The Bongs associate winter with celebrations. Bengalis enjoy a festive season filled with parties, picnics, and the Christmas and winter holidays. The delightful delicacies that are unique to winter only serve to increase their happiness. They are healthy and have a great taste.
Bengali food, which is renowned for being among the finest in Indian cuisine, never ceases to astound diners with its rich flavors, intense aroma, and versatility. Every home is filled with pitha, candies, notun gur (freshly prepared jaggery), and a variety of other delicacies that make the winter season scrumptious. Even though you can easily find these foods in stores, individuals in traditional Bengali households like to make them at home.
Here are a few of our personal favorites for wintertime dishes that will further stoke your passion for Bengali food. Let's examine this.
1. Koraishutir Kochuri
West Bengalis love this dish for breakfast in the winter. Without Notun Aloor Dom and Korashutir Kochuri, your winter holiday isn't complete. This Kochuri is a puri that is deep-fried and filled with green pea paste, or Koraishuti paste, which is slightly spiced. Koraishuti paste, ginger paste, hing (asafoetida), green chile, and homemade spices are needed to prepare the kochuri filling. Putiram or Balaram Mallick are the greatest places to find Kochuris.
2. Badhakpoir Ghonto
This combination of cabbage and peas is exquisitely flavored. It has a somewhat spicy and slightly sweet taste. Prepared with shredded cabbage, peas, potato chunks, ginger paste, cinnamon, cardamom, red chile, house spices, tomato, and ghee. The dish tastes outstanding when paired with Bhoger Kichudi or steamed rice. You can also prepare the dish with macher matha (fish head) of rohu and katla fish.
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3. Notun Aloor Dum
It's an enticing dish for winter. You will be missing out on something wonderful if you haven't experienced it with Luchi. Notun aloo, or new baby potatoes, are served with green peas and a semi-thick spicy, salty gravy. The Bengali version of the Indian curry potato dish is called aloor dom.
4. Joynagarer Moa
One of the most delicious seasonal desserts is Joynagarer Moa. This dessert's uniqueness originates in the South 24 Parganas district, namely in Joynagar. It has a distinct flavor and is well-known among West Bengalis. Puffed rice, cashew nuts, raisins, and date palm jaggery are all packed into one dessert. Joynagarer Moa is a must-have after breakfast.
5. Patishapta
Without Patishapta, the Bengali Poush Parbon event is incomplete. This dessert dish is really easy to make. Thin pancakes popularly referred to as patishapta are prepared with refined flour or the usual flour and semolina and then they are stuffed with caramelized shredded coconut or Sandesh. Finely grated coconut and Nolen gur make a delicious combo. You can make it for breakfast or as a snack.
6. Peyajkoli Posto
The recipe is unique due to its earthy aroma of poppy seeds (posto) and the sweet flavor of onion flowers (Peyajkoli). Making this recipe is simple. For the preparation, you'll need mustard oil, green chile, poppy seed paste, peyajkoli stalks, and turmeric powder. With steaming rice and daal, it tastes like bliss.
7. Rosh Bora
The Bengali word Rosh Bora conjures up images of fried fritters dipped in Nolen Gur or jaggery syrup. An improved sugar substitute for those with a sweet tooth. Nolen Gur, or jaggery syrup, is served with fried little pakodas prepared with Uraad daal paste. The distinct scent of fennel seeds elevates this dish.
8. Phulkopir Singara
Cauliflower is one of the many delicious veggies that come with winter. It is commonly used in Bengali cuisine, where it is referred to as phulkopi, to prepare a variety of dishes every day. But phulkopir singara, often known as samosa, is the highlight of the selection. In essence, it's a spicy blend of potato and cauliflower that's been deep-fried in a crispy coating. The addition of cauliflower to the samosa gives the meal and the season a distinct flavor and texture. Thus, if you happen to be in Bengal during the winter, make sure to visit any food stall in the evening and sample some hot and crunchy phulkopir singara.
9. Nolen Gurer Rosogolla
Nolen Gurer Rosogolla is a famous dessert from Kolkata. There is no doubt that Kolkata is the only place where you'll find the highest-quality Rosogolla. It is only jaggery syrup or Nolen Gurer Rosh cooked into cottage cheese balls, or chana. It tastes heavenly when served hot.
10. Dudh Puli
Half-moon-shaped rice dumplings prepared in milk are called Dudh Puli in Bengali tradition. The rice flour dough is filled with caramelized grated coconut and the flavor is modified with Nolen Gur or date palm jaggery. Bengalis use Dudh Puli Pithe to commemorate Poush Sankranti.
11. Nolen Gurer Payesh
A classic winter dessert is Nolen Gurer Payesh. This rice pudding, or rice kheer, is cooked with date palm jaggery and tastes great. The texture of this kheer is thick, creamy, and smooth. The sweetest flavor is brought out by adding just the perfect amount of Nolen Gur/jaggery, fresh milk, and loads of dry fruits, such as cashews, raisins, nuts, and gobindobhog rice. Birthdays in Bengal are not complete without payesh.
12. Komola Phulkopi
The Tagores came up with the most innovative combination of food ever. There are no onions or garlic in this dish and it is entirely vegetarian. Rather, the cauliflower florets are fried with mustard oil and the mildest spices; orange juice is included toward the end to complete the cooking process. The komola phulkopi, decorated with orange segments, seems and tastes like the perfect wintertime treat.