Here is one way to keep your kids busy and well-fed (on a budget) while we figure out how many bottles of wine we need to get through the weeks or possibly months-long coronavirus quarantine: have them make their own pizzas under supervision! This is the easiest and healthiest meal option I can think of,…
People always ask me how pujos here are different from Kolkata pujos. Honestly, once you are inside the pujo madaps with your friends and family, and as long as there is dhaak and enough loud Bengalis, they don’t feel very different. If you are in Houston Durga Bari, you will not miss Kolkata at all, and arguably the Houston pujo…
I have joined the “reducetarian” movement which “aims to improve human health, protect the environment, and spare farm animals from cruelty by reducing societal consumption of animal products.” I am committing to eliminating food and water waste and reducing the use of meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, and dairy in my kitchen by at least 50…
It’s poila baishakh today, so I had to decide on a recipe that’s quintessentially Bengali. I also wanted to keep it simple; something that wouldn’t need elaborate planning and preparation such that anyone who stumbled upon my blog today could quickly make the dish. I knew that it had to be something that goes well with tea…
Tadka is the most iconic dhaba dish of Kolkata with a history as elusive as its recipe. Kolkata dhaba style tadka, or “Torka” is basically the Punjabi ma ki dal or kaali dal recipe that has been heavily modified to cater to the famously discerning Bengali palate. Before the torka was invented in 1970s (most likely)…
Update: I recently tried making Nolen gurer ice cream again, but with sweetened condensed milk and grated coconut this time, as I was out of condensed coconut milk. I have to say that I like it even better this way. The grated coconut adds a nice bite while maintaining a creamy texture. I am going…
If you have eaten at an Indian restaurant, you have definitely tasted a cilantro chutney, and probably loved it too. Cilantro chutneys can jazz up any drab meal. Drizzle it over a salad, grilled meat, rice and beans, in wraps, or serve it as dips with chips…the possibilities are endless. So the next time you…
Dhokar dalna is one recipe that I have been planning to post for as long as I have been writing this blog. Not only because this is one of my most favorite Bengali dishes, but also because it is vegetarian, vegan, and reducetarian. This recipe also has an interesting backstory. So, the story is that…
Refer to this recipe to learn how to make the beetroots with mustard seeds and galic.