Bengali
Articles about bengali in the UK curry industry
Shorshe Ilish: The Bengali Art of Hilsa in Mustard Gravy
Shorshe ilish marries the oily, intensely flavoured hilsa fish with a sharp mustard gravy in a dish that sits at the very heart of Bengali identity. Here is how it is built, why the bones matter, and how to tame the bitterness of the mustard.
Kosha Mangsho: How Bengalis Slow-Cook Mutton to Mahogany
Kosha mangsho is Bengal's deep, dark, celebratory mutton curry, coaxed to a mahogany sheen through slow reduction rather than added colour. This is the bhuna-style technique behind the wedding-and-festival classic, and how to serve it with luchi.
Chingri Malai Curry: Bengal's Prawn and Coconut Showpiece
Chingri malai curry pairs plump prawns with a silky, gently spiced coconut gravy in one of Bengal's grandest dishes. We trace its possible Malay roots, explain how to pick the right prawns, and share the technique that keeps the coconut milk from splitting.
Panch Phoron: Mastering Bengal's Five-Spice Tempering
Panch phoron is the Bengali five-spice blend used whole, never ground, and crackled in hot oil to transform dals and vegetables. Here are the five seeds, the reason they stay intact, and how to nail the tempering every time.
Rezala: The Pale, Fragrant Mughlai Mutton Curry of Old Calcutta
Rezala is a delicate white Mughlai mutton curry born in the kitchens of Nawabi Calcutta, built on yoghurt, cashews and the heady perfume of kewra water. Here's what makes it special and how it sits beside the city's famous biryani.
Mustard Oil: The Pungent Soul of Bengali and Bihari Cooking
Mustard oil gives Bengali and Bihari food its unmistakable sharp, nose-tingling kick, but it needs to be heated to smoking point before use to mellow that raw bite. Here is why you smoke it, how it powers fish and pickles, and the curious 'external use only' label found on UK bottles.
Luchi: Bengal's Pillowy White Flour Puris for Feast Days
Luchi is the soft, pale, balloon-puffed maida bread at the heart of Bengali feasts, fried to puff without browning and served with kosha mangsho and cholar dal. Here is how to get the pillow without the colour, and why it belongs to Puja mornings.
Mishti Doi: Bengal's Caramel-Kissed Sweet Set Yoghurt
A look at mishti doi, the burnt-sugar set yoghurt that closes every Bengali feast, and how caramelised jaggery and porous earthen pots create its signature flavour and texture.
Rasmalai and Rasgulla: The Bengali Chhena Sweets, Step by Step
A step-by-step guide to the two great Bengali chhena sweets, from splitting milk for fresh cheese to the spongy knead, and the syrup versus saffron-cream finishes that set rasgulla and rasmalai apart.
Payesh and Kheer: The Rice Pudding of Birthdays and Festivals
An exploration of payesh and kheer, the slow-cooked rice pudding at the heart of Bengali celebrations, from fragrant Gobindobhog rice and date-palm jaggery to the naming-day customs that surround it.
Smoked Hilsa and the Bengali Monsoon: Ilish Bhapa Steamed in Banana Leaf
Ilish bhapa is the gentle steamed cousin of shorshe ilish, hilsa cooked sealed in banana leaf with mustard, green chilli and mustard oil. This is why the monsoon hilsa season is a Bengali obsession and how to cook it well.
Kasundi: Bengal's Fermented Mustard Sauce and Why It Stings the Right Way
Kasundi is Bengal's pungent fermented mustard condiment, sun-cured and sharp enough to clear your sinuses, the perfect foil for fish fry and steamed vegetables. Here is its tradition, its bite, and how UK Bengali kitchens source or make it.