimal changes because of the amazing smell
Tomato Chicken Curry Recipe Read More »
Cauliflower pakoda has been a family favorite in my house for quite a few years now. I have vivid memories of hearing the sizzling sounds on the stove while making them. That was the time when making this dish became a habit. My first-ever pakodas turned out a little burnt and oddly shaped but still
Cauliflower Pakoda Recipe | Gobi Pakora Read More »
I remember how it used to be for me and my family at every Sunday lunch. It simply means the fragrance of mutton, mustard oil and whole spices sizzling away in a culinary pot. Bengali Style Mutton Curry is always my mother’s specialty that I can’t seem to get enough of in our home. It
Bengali Style Mutton Curry Recipe Read More »
The first time I ever made Sorshe Ilish at home, my elder sister supervised and instructed me not to grind the mustard too fast and too fine. She was right as the texture of the gravy was not as desired. Since then and even to this day, whenever I prepare this dish, I still remember
Sorshe Ilish Recipe | Mustard Hilsa Read More »
I watched my mother in my childhood struggling to cut this slippery banana stem, but once it was cooked, it tasted awesome. Today, when I make it, I feel the same. The crispy and earthy bit always wins me over. Recipe Highlights: Thor Bhaja, also known as banana stem fry, is Bengal’s quiet comfort food
Thor Bhaja Recipe | Banana Stem Fry Read More »
The smell of mustard oil sizzling in the pan takes me straight back to my grandmother’s kitchen in Kolkata. That is where I learnt how to make Bengali fish curry, or macher jhol, properly. On every Sunday, this simple curry brings all members of my family together to the table. At a Glance: Bengali Fish
Bengali Fish Curry Recipe | Macher Jhol Read More »
Growing up, my mother had this uncanny ability to prepare potol chingri without any recipe in front of her. It is one of the most sought-after Bengali dishes, prepared with pointed gourd and prawns in a mild gravy. To this day, I prepare it the same old way, and it never fails to surprise me
Potol Chingri Recipe | Pointed Gourd with Prawns Read More »
Rui Macher Kalia is one of my favorite dishes that I make anytime I want to treat myself to something special in addition to an ordinary fish curry. When I was growing up, my mother would make this incredible delicacy with a rich and slightly thick sauce of cashew and yogurt prepared on weekends or
Rui Macher Kalia Recipe | Rohu Fish Kalia Read More »
I had my experience of Mutton Dak Bungalow at a friend’s place in Kolkata. I remember wondering how come I had never had it before. This colonial-era curry born in the kitchens of the dak bungalows has a certain elegance that is lost in those that use store-bought masala. I must admit, I have made
Mutton Dak Bungalow Recipe Read More »
Growing up, a special lunch at home would never be complete without a bowl of fish mustard curry kept beside the rice pot. My mother would often grind mustard seeds on a traditional “silbata” while telling me that the flavor gets entirely altered when they are ground in a machine. Bata fish is tender and
Fish Mustard Curry Recipe | Shorshe Maach Read More »
I remember monsoon evenings at my grandmother’s home when my mind would always be on the market as she would be preparing the delicious macher dimer bora from fresh Rui roe. I have followed her recipe almost exactly but made some minor modifications and yet the results are always crispy, golden and perfect. The Basics:
Fish Egg Pakora Recipe | Macher Dimer Bora Read More »
