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West Bengal

West Bengal, an eastern Indian state, stretches from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, with Kolkata (its capital) as a historic intellectual and cultural center. Known for its Bengali language, literature (think Rabindranath Tagore), and cuisine, it blends urban vibrancy with rural rice fields and the Sundarbans mangroves, home to the Royal Bengal tiger. Politically dynamic and industrially diverse, West Bengal navigates a legacy of British colonialism and modern economic challenges.

West Bengal

Featured Dishes from West Bengal

Bakarkhani

Bakarkhani

Bakarkhani or Baqarkhani or Bakorkhoni also known as bakarkhani roti, is a thick, spiced flat-bread that is part of the Mughlai cuisine. Bakarkhani is prepared on certain Muslim religious festivals in South Asia and is now popular as sweet bread. Bakarkhani is almost biscuit-like in texture, with a hard crust. The chief ingredients are flour, semolina, sugar, molasses soaked in saffron, poppy or nigella seeds, salt, and ghee .

Chire doi aam

Chire doi aam

Sweet flattened rice porridge with yogurt and mango

Chirer pulao

Chirer pulao

Flattened rice with raisins, vegetables, beans, herbs, spices

Doi

Doi

Yogurt is a food produced by bacterial fermentation of milk. Fermentation of sugars in the milk by these bacteria produces lactic acid, which acts on milk protein to give yogurt its texture and characteristic tart flavor. Cow's milk is most commonly used to make yogurt. Milk from water buffalo, goats, ewes, mares, camels, and yaks is also used to produce yogurt. The milk used may be homogenized or not. It may be pasteurized or raw. Each type of milk produces substantially different results. Yogurt is produced using a culture of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus bacteria. Other lactobacilli and bifidobacteria are sometimes added during or after culturing yogurt. Some countries require yogurt to contain a specific amount of colony-forming units (CFU) of bacteria; for example, in China the requirement for the number of lactobacillus bacteria is at least 1 million CFU per milliliter. Some countries also regulate which bacteria can be used: for example, in France, a product can only be labeled as "yaourt" or "yoghourt" if it has been fermented exclusively by Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, a requirement that aligns with the international definition of yogurt in the Codex Alimentarius on fermented milk (CXS 243-2003.

Masala idli

Masala idli

Rice cakes, cut into pieces and stir fried with a gravy made with onions, tomatoes, chili peppers and spices

Sel roti

Sel roti

Sel roti is a traditional Nepalese ring-shaped sweet fried dough made from rice flour. It is mostly prepared during Dashain and Tihar, widely celebrated Hindu festivals in Nepal as well as Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Sikkim regions in India. The dish is popular throughout Nepal. Sel roti is made from a batter of rice flour, water, sugar, ghee, and spices which is then deep-fried in cooking oil. Dinesh Raj Panta, a professor at Nepal Sanskrit University estimates this dish to be over 800 years old. According to Madhulika Dash, an Indian food columnist, the dish was made bland many years ago, without sugar and spices. Over the years with intermingling of various ethnicities of Nepal, the dish has reached in its modern form. Dash also estimates that sel roti may have been a modified form of Babari, a Nepalese rice pancake. Babari is made of the same batter but is cooked like a pancake on a shallow griddle while sel roti is ring shaped and deep fried on a karahi.

Uthappam

Uthappam

An uttapam is a type of dosa from South India. Unlike a typical dosa, which is crisp and crepe-like, an uttapam is thicker, with toppings. The name is derived from the Tamil words appam and utthia or uttria, meaning "poured appam", because appam is cooked in a round-bottom pan, whereas utthia-appam is cooked on a flat skillet. Tamil ancient literature mentions it by name. The classic breakfast of Tamil residents consists of idli, dosas or uttappams mostly accompanied by sambar and chutney. It is similar to a dosa, but it has more vegetables and a greater preparation time. It is famous in South India, mainly Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Badam halwa

Badam halwa

A sweet pudding made with ground almonds, sugar, ghee, cardamom and saffron

Bhapa doi

Bhapa doi

Steamed sweet yogurt pudding

Chanar jilipi

Chanar jilipi

Jalebi made with fresh paneer (cottage cheese)

Coconut ladoo

Coconut ladoo

Laddu or laddoo is a spherical sweet from the Indian subcontinent made of various ingredients and sugar syrup or jaggery. It has been described as "perhaps the most universal and ancient of Indian sweets." Laddus are often served during celebrations and religious festivals, especially those associated with the Hindu deity Ganesha.

