Bengalis and their love for fish are universally acknowledged. That's why the first thing that comes to mind when you read Bengali cuisine is the popular dish, Maach-Bhaat, i.e., fish and boiled rice.
Bengali cuisine follows a course-wise format that starts with greens like Shak (spinach) and a mix of other leafy vegetables. The main course includes one non-veg item, either egg/fish/chicken/mutton, and a lighter serving of Daal-Sabzi. Next comes the chutneys, followed by (the cherry on the icing) a plethora of the much-famed Bengali desserts like Sandesh, Roshogolla, Misti Doi.
Over time, Bengali cuisine has undergone several ‘fusion’ routines where it’s clubbed with culinary aesthetics of other cuisines like Mughlai, Chinese and British, steering its fishtails into new delicacies.
However, the fish - Ruhi, Katla, Pabda, Tangra, Koi, Hilsa, Pomfret, and Bhetki - still holds a special place in the plates and hearts of every Bong.
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