Sandesh Recipe (Bengali Chhena Sweet)
Make sandesh at home: fresh chhena kneaded smooth and cooked briefly with sugar and cardamom, shaped into soft sweets. Tips so it is never grainy or dry.
Shorshe ilish, kosha mangsho, doi maach and the everyday dal, bhaja and posto of Bengali homes in Bangladesh and West Bengal. Each recipe is written for ordinary kitchens, with mustard oil and panch phoron explained, clear timings and fixes for bitter mustard, split yoghurt and grainy sandesh.
Recipes developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan
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Fish, meat and eggs
The Bengali main course
- 9Shorshe IlishHilsa in mustard sauce
- 9Kosha MangshoDark slow-fried mutton
- 9Chingri Malai CurryPrawns in coconut milk
- 9Doi MaachFish in yoghurt gravy
- 9Dimer DalnaEgg and potato curry
Kolkata BiryaniKolkata biryani with potato
Dal, rice and sides
Everyday bhaat and dal
- Bengali KhichuriMoong dal khichuri
- Bengali Cholar DalChana dal with coconut
- Dhokar DalnaLentil cake curry
- 9Begun BhajaCrisp fried eggplant
- 9Aloo PostoPotatoes in poppy seed
- 9ChorchoriPanch phoron vegetables
Mishti
Bengali sweets
Learn the technique
Guides behind these recipes
Quick answers
Bengali Recipes FAQ
What is the most famous Bengali dish?
Shorshe ilish, hilsa in mustard sauce, is the most celebrated Bengali dish.
What is panch phoron?
A Bengali blend of five whole seeds: cumin, fennel, fenugreek, nigella and mustard.
Why is mustard oil used in Bengali cooking?
It gives the sharp, pungent flavour that defines Bengali food.
Is Bangladeshi food the same as Bengali food?
They share the same Bengali cuisine; Bangladeshi cooking uses more beef and is often spicier.
What is a typical Bengali meal?
Rice with dal, a bhaja, a vegetable, fish or meat, and a sweet to finish.
Every recipe
All Bengali recipes
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Patishapta Recipe (Bengali Coconut Jaggery Crepes)
Make patishapta: thin rice and semolina crepes rolled around a coconut and jaggery filling. The Bengali winter sweet for Poush Sankranti, soft and never torn.
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Aloo Posto Recipe (Bengali Potatoes in Poppy Seed Paste)
Make aloo posto: potatoes cooked in a creamy white poppy seed paste with green chilli and mustard oil. Mild, nutty, 30 minutes.
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Chorchori Recipe (Bengali Mixed Vegetable Stir Fry)
Make Bengali chorchori: pumpkin, potato, eggplant and greens cooked dry with panch phoron and a touch of mustard. Simple, fragrant everyday sabzi.
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Begun Bhaja Recipe (Bengali Fried Eggplant)
Make begun bhaja: thick eggplant slices rubbed with turmeric, chilli and salt, then fried in mustard oil until crisp outside and creamy inside. 20 minutes.
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Dimer Dalna Recipe (Bengali Egg and Potato Curry)
Make dimer dalna: boiled eggs and potatoes fried golden, then simmered in a light tomato, ginger and cumin gravy. Bengali comfort food in 40 minutes.
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Kosha Mangsho Recipe (Bengali Slow Cooked Mutton)
Make kosha mangsho: mutton slow fried in mustard oil with onion, yoghurt and spices until dark, thick and glossy. Bengal’s Sunday curry, tender every time.
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Chingri Malai Curry Recipe (Bengali Prawn Coconut Curry)
Make chingri malai curry: large prawns in a rich coconut milk gravy with ghee, onion, ginger and garam masala. Juicy prawns, silky gravy, done in 30 minutes.
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Doi Maach Recipe (Bengali Fish in Yoghurt)
Make doi maach: fried rohu or any firm fish in a mild yoghurt gravy with onion, ginger and whole spices. Creamy and smooth, without the yoghurt splitting.
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Shorshe Ilish Recipe (Hilsa in Mustard Sauce)
Make shorshe ilish: hilsa steaks cooked in a pungent mustard paste with green chillies and raw mustard oil. Tips so the mustard is never bitter or harsh.
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