Darbesh

Darbesh

Red and yellow sweet gram balls

Goja

Goja

Sweet deep-fried dough snack

Gulab jamun

Gulab jamun

Gulab jamun is a sweet confectionery or dessert, originating in the Indian subcontinent, and a type of mithai popular in India, Pakistan, Nepal, the Maldives and Bangladesh, as well as Myanmar. It is also common in nations with substantial populations of people with South Asian heritage, such as Mauritius, Fiji, Gulf states, the Malay Peninsula, United Kingdom, United States, Canada, South Africa, and the Caribbean (Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname). It is made mainly from milk solids, traditionally from khoya, which is milk reduced to the consistency of a soft dough. Modern recipes call for dried or powdered milk instead of khoya. It is often garnished with dried nuts, such as almonds and cashews, to enhance flavour.

Imarti

Imarti

Imarti is an Indian sweet made by deep-frying a batter prepared with black gram flour in a circular, flower-like shape, and then soaking it in sugar syrup Alternative names for the Imarti include Amitti, Amriti, Emarti, Omritti, Jahangir and Jhangiri/Jaangiri. This dish is similar to the jalebi, which is thinner and sweeter than Imarti. The Imarti is a popular Iftar food in Bangladesh, while in India, Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh is famous for its imartis.

Kacha golla

Kacha golla

Sweet balls made with chenna, condensed milk, sugar and cardamom

Kalimpong lollipop

Kalimpong lollipop

Kalimpong lollipops are a traditional sweet from Kalimpong, West Bengal, first made by Swiss Jesuit priest Father Andreas Butty in the 1950s, using milk and sugar.

Kheer kadam

Kheer kadam

Ball-shaped sweet made with milk, saffron, khoya, paneer and sugar

Kheer-er goja

Kheer-er goja

Sweet deep-fried confection made with milk solids, wheat flour, cardamom and sugar, soaked in syrup

Khiramohana

Khiramohana

Khira mohan is a creamish dessert popular in Odisha . It is made from chhena and syrup made of sugar. The descendant of khira mohana probably was Odia Rasgulla the food historians from Odisha suggest that the Khira mohana was invented in Odisha to offer the goddess Lakshmi at Jagannath Temple, Puri. Khir Mohana or Khirmohan is also called Brown Rasogolla.

Kolar bora

Kolar bora

Banana fritters

Langcha

Langcha

Lyangcha, Langcha , or Lemcha, is an Indian sweet dish prepared in West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, Assam, Tripura and also throughout Bangladesh. It is made from flour and milk powder by frying it and dipping it into sugar syrup for a long time. The origin of the sweet is in Bardhaman, West Bengal, India. The Government of West Bengal has begun the process of registering Geographical indication (GI) for Lyangcha. Traditionally, lyangcha is made from khoya (a form of solid milk). But due to the unavailability of khoya at times, often milk powder is used instead of it. Lyancha is made from flour, milk powder. The flour and milk powder is mixed thoroughly with soda and water and made into a dough. Ghee is added making the dough at constant intervals. Mixed well, the dough is kept untouched for few hours. Then the dough is divided into cylindrical shaped pieces with hand. The cylindrical pieces are then deep-fried in oil until a brown crust is formed around and they turn stiff and hard. The fried cylindrical pieces are then boiled into the sugar syrup. Once done, they are brought back to a tub containing cold rose-flavored or elaichi flavored sugar syrup. Kept for few hours untouched, these hard pieces become soft and juicy, ready to be served on the plates.

Lavang latika

Lavang latika

Clove-flavored fried pastry filled with a sweet khoya mixture

Mathura peda

Mathura peda

Mathura peda is an Indian sweet dish that originated from Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, India. In Central India, sweets prepared from mawa are very popular and the peda is also a mawa sweet variety. Mathura peda is so famous in India that the term is often used in aphorism like Mathura ka peda au Chhattisgarh ka kheda means "(famous are) the peda sweet of Mathura and helmet in Chhattisgarh." Mathura acts as a brand name for peda sweet. While visiting Mathura, Mathura ke pede, Meva vati peda and export quality special peda are common souvenirs popular with visiting tourists. Mathura peda is also popular outside India, where it is often sold at Indian sweet shops. Mathura peda’s regional popularity has likened it to other popular regional sweets such as Agra Peda and Mysore Pak.

Mihidana

Mihidana

Mihidana is an Indian sweet from Burdwan, West Bengal, India. Mihidana, described as the micro cousin of the traditional Boondi, is derived from two words, Mihi meaning fine, and Dana, meaning grain. According to Late Nagendranath Nag, his grand-father Late Khettranath Nag first invented special Sitabhog and Mihidana in Bardhaman during the regime of Maharaja Late Mahatabchand Bahadur. Seventy two years after this invention, the name of Sitabhog and Mihidana earned its reputation all over India after the arrival of Lord Curzon in Bardhaman and his appraisal for these two sweets. On invitation of Maharaja Vijaychand Mahatab, Lord Curzon visited Bardhaman on 19 August 1904. To memorize the welcome lunch of Lord Curzon, Maharaja ordered Vairabchandra Nag, a sweet-maker of the town, to prepare something new and unique which would amaze the Lord. Vairabchandra Nag undertook the responsibility and introduced two new preparations named Sitabhog and Mihidana. Lord Curzon was surprised to have such unique sweets and praised and thanked Vairabchandra Nag in the certificate given to him saying he never had such sweet ever before. Thereafter, the quality and name of these two sweets reached all over the country and abroad. Late Nagendranath Nag, son of Late Vairabchandra Nag, broadcast this incident in Radio on 15 November 1976.

Mishti doi

Mishti doi

Mishti doi is a fermented sweet doi (yogurt) originating from the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent and common in the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura, Assam's Barak Valley, and in the nation of Bangladesh. It is made with milk and sugar or jaggery. It differs from the plain yogurt because of the technique of preparation. There are many variations of mishti doi according to their popularity. Sweet curd of Nabadwip, Kolkata, Bogra, etc are very popular. Mishti doi is prepared by boiling milk until it is slightly thickened, sweetening it with sugar, either gura (brown sugar) or khejur gura (date molasses), and allowing the milk to ferment overnight. Earthenware is always used as the container for making mitha dahi because the gradual evaporation of water through its porous walls not only further thickens the yoghurt, but also produces the right temperature for the growth of the culture. Very often the yoghurt is delicately seasoned with a pinch of cardamom for fragrance. Baked yogurt is a similar preparation in the West.[citation needed]

Narikol laru

Narikol laru

Sweetened coconut balls

Nolen gurer ice cream

Nolen gurer ice cream

Date palm jaggery ice cream

Notun gurer payesh

Notun gurer payesh

Rice pudding with dates, cashews, bay leaves

Pantua

Pantua

Pantua is a local confection from the Indian subcontinent, notable in West Bengal, Eastern India and Bangladesh. It is a traditional Bengali sweet made of deep-fried balls of semolina, chhena, milk, ghee and sugar syrup. Pantuas range in colour from pale brown to nearly black depending on how long they are fried. Rose water, cardamom or other flavourings are sometimes added to the sweet. Pantua is very similar to the cheese-based fried sweet ledikeni. The distinctive feature of ledikeni is its molten sugar syrup of lightly flavored cardamom powder. The name ledikeni is a rendition of "Lady Canning" and was first used by confectioner Bhim Chandra Nag, when he renamed his pantuas specially prepared on the occasion of the birthday of Countess Charlotte Canning, wife of Governor-General Charles Canning. A sweet very similar to the modern pantua and ledikeni, but made of rice flour, is mentioned in the 12th century Sanskrit-language text Manasollasa.

Patishapta

Patishapta

A crêpe or crepe is a dish made from unleavened batter or dough that is cooked on a frying pan or a griddle. Crêpes are usually one of two varieties: sweet crêpes (crêpes sucrées) or savoury galettes (crêpes salées). They are often served with a wide variety of fillings such as cheese, fruit, vegetables, meats, and a variety of spreads. Crêpes can also be flambéed, such as in crêpes Suzette. The French term "crêpe" derives from crispa, the feminine version of the Latin word crispus, which means "curled, wrinkled, having curly hair."

Payesh

Payesh

Kheer, also known as payasam or payesh, is a pudding or porridge popular in the Indian subcontinent, usually made by boiling milk, sugar or jaggery, and rice. It can be additionally flavoured with dried fruits, nuts, cardamom and saffron. Instead of rice, it may contain cracked wheat, vermicelli , sago or tapioca (sabudana). In Southern India, it is known as payasam and it is made in various ways. The most popular versions are the ones made with rice and vermicelli (semiya).

