Food historian Pritha Sen gives Kolkata a taste of lost recipes from the princely states of Bengal

Food historian Pritha Sen gives Kolkata a taste of lost recipes from the princely states of Bengal

It goes without saying that Bengalis love their food, but how much do we know about the food that we eat today? To delve deep into the cultural influences that have shaped Bengali food over centuries, culinary historian Pritha Sen recently curated a high table menu to provide connoisseurs a taste of recipes from Bengal’s glorious past.

106838928“Bengal has been a confluence of different cultures over the years, primarily because it was home to one of the most important ports in the country back in time, and has been a political hotspot for numerous rulers in the past. Elaborate spreads were crafted in the kitchens of the Rajas of Bengal, primarily feudal lords, who would then turn gastronomy into art by creating new dishes,” shared Pritha, talking about the rich culinary history in this part of the world.

106838936Maharaja Mahtab Chand from the princely state of Burdwan co-authored a book named Pak Rajeshwar, which is considered to be the first ever cookbook printed in Bengali. It was written in the haute lingua of the royal courts, and has been transcribed as a part of Pritha’s research into the cuisine of the first families of Bengal from the late 18th and 19th centuries.

The seven course meal was an attempt to bring the authentic taste of culinary gems such as Kofta Shammi Kebab Mahi with Gorbho Mocha Salad, Buter Dal diye Hasher Qaliya, Vartakur Shirazi Bhorta, Dudh Badamer Mohonbhog and more. Though many of the terms may seem unfamiliar, Pritha pointed out that most of the dish names were left unchanged, to keