Indian Cuisine is considered as one of the best among food lovers all around the world. Indian-Bengali food itself has its specialties. Bengali food is mostly regarded as non-vegetarian among foodies. Known for the food’s richness Bengali food has varieties in street food and sweets also.
Bengali food is influenced by geography, culture, and history. Fish and rice are staple foods in Bengal and mustard seeds and mustard oil are used in most recipes. The Mughals influenced some of the non-vegetarian foods like biryani and kebabs. The British influence brought the bakery culture and Indo-western fusion to Bengali food.
If you are a food lover or street food lover, Bengali food is never going to disappoint you here as well. Some street food from Bengali culture comes with an authentic taste. These foods are kathi roll, Fuchka/Puchka, Ghugni, Jhalmuri, etc.
You can only know about the food when you taste it. Here we have a list of 35 Bengali food, snacks, sweets and street food to enjoy:
1. Mangshor Jhol
Mangshor Jhol is considered a comfort Bengali food by the locals of Bengal. This Bengali mutton curry is made with tender mutton pieces and potatoes in spiced gravy. This mutton recipe is slowly cooked for a long time and it absorbs all the flavors of spices and ingredients.
2. Macher Jhol
Rohu & Katla, two fishes are the base of this amazing Maccher Jhol recipe. This recipe also includes vegetables, like potatoes and eggplants. This curry has a flavorful broth, and it’s light when you eat. Maccher Jhol is made in many parts of India by other names and every name includes its different taste.
3. Shorshe Ilish
Food is best when it smells best, right? So this Bengali food we are going to talk about is made with Hilsa fish and is steam-cooked in yellow mustard seed paste. Before eating and serving, one should adjust the salt and drizzle mustard oil on top of it because mustard is the star of this flavorful and aromatic recipe.
4. Chingri Malai Curry
If I want something different, I can always experiment with coconut in my food, whether spicy or sweet. Chingri Malai Curry is also made using coconut milk and prawn is the main ingredient. It’s rich and creamy enough to make one hungry. This Bengali dish is perfect for special occasions. We can always have it with steamy hot rice.
5. Aloo Posto
The food history of Bengal tells us that during the Mughal era, poppy seeds were used by the cooks to make their food thicker and for their unique flavor. Aloo Posto is a traditional Bengali food made with potato (Aloo) and poppy seeds. It is a very simple yet flavorful dish, we can enjoy it with dal or rice as per our taste.
6. Shukto
For spicy vegetarian eaters, this recipe is a perfect choice. Shukto is also called Shukton, it is a combination of mixed veggies and regional spices of Bengal. Spices like radhun radhuni (wild celery seeds), and bay leaves are Known for their unique blend of flavors. The unique flavors come from mustard and poppy seed paste.
7. Kosha Mangsho
Kosha Mangsho itself means ‘slow-cooked meat’. This is a spicy Bengali mutton curry. It is rich in flavors because of the cooking process. This dish has tenderness, a rich taste, and deep flavors due to the slow cooking method. It is known as the traditional food of Bengal which is mostly made during the Durga Puja festival.
8. Dhokar Dalna
Lentils are the popular choice for most vegetarians when it comes to Bengali food. Lentils are healthy and protein-rich as well and this recipe is made from fried lentil cakes and then simmered in rich tomato puree. The absence of onion and garlic can not be detected for a second.
9. Luchi
Luchi is a type of bread made from all-purpose flour (maida). It is very similar to other Indian deep-fried bread called puri, which is made of wheat flour. Luchi can be enjoyed with any of the other Bengali food either Non vegetarian or vegetarian.
10. Cholar Dal
If we are gonna put jaggery, Chana dal, and coconut in a frame, this Bengali food is the best put out of it. This dish narrates the simplicity and rich food culture of Bengal. Cholar dal has a stew-like texture which can be enjoyed with boiled rice or Luchi.
11. Beguni
Who doesn’t love Pakora as a snack? Primly known as Bangladeshi food, Beguni is Baigan(eggplant) Pakora. Beguni is a very Popular Bengali snack that later became a staple in eastern India. So if you haven’t tried this snack, you must.
12. Patishapta
Who would not want some dessert after a meal? And what if it’s healthy? Well! This bonus applies when you have traditional Patishapta. It is made of Rice crepes with coconut and jaggery filling in it. Patisapta also has other savory and sweet variations available.
13. Mishti Doi
If Mishti Doi isn’t the first thing to come to your mind when I say West Bengal, we are not on the same page. It’s more than just a dessert for Bengali people. Creamy milk is sweetened with palm jaggery caramel and put in an earthen pot to set the curd. We all should experience this authenticity at once.
14. Panta Bhat
Some Indian cultures have a tradition of eating leftover food. Panta Bhat is made by soaking leftover rice in water overnight till fermentation. This method develops good bacteria which is good for the gut. Rice fermentation is the first step, by adding salt, onion, and green chilies to this tangy texture we can have it as a meal. The vegetarian recipe may include boiled/stir-fried and mashed veggies like potato and the non-veg variant has fried Ilish fish.
15. Bhapa Ilish
Bhapa Ilish stands among the best seasonal Bengali food. The fish is marinated in Mustard paste, coconut, yogurt, and spices, then steamed till cooked. Every bite of the dish carries the essence of Bengal because of its aroma and unique taste.
16. Muri Ghonto
Muri stands for fish head, Muri Ghonto is a very easy and simple yet flavourful dish. Whenever there is a Bengali recipe that includes plain steamed rice there has to be something to add to balance the flavors. Rohu and Catla fishes are the base of this Bengali food. Firstly marination and then the deep frying process make these fish heads so tender inside and crisp outside that you can have it with plain rice. Other variations include spicy fried rice in this recipe.
17. Pitha
When it comes to Bengali Dessert, it mostly includes palm jaggery and coconut. Pithe can be made in different styles and shapes. The base of this delight is rice flour. In simple words, it can be made as pancakes and dumplings. It can be steamed and deep-fried as well. So next time when you desire something sweet, you’ll at least have a healthier option.
18. Kumro Chingri
The best example of a veg and non-veg combination does exist and that would be Kumro Chingri. Pumpkin and prawn make it a sweet and spicy combination for this curry. Lastly, it depends on how you would like to have it, both roti and rice are a good combination for this quintessential Bengali dish.
19. Mochar Ghonto
What is made with love and coconut? Mostly everything, but surely it’s Mochar Ghonto. Whoever thought of making a dish from banana flowers is surely a genius. The use of coconut takes away the bitterness in it. This Bengali dry curry is surely going to make your taste buds happy.
20.Tangra Macher Jhol
Another fish curry is on the way to make you feel at home. Tangra fish cooks very easily, and the Bengali five-spice mixture is the star here; that includes cumin, brown mustard, fenugreek, nigella, and fennel. This fish is known for its tenderness. It also has variations in cooking like potato-eggplant or potato-onion. This delicious dry curry can be enjoyed with roti or rice
21. Chingri Bhapa
Taking the food legacy to the next level, Chingri Bhapa is going to touch the soul within. It’s a prawn recipe adding Mustard paste, coconut, and tangy curd. All the things go into the marination, wrapped into banana leaves, and steamed to perfection. I don’t think I can wait for the rice to have it with, do you?
22. Kolar Bora
What about a crispy fried snack in this rainy weather? The sweet taste and crispy texture make this recipe stand out. Made in wheat flour with a touch of rice flour, adding coconut, and palm jaggery to it. The batter is deep-fried until brown and crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside.
23. Pabda Macher Jhol
Most fishes have their different cooking point and own taste when cooked with spices. Pabda Fish is very tender and soft after it is cooked, it has a buttery texture. The pungency of Mustard oil makes it taste different. This Bengali food may seem no different from the other food but if you know the taste, you know the taste.
24. Chingri Bharta
This combination of steamed rice and river shrimps sauteed in onion, and green chilies with a splash of mustard oil is just perfect. Shrimp head is also used because nothing goes to waste in the Bengali kitchen. It’s a kind of Shrimp Fried Rice with Bengali Tadka.
25. Kacha Aamer Chutney
Not Knowing the Bengali language won’t be a hurdle to understanding what is Kacha Aamer Chutney. Not even in West Bengal but this chutney is very known to all over Indian states. This Chutney will give you the taste of your life. The tanginess and sweetness of unripped mangoes, the spice of red chilies, and mustard oil will make your summer vibrant.
26. Ghugni
Ghugni is a Bengali street food made with yellow peas. Of course, we can make it at home but street-style food has its taste. Ghugni is neither curry nor dry, it holds that perfect consistency that can be paired with puri or dhuska. The peas became very soft yet they held their original shape as well. While serving tamarind pulp is drizzled over for the tanginess.
27. Panta Ilish
Here is another rice and fish combination on the way for you. Panta bhat (overnight soaked and fermented rice) and fried crispy hilsa fish are the base of this Bengali food. This food seems basic but it holds the lifelong tradition and taste to it. All the alternates of any kind of food can never match the authenticity of it.
28. Labra
Bengali Food contains more curry recipes than anything. Labra is a mixed vegetable curry with seasonal veggies. This dish doesn’t contain onion and garlic, which allows to development of the original taste of the veggies like pumpkin, and sweet potato. This dish is served to gods during auspicious occasions.
29. Chingri Paturi
Prawn recipes are light and healthy to have for breakfast and dinner. This prawn food is made with coconut and all the spice blend that is normally used in Bengali food. Marinated prawns are wrapped in banana leaves and steamed until perfection. Again we can have it with rice or as it is.
30. Doi Maach
As the name suggests, this Bengali food is made in curd with fish like rohu/katka. The recipe has a curry-like consistency and before cooking it is marinated to absorb all flavors. Each household has its own version of making this recipe, some prefer it fried before simmering while others avoid frying.
31. Phuchka
I don’t think there are people somewhere around us who don’t know about Phuchka/Panipuri. This Bengali street food is wholesome in it. All over India, it’s known by various names and every place has its different varieties of it. Little crispy dough balls are filled with boiled potato and spice mix, later tangy tamarind water with more spices is added to it. In some regions, it is served with Ghugni as well.
32. Kathi Roll
This recipe is mainly from Kolkata. This used to be Nizam’s favorite and easy time-saving recipe at some point. This is a meat-based food that later came to Bengal by its popularity. The recipe adds Kebabs (chicken/mutton) to paratha made with all-purpose flour. It also adds coriander chutney and onion for crunch. This roll of food is a wholesome meal in itself.
33. Chomchom
Known by various names such as Chamcham or Chum Chum, this classical sweet has won hearts all over India. This sweet Bengali dish is made from paneer that’s kneaded into a smooth dough and dipped into sugar syrup until it becomes fluffy and absorbs sweetness. The final touch is given by adding mawa/khoya and lastly garnished with optional cardamom powder.
34. Bhetki Paturi
Another steaming fish recipe Bhetki Paturi is a healthier version that doesn’t need much spices or a lot of cooking. Bhetki fish has a buttery texture that doesn’t need too much oil. The fish is marinated in mustard, turmeric, and green chili paste with a few drops of mustard oil. Put the fish pieces into banana leaves for steaming until cooked. The smokey flavor of banana leaf and mustard oil adds a better taste to it.
35. Mishti Pulao
Served during occasions and celebrations this sweet Bengali food recipe is a bliss to the soul. Steamed rice and sweetness to it with some ghee in it. For other flavors cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves are added to the rice while steaming. This food is a comfort to the soul when you have it. One should experience these tastes to know the authentic food.
Bengali food is rich in flavors and textures whether it is a meal, a dessert, or street food. Each dish tells the story and tradition behind it. Good food can drench your soul with satisfaction and a satisfied soul lives happy.
The best part about Bengali food is, that it doesn’t need much effort, you can make various recipes with the same ingredients and have different tastes as a result. We all want to try Bengali food after reading it. It’s not possible to go there and have it, so just pick an option start making the recipe, and enjoy these delicious foods with your loved ones.