Pitha

Pitha

Pithas (Bhojpuri: 𑂣𑂲𑂘𑂰, romanized: Pēthā) are a variety of food similar to pancakes, dumplings or fritters, originating from India and Bangladesh. Pitha can be sweet or savoury, and usually made from a dough or batter, which is then steamed, fried or griddled. Very few varieties are oven-baked or boiled, and most are unleavened and cooked on a stovetop (or equivalent). Some versions may have a filling, garnish, or sauce. Few may be set or shaped after cooking. They are typically eaten as a snack with chai, or as treats during special occasions (similar to mithai). Pitha is especially popular in Bangladesh and the eastern Indian states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh (eastern parts), West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, the South Indian state of Kerala, and the Northeast Indian states, especially Assam. Pithas are typically made of rice flour, although there are some types of pitha made of wheat flour. Less common types of pitha are made of palm or ol (a local root vegetable). Pithas are primarily made from a batter of rice flour or wheat flour, which is shaped and optionally filled with sweet or savory ingredients. When filled, the pitha's pouch is called a khol (literally "container") and the fillings are called pur.

Profiteroles

Profiteroles

A profiterole , chou à la crème ( French: [ʃu a la kʁɛm]), also known alternatively as a cream puff (US), is a filled French choux pastry ball with a typically sweet and moist filling of whipped cream, custard, pastry cream, or ice cream. The puffs may be embellished or left plain or garnished with chocolate sauce, caramel, or a dusting of powdered sugar. Savory profiterole are also made, filled with pureed meats, cheese, and so on. These were formerly common garnishes for soups. The various names may be associated with particular variants of filling or sauce in different places. Choux pastry dough is piped through a pastry bag or dropped with a pair of spoons into small balls and baked to form largely hollow puffs. After cooling, the baked profiteroles are injected with filling using a pastry bag and narrow piping tip, or by slicing off the top, filling them, and reassembling. For sweet profiteroles, additional glazes or decorations may then be added.

Sandesh

Sandesh

Sandesh is a dessert, originating from the Bengal region in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent, created with milk and sugar. Some recipes of sandesh call for the use of chhena or paneer (which is made by curdling the milk and separating the whey from it) instead of milk itself. Some people in the region of Dhaka make a variety of sandesh called pranahara (literally 'heart stealer') which is softer and made with mawa and yogurt. The Gupo/Gufo style of sandesh from Guptipara is considered by some to be the "first branded sweet of Bengal". A sweet dish by the name sandesh is mentioned in medieval Bengali literature, including Krittibas' Ramayana and lyrics of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. However, the ingredients of this original dish are not known. This dish was most likely made of solidified kheer, thus being different from the modern chhena-based sandesh. It is hard to determine when exactly sandesh started referring mainly to the chhena-based sweet instead of the kheer-based sweet. However, it is known that by the second half of the 19th century, sandesh commonly referred to the chhena-based sweet.

Sel roti

Sel roti

Sel roti is a traditional Nepalese ring-shaped sweet fried dough made from rice flour. It is mostly prepared during Dashain and Tihar, widely celebrated Hindu festivals in Nepal as well as Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Sikkim regions in India. The dish is popular throughout Nepal. Sel roti is made from a batter of rice flour, water, sugar, ghee, and spices which is then deep-fried in cooking oil. Dinesh Raj Panta, a professor at Nepal Sanskrit University estimates this dish to be over 800 years old. According to Madhulika Dash, an Indian food columnist, the dish was made bland many years ago, without sugar and spices. Over the years with intermingling of various ethnicities of Nepal, the dish has reached in its modern form. Dash also estimates that sel roti may have been a modified form of Babari, a Nepalese rice pancake. Babari is made of the same batter but is cooked like a pancake on a shallow griddle while sel roti is ring shaped and deep fried on a karahi.

Sitabhog

Sitabhog

Sitabhog is a famous sweet of Bardhaman, West Bengal, India. Sitabhog is a flavourful dessert that looks like white rice or vermicelli mixed with small pieces of Gulab jamun. Made from cottage cheese (also known as chhana in Bengali), rice flour and sugar, Sitabhog often gives the appearance of pulao, which is albeit sweet in taste. According to Late Nagendranath Nag, his grandfather Late Khettranath Nag first invented special Sitabhog and Mihidana in Bardhaman during the regime of Maharaja Late Mahatabchand Bahadur. Seventy two years after this invention the name of Sitabhog and Mihidana earned its reputation all over India after the arrival of Lord Curzon in Bardhaman and his appraisal for these two sweets. On invitation of Maharaja Vijaychand Mahatab Lord Curzon visited Bardhaman on 19 August 1904. To memorize the welcome lunch of Lord Curzon, Maharaja ordered Vairabchandra Nag, a sweet-maker of the town, to prepare something new and unique which would amaze the Lord. Vairabchandra Nag undertook the responsibility and introduced two new preparations named Sitabhog and Mihidana. Lord Curzon was surprised to have such unique sweets and praised and thanked Vairabchandra Nag in the certificate given to him saying he never had such sweet ever before. Thereafter, the quality and name of these two sweets reached all over the country and abroad. Late Nagendranath Nag, son of Late Vairabchandra Nag, broadcast this incident on Radio on 15 November 1976.

Thekua

Thekua

Thekua , also known as Khajuria, Tikari and Thokni, is an Indo-Nepalese sweet dish popular in Southern Nepal and the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh. Thekua is a revered prasada, offering to god, during Chhath puja. It has been used as a sweet snack for centuries in these places. It is widely and popularly used as a 'Sandesh' (also called Bhojani) in local ancient-traditional culture. 'Sandesh' (it may be fruits, sweets or any edible/potable goods) . A 'Sandesh' is something which a guest brings to someone's home when he/she arrives there.

Zarda

Zarda

Zarda is a traditional boiled sweet rice dish, native to the Indian subcontinent, made with saffron, milk and sugar, and flavoured with cardamom, raisins, pistachios or almonds. The name 'zarda' comes from Persian word 'zard' زرد meaning 'yellow', because the food coloring added to the rice gives it a yellow color. Zarda is typically served after a meal. In the Indian subcontinent, zarda was and still remains a popular dessert on special occasions such as weddings. It is quite similar to sholezard, a traditional Iranian dessert, and zerde, a traditional Turkish dessert. Often in Pakistan, instead of yellow food coloring, multiple food colorings are added so the rice grains are of multiple colors. Additionally, khoya, candied fruits (murabba) and nuts are an essential part of zarda made at auspicious occasions. There also is a popular use of raisins, and other dried fruits to dish.

Aam pora shorbot

Aam pora shorbot

Roasted mango beverage

Bel ka sharbat

Bel ka sharbat

Sweet and sour wood apple energy drink

Daaber ghol

Daaber ghol

Coconut lassi (yogurt) beverage

Darjeeling tea

Darjeeling tea

Darjeeling tea is a tea made from Camellia sinensis var. sinensis that is grown and processed in Darjeeling district or Kalimpong district in West Bengal, India. Since 2004, the term Darjeeling tea has been a registered geographical indication referring to products produced on certain estates within Darjeeling and Kalimpong. The tea leaves are processed as black tea, though some estates have expanded their product offerings to include leaves suitable for making green, white, and oolong teas. The tea leaves are harvested by plucking the plant's top two leaves and the bud, from March to November, a time span that is divided into four flushes. The first flush consists of the first few leaves grown after the plant's winter dormancy and produce a light floral tea with a slight astringency; this flush is also suitable for producing a white tea. Second flush leaves are harvested after the plant has been attacked by a leafhopper and the camellia tortrix so that the leaves create a tea with a distinctive muscatel aroma. The warm and wet weather of monsoon flush rapidly produces leaves that are less flavorful and are often used for blending. The autumn flush produces teas similar to, but more muted than, the second flush.

Raksi

Raksi

Raksi (Bantawa language: Hengmawa/Hengma, Limbu language: Sijongwaa aara, Nepal Bhasa: aila) is the Nepali term for a traditional distilled alcoholic beverage in Nepal, India (Darjeeling, Sikkim) and Tibet. It is often made at home. Raksi is a strong drink, clear like vodka or gin, tasting somewhat like Japanese sake. It is usually made from kodo millet or rice; different grains produce different flavors. It is made by distilling a chhaang, a brewed alcoholic drink. The Limbus and Kirati people, for whom it is a traditional beverage, drink tongba and raksi served with pieces of pork, water buffalo or goat meat sekuwa. For the Newars, aila is indispensable during festivals and various religious rituals as libation, prasad or sagan. In CNN's list of the world's 50 most delicious drinks, raksi was ranked 41st and was described as follows: "made from millet or rice, raksi is strong on the nose and sends a burning sensation straight down your throat that resolves itself into a surprisingly smooth, velvety sensation. Nepalese drink this home brew to celebrate festivals, though some think that the prized drink itself is the reason to celebrate."

