Biye Bari Shukto
Sienna cafe shares their recipe for a staple 'bitters’ dish in Bengali cuisine. Traditionally eaten at the start of a meal, this biye bari shukto is nourshing and fragrant, with soft flavours that whet your appetite.
Main Course
Sama Chal Potol
Made with barnyard millet and pointed gourd, and paired with a cooling raita, this pulao is the perfect dish for a hearty and nourishing lunch.
Muthira pachakaya puzhukku
This puzhukku, which Vishalakshi learned to prepare from her grandmother, is made using horse gram, raw plantain, and spiced coconut.
Thengai Paal Keerai
The thengai paal keerai is made of amaranth greens, green gram, and coconut milk.
Kulith ani Kooka Koddel
This kulith ani kooka koddel, a family recipe from Chef Ashwini Pai, is a warm and comforting Mangalorean curry that uses the chinese potato, a winter produce from the coastal regions of Karnataka.
Mourola Maach er Tok Jhal
Dolon Dutta Chowdhury shares her mother’s version of Mourola Maach er Tok Jhal, her take on the traditional Bengali Tok – a light sweet-and-sour dish served towards the end of a Bengali meal.
Kaale Chane ka Pulao
Bottle gourd, black chickpeas, kidney beans, and rice come together at North Delhi’s Mazdoor Kitchen in a wholesome meal,often just the one they have in a day,for over 400 homeless people and labourers.
Kupa (tuna) Biryani and Koshimbir
This specialty from Worli Koliwada, Mumbai, combines fresh tuna available in the region with flavourful spices and seasoned rice. Shraddha Patil, a 49-year-old Anganwadi teacher, decodes the recipe for us.
Mixed Millet Rotla
Sorghum, pearl millet, and finger millet flours are combined to make this wholesome dish, with recipes for cucumber-tomato sabji, and chilli pickle that pair perfectly with it.