2. GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION
• The Bengal region lies is in the low-lying Ganges–Brahmaputra River
Delta or the Ganges Delta
• The Ganges Delta arises from the confluence of the
rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers and their
respective tributaries
• The Bengal region today comprises of parts of West Bengal and
Bangladesh
• West Bengal is on the eastern bottleneck of India, stretching from
the Himalayas in the north to the Bay of Bengal in the south
• In Bengal the major practice of cultivation is of Paddy
• The average rainfall over the region, the type of soil, and the
cultural practices prefer the growth of paddy
3. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
• Bengali food has inherited a large number of influences from both
foreign travelers and pan-Indians
• Bengali cuisine is perhaps the only cuisine in the Indian region
which still holds its authenticity over 1000 years, though the region
has been ruled by the Mughal emperors and was also the capital of
British colonization
• Though there has been great influences on the cuisine from the
Nawabs, Chinese, Britishers and Marwari
• The Nawabs or the Mughals ruled the state for a very long time and
Mughlai cuisine has had a great impact on the Bengali cuisine
• The key culinary influence of the Christian community was the ritual
of tea (introduced by the British, and in Bengal’s snack food
traditions)
• Baking, which was pretty much unknown till the British came along,
became widespread
4. • Chops and cutlets were once British in origin but they are now
firmly Bengali
• Baghdadi Jews set up Kolkata’s famous Jewish bakeries which are
now dead or dying, but their influence is everywhere
• The Chinese community in Indian sub-continent are a community of
immigrants and their descendants that emigrated from China to
work at the Chittagong and Calcutta port
• MSG and sweet corn got infused into the popular Bengali Chinese
cuisine
• In West Bengal’s cuisine small quantities of sugar is added to it’s
dishes especially in vegetarian dishes differentiating it from
Bangladesh's cuisine
• There was also an influence of widows on the Bengali cuisine
5. Seasonal Availability
LOCAL NAME ENGLISH NAME
Bandhakopi Cabbage
Phulkopi Cauliflower
Olkopi Kohlrabi
Sarisa shaak Mustard green
Mula Radish
Motor Pea
Sheem Hyacinth bean
Beet Beet
Tala kuchi Ivory gourd
Shajina Drumstick
Palonggshak Spinach
Gajor Carrot
Dhone pata Coriander
8. Staple Diet
• The Staple food of Bengal is – Fish and Rice
• It can be cooked in many different and distinct manners
• Fish is a part of diet even for Brahmin Bengalis
• The most preferred form of meat in Bengal is Mutton or goat
meat
• Vegetables like Jack fruit(enchor), bitter gourd(korola), bottle
gourd(Lau), saag, banana tree, stem and flower and whole lot
of other vegetables
• Pulses like Masoor, Moong, Chana and Arhar
9. • Sukto
• Panch meshalo torkari
• Dalna
• Maach
• Dal + bhaja
• Chutney
• Mishti Doi
• Meeshti
Course Menu
10. Specialty of cuisine for Festival
• Durga Puja and Saraswati Puja (Bhog – Lunch)
1. Khichudi
2. Labra
3. Panch Bhaja
4. Tomato chutney
5. Payeesh
• Night Bhog
1. Loochi
2. Sooji Halwa
12. Specialty of cuisine for Special
Occasions
• Loochi
• Gooder Payesh
• Mochar Ghanto
• Prawn Malai Curry
• Dab Chingri
• Radhballavi
• Kosha Mangsho
• Alur Dam
• Chola Dal