Tnetuler shorbot

Tnetuler shorbot

Tamarind beverage

Aloo capsicum

Aloo capsicum

Stir fried potato and bell pepper curry, a dry curry

Aloo potol

Aloo potol

Alu Potala Rasa is a spicy gravy-based curry that originates from Odisha, India. It is made with potala and aloo (potatoes). Ingredients to prepare this dish include potatoes, pointed gourd, ginger, garlic, onion, coconut, cumin, chilli powder, and turmeric powder.

Alur dom

Alur dom

Dum aloo , aaloo dam (Awadhi or Bhojpuri: 𑂄𑂪𑂳 𑂠𑂧, romanized: ālō dam) aloo dum (Bengali: আলুর দম, romanized: ālūr dam) or aloo dum (Odia: ଆଳୁ ଦମ, romanized: ālū dam) is an Indian fried potato-based curry dish. The word dum translates to as steam-cooked or slow-cooked, while aloo means potato. It is a part of the traditional Kashmiri Pandit cuisine, from the Kashmir Valley of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Dum aloo is now cooked widely throughout India. There are also Banarasi and Bengali variations. The potatoes, usually smaller ones, are first skinned and deep fried. Kashmiri dum aloo sauce is made with yogurt or khoya, and often includes a cashew nut paste. The Banarasi variation sauce is typically more aromatic and is made from tomatoes and onions. Spices such as red chilies, garlic, ginger, cardamom, and fennel along with other herbs, are added to the sauce. The potatoes are cooked slowly at low flame in the sauce, and can be garnished with coriander. Dum aloo is often paired and served with naan.

Bamboo chicken

Bamboo chicken

Bamboo chicken is a chicken curry prepared by stuffing chicken in bamboo segments and then cooking it on charcoal. It is a traditional tribal cuisine of Maredumilli, a hill station in the Alluri Sitharama Raju district in Andhra Pradesh, India.

Basanti pulao

Basanti pulao

Sweet pulao with spices, nuts, raisins, ghee, saffron, sugar

Bengali pulao

Bengali pulao

Rice pilaf with sweet or savory ingredients, vegetables, nuts, dried fruit, fish

Bhapa

Bhapa

Steamed and curried food such as fish, shrimp (chingri), vegetables, potatoes, eggs, cottage cheese

Bhapa ilish

Bhapa ilish

Shorshe ilish is a Bengali dish, native to the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent, made from hilsa or Tenualosa ilisha, a type of herring, cooked in mustard gravy. The dish is popular among the people of Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura and Assam's Barak valley. The main ingredients are hilsa, white mustard, mustard, mustard oil, green chili, black cumin, turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt. Lime juice and/or coriander leaves may be added for flavor.

Bhapa mach

Bhapa mach

Bhetki macher paturi

Bhetki macher paturi

Barramundi fish wrapped in banana leaves

Bhuna khichuri

Bhuna khichuri

Rice pulao with vegetables, meat, eggs, prawns, beans, dry fruit, nuts, spices

Chanar dalna

Chanar dalna

Potato curry with cottage cheese dumplings

Chanar kalia

Chanar kalia

Cottage cheese dumpling curry

Chicken chaap

Chicken chaap

Chicken in yogurt curry with garlic, ginger, coriander, saffron, chili peppers

Chicken Chettinad

Chicken Chettinad

Chicken Chettinad or Chettinad chicken is a classic Indian recipe, from the cuisine of Chettinad in Tamil Nadu, India. It consists of chicken marinated in yogurt, turmeric and a paste of red chillies, kalpasi, coconut, poppy seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, black pepper, ground nuts, onions, garlic and sesame oil. It is served hot and garnished with coriander leaves, accompanied with boiled rice or paratha.

