When a person travels, they collect memories. But when a food enthusiast travels, they collect local ingredients that can help revive and relive the stories of their journeys through food. Traveller's Pantry is a series by Slurrp through which tourists travelling across the states of India will find indigenous gems that they can stock up on, take back home and learn more about India’s regional cuisines. This series will walk you through some of the best ingredients that India’s states have to offer, especially through the experienced hands of local chefs, experts and vendors, taking you on a true culinary safari of the nation.
West Bengal is the land of Bengal Tiger, but it is known as the birthplace of many Nobel laureates like Rabindranath Tagore, Amartya Sen, and CV Raman. Apart from its cultural heritage, textile, art, and literature, the state is also known among foodies for its regional dishes that offer a gastronomic experience.
From aloo posto, chingri malai curry, and mutton biryani to macher jhol, sandesh, and roshogolla, people here love to feed and bond over a lavish feast. While the state can be
visited throughout the year, it witnesses a footfall of tourists from across the world during the celebration of Durga Puja. Larger-than-life pomp and show along with food tapestry acquaint you with Bengali culture.
Whether you plan to visit West Bengal now or in future, this small guide will help you bring home the taste of regional cuisine. Slurrp connected with Joyadrita Ragavendran Chatterjee, Bengali home chef and content creator living in Chennai; Arghya Banerjee, Admin Head at Pansari Group; Gautambe, owner of Moumachi; Bhuvan Sarda, Manager at Nathumull's Tea Shop; and Staff of Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick to bring you a list of food goodies that will add a touch of Bengal cuisine to your pantry.
Panch Phoron
Panch phoron (panch phutana or panch phodan) is the essence of Bengali food. You must have seen many Bengali food influencers talking about it in their reels. Joyadrita Ragavendran Chatterjee said that it’s a mix of five spices - radhuni (wild celery seeds), kalonji (nigella seeds), methi (fenugreek seeds), saunf (fennel seeds), and jeera (cumin seeds). She added, “It can exponentially amplify the taste of vegetables, meats, and seafood.” Argya Banerjee mentioned that a variant of it is also a part of Bengali food tapestry. In this, wild celery seeds are replaced by sarson (mustard seeds). You can also purchase shukto masala and other Bengali spices from this shop.
Shop Name: Pansari Group
Address: Block A, 137, Metropolitan Co-Operative Housing Society Limited, Tangra, Kolkata, West Bengal 700105
Number: 9330383833
Price: Rs 56 per 100 gram
Bori
“Often home-made, these can be added to vegetarian curries or fish stews. Brings an earthiness to the dish. Different lentils go in the making of bori,” said Joyadrita Ragavendran Chatterjee while suggesting that travellers should purchase them and take them home. Gautambe explained that he sells six different types of bori which you can add to your pantry and make Bengali dishes without hassle.
Shop Name: Moumachi
Address: Kalitala School Road, Sukchar, Jaiprakash Nagar, Sodepur, Panihati, Khardaha, West Bengal 700115
Number: 9433426529
Price: Rs 360 per kg
Poppy Seeds
If you have eaten Bengali dishes like shukto (a mixed vegetable dish), you must have observed a distinct flavour. It comes from poppy seeds, which Joyadrita Ragavendran Chatterjee calls a “prized ingredient in Bengali and Bangladeshi cuisines.” She quoted Food Historian Chitrita Banerjee, “Combined with ground mustard, it makes a delicious sauce for fish, while the addition of tamarind allows it to be made into a tangy ambal (sour chutney). Whipped together with ground coconut and chopped green chilies, it is the raw material for crisp fritters that go down well with afternoon tea or as a side dish at lunchtime.”
Shop Name: Pansari Group
Address: Block A, 137, Metropolitan Co-Operative Housing Society Limited, Tangra, Kolkata, West Bengal 700105
Number: 9330383833
Price: Rs 32 per 50 gram
Darjeeling Tea
Do you know what is the difference between Darjeeling tea and tea sourced from Assam, Munnar, and other regions of India? Bhuvan Sarda explained, “In most parts of the country, dana chai is sold but in Darjeeling, you will find loose tea being sold and consumed. The most popular ones are black and green tea but white, yellow, and blue tea varieties are also available in my shop.”
He added that while you use dana chai to prepare tea with milk, Darjeeling tea is best consumed with hot water. “You can add a dash of milk if you like but you won’t need to add ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, or any kind of chai masala. Darjeeling tea is known for its aroma. You can add it to your regular tea after turning off the flame to elevate your experience,” he added.
Bhuvan Sarda said, “Much like wine, Darjeeling tea is also an acquired taste.” The weather, humidity, and soil of the town located in the foothills of the Himalayas make the regional tea different from other parts of India. “For example, green tea here is less bitter and hard than what you find in Assam or South India,” concluded Sarda.
Shop Name: Nathmull's Tea Shop
Address: The Mall, Plot No. 20, Chowrasta, Chauk Bazaar, Darjeeling, West Bengal 734101
Number: 9547137680
Price: Rs 900 per kg and onwards for black tea, Rs 1000 per kg and onwards for green tea
Kasundi
“Kasundi is a quintessential Bengali condiment made from one of the primary spices of Bengal (mustard seeds - both yellow and black) is a relish that can elevate your dishes by making them bold and tangy. Add it to your gravies, marinades, roti, paratha, salad dressing or simply use it as a dipping sauce,” added Joyadrita Ragavendran Chatterjee. Its recipe is tweaked in summer by adding mango to make aam kasundi.
Shop Name: Pansari Group
Address: Block A, 137, Metropolitan Co-Operative Housing Society Limited, Tangra, Kolkata, West Bengal 700105
Number: 9330383833
Price: Rs 50-80 per 300 gram
Sandesh
It’s a sin in the world of foodies if you visit West Bengali and do not bring sandesh or rasgulla for your friends and peers. You don’t need an expert recommendation to stock your pantry with Bengali sweets after a trip to the state. The staff of Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick said that while sandesh can survive in the refrigerator for just a week, white rasgulla can be stored for 20 days. You can visit any outlet of the shop in Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal.
Shop Name: Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick
Address: 22, Park St, Taltala, Kolkata, West Bengal 700016
Number: 8336943620
Price: Rs 35 per piece for sandesh, Rs 350 per 20 pieces of rasgulla