2016 has been a year of confounding international tragedies. The ugly spectacle of civil discourse defying elections, the disastrous war in Syria that unfolded before billions of apathetic social media users, the ravages caused by Zika, Dengue and cholera, the indelible effects of climate change, the terror attacks that shocked the world…every bad thing that could…
How to make Chicken Bharta? It was a very good year for friendships, both old and new. Friends at grad school, friends at dance rehearsals, blogger friends, neighbor friends; it was an exuberant year of friendship. Between my frequent trips to India and travels all over the US, I made friends, good friends, in the…
Best Mutton Dak Bungalow recipe Established in India in the 1840s by the peripatetic British, Dak Bungalows were these government buildings set up along the main roads, perpetually changing how people travel in India. They served as lodgings for travelers (usually British officials) and post offices for the British mailing system. Even today, CPWD-run dak…
People, whose only contact with Indian food have been through stereotypical Indian restaurants, tend to think of Indian food as an extremely complex cuisine with very complicated cooking methods that involve a long list of spices. Unfortunately, that idea is completely inaccurate. There is, of course, a very long list of Indian recipes that do…
Dolly’s Tea Shop is a tiny tea room tucked away in one corner of Dakshinapan, Kolkata. Although, neither the prettiest nor the most impressive eatery in town, it still has a distinct charm of its own that got me hooked nearly two decades ago. Decorated with wooden tea chests, paper lanterns, and cane chairs, this place…
What is gahana Bori or goyna bori? Gahana bori or naksha bori are ornamented sun-dried dumplings made with soaked moth beans, a particular kind of lentils used for its viscosity. Originating in the villages of Tamluk of east Midnapur (West Bengal), gahana bori, designed in the form of paisleys, ornaments, or flowers, constituted a staple of this…
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…
This may not be the most popular thing to say, but, I think, of all the Bengali culinary inventions, Koraishutir Kochuri is the most special. I mean, sure, rosogolla and macher jhal are great because what is a Bengali without mach & misti? BUT whoever had the idea of encapsulating the subtle flavors of fresh green peas…
Preview(opens in a new tab) Growing up I hated beets, which is a winter vegetable in India. For that reason I hated winters too. Well, actually there were several reasons. Firstly, Kolkata winters are suffocating because the doors and windows are shut fast (we don’t have/need heaters in Kolkata) as soon as the winter sun begins to wane…