Chicken rezala

Chicken rezala

Stewed chicken curry with yogurt, ginger, garlic, cashews, poppy seeds, cinnamon, chili peppers, cardamom

Chicken thali

Chicken thali

Thali or Bhojanam (meaning "full meal") is a round platter used to serve food in South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Caribbean. Thali is also used to refer to an Indian-style meal made up of a selection of various dishes which are served on a platter. Thali is also used in south Asia for ceremonial purposes. According to archeologist Bindeshwari Prasad Sinha, dish-on-stand and simple dishes belonging to the Indus Valley Civilization may be regarded as the prototype of Indian dishes as thalis but these do not have accompanying bowls commonly seen with thalis. According to Sinha the distinctive thali accompanying bowls instead appears in the Painted Grey Ware culture. Archeologist B.B. Lal similarly suggests food was eaten from the Painted Grey Ware dishes and bowls. B.B Lal notes that "typical dinner set in the Painted Grey Ware consists of the thali (dish), katora (bowl) and lota (drinking vessel)," he suggests it highlights the tradition followed today. Earliest textual sources on thali comes from Ayurveda Samhitas, Sangam and medieval period Indian cookbooks.

Chingri bhapa

Chingri bhapa

Steamed shrimp in mustard curry

Chingri malai curry

Chingri malai curry

Chingri malai curry or malai chingri, also known as prawn malai curry, is a Bengali curry made from tiger and king prawns (chingri) and coconut milk and flavoured with spices. The dish is popular throughout Bengal and is served during weddings and celebrations, or for guests, and was also very popular among the British in Calcutta.

Chirer pulao

Chirer pulao

Flattened rice with raisins, vegetables, beans, herbs, spices

Chokha

Chokha

Savory mashed vegetables, for example, eggplant, potato, tomato, squash, commonly served with or used to fill litti (dough balls)

Crab kalia

Crab kalia

Dahi chicken

Dahi chicken

Chicken in yogurt- or curd-based curry

Dal puri

Dal puri

Roti flatbread with a yellow spit pea filling

Dalma

Dalma

Lentil and vegetable curry, made with lentils, vegetable, fruit, unripe banana, eggplant, pumpkin, yam, papaya, gourd

Dhokar dalna

Dhokar dalna

Fried lentil cakes in curry with ginger and cumin

Dimer dalna

Egg curry with vegetables, potatoes, spices

Doi maach

Doi maach

Fish in yogurt curry, serve with rice

Doi potol

Pointed gourd in a yogurt-based curry

Echorer dalna

Echorer dalna

Green jackfruit curry

Ema datshi

Ema datshi

Ema datshi is a spicy Bhutanese stew made from hot chili peppers and cheese. It is among the most famous dishes in Bhutanese cuisine, recognized as the national dish of the country. Over the years, ema datshi, which has its roots in Tibetan culinary traditions, has undergone various changes to suit with the preference of local Bhutanese taste. Different varieties of chilies may be used: green chili, red chili, or white chili (green chili washed in hot water and sun-dried), which may be dried or fresh. The chilies are called "sha ema" which is a Capsicum annuum cultivar, a form of pepper much like cayenne, poblano, ancho, or Anaheim. Beyond the classic ema datshi, numerous variations exist, depending on the type of vegetable used. The cheese used in ema datshi is called datshi; it is usually made at home from the curd of cow's or yak's milk. While rich in flavor, ema datshi is high in fats and sodium, making it less suitable for individuals with certain health conditions.

Fish orly

Battered and deep-fried fish

Fish tikka

Fish tikka

Fish cooked in a tandoor oven or on a grill, may be cooked as kebabs, added to curry

Galouti kebab

Galouti kebab

Small pan-fried minced meat patties, seasoned with spices, rose, ginger, garlic, there are also vegetarian variations

Garlic rice

Garlic rice

Sinangag , also called garlic fried rice or garlic rice, is a Filipino fried rice dish cooked by stir-frying pre-cooked rice with garlic. The rice used is preferably stale, usually leftover cooked rice from the previous day, as it results in rice that is slightly fermented and firmer. It is garnished with toasted garlic, rock salt, black pepper and sometimes chopped scallions. The rice grains are ideally loose and not stuck together. It is rarely eaten on its own, but is usually paired with a "dry" meat dish such as tocino (bacon), longganisa (sausage), tapa (dried or cured meat), Spam, or daing (dried fish), as well as the addition of scrambled or fried eggs. Unlike other types of fried rice, it does not normally use ingredients other than garlic, in order not to overwhelm the flavour of the main dish. In the Visayas regions of the Philippines, sinangag was traditionally seasoned with asín tibuok.

Ghonto

Ghonto

Curried vegetables, fish, shrimp, lentils, banana flower, commonly uses mustard oil and panch phoran spices

Ginger rice

Ginger rice

Indian ginger rice is a flavorful dish made by cooking rice with ginger and spices, often served as a side for various Indian meals. It typically includes ingredients like basmati rice, ginger, garlic, and sometimes spices or broth for added flavor.

Gyathuk

Gyathuk

An Indian version of thukpa, a Tibetan noodle soup

Hilsa

Hilsa

A popular fish in eastern India and Bangladesh, used in curries, cooked in banana leaves, with rice

Jackfruit curry

Jackfruit curry

The jackfruit is a species of tree in the fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family (Moraceae). The jackfruit is the largest tree fruit, reaching as much as 55 kg (120 pounds) in weight, 90 cm (35 inches) in length, and 50 cm (20 inches) in diameter. A mature jackfruit tree produces some 200 fruits per year, with older trees bearing up to 500 fruits in a year. The jackfruit is a multiple fruit composed of hundreds to thousands of individual flowers, and the fleshy petals of the unripe fruit are eaten. The jackfruit tree is well-suited to tropical lowlands and is widely cultivated throughout tropical regions of the world, including India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the rainforests of the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Australia.

Kabiraji

Kabiraji

Kabiraji is an Indian fried dish made of chicken, fish., mutton or prawn. This is a popular dish in eastern India, originating from Kolkata. The dish has a fish, chicken or mutton cutlet inside, wrapped in a coating of crunchy deep-fried egg floss.

Kakori kebab

Kakori kebab

Minced meat kebabs, originated in the city of Kakori

Kalia

Kalia

Curry with fish, chicken, vegetables, jackfruit

Kanchkolar kofta

Kanchkolar kofta

Curry with dumplings made with green banana and potatoes

Khichuri

Khichuri

Khichdi or khichri is a dish in South Asian cuisine made of rice and lentils (dal) with numerous variations. Variations include bajra and mung dal khichri. In Indian culture, in several regions, especially in the northern areas, it is considered one of the first solid foods that babies eat. The word Khichdī is derived from Sanskrit खिच्चा khiccā, a dish of rice and legumes.

Kosha mangsho

Kosha mangsho

Spicy goat and papaya curry, serve with luchi flatbread

Lauki chana dal

Lauki chana dal

Bottle gourd and lentil curry

Macha bhaja

Macha bhaja

In West Bengal, Tripura, Odisha, Assam and Bangladesh, fried fish or māchh bhājā is a common delicacy. Riverine fish like bhetki, topshey, aarh and pābdā , and anadromous fish such as hilsa are commonly fried in Bengali cuisine, Odia cuisine and Assamese cuisine.[citation needed] In the process of frying it in oil, a hilsa will release additional oil. The oil mixture is valued as a flavouring agent for rice or vegetables.

Macher chop

Fish croquettes or cutlets

Macher kalia

Macher kalia

Fish and yogurt curry

Machher jhol

Machher jhol

Machher Jhol , Machha Jhola (Odia: ମାଛ ଝୋଳ), Machhak Jhor (Maithili: माछक झोर / Nepali: माछाको झोल), or Machhari ke Jhor (Bhojpuri: मछरी के झोर) is a traditional spicy fish curry in Nepalese cuisine (including Maithili Cousine and Bhojpuri Cuisine), Indian Cuisine (including Bengali Cuisine, Maithili Cuisine, Bhojpuri Cuisine, and Odia cuisines) and Bangladeshi Cuisine (Bengali Cuisine) in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent. It is in the form of a very spicy stew or gravy that is served with rice. Machher Jhol is liberally seasoned with turmeric, garlic, onions, and grated ginger and Indian spices. Potatoes are added to the curry as a thickening agent. Tomatoes are also added to impart the dish with a reddish color which is preferred by the people of Bengal. The kinds of fish that typically used in Odia and Bengali households are ilish or ilishi, rui, and catla. Apart from these, there are some famous small sized fish that are normally favoured over others.

Masala khichdi

Masala khichdi

A one-pot meal of rice with vegetables, lentils and spices

Mejbani mangsho

Mejbani mangsho

Mutton in a spicy chili pepper sauce

Mochar ghonto

Mochar ghonto

Banana blossom curry, a dry curry or stir fry made with banana flowers, coconut, potato, spices, caramalized sugar

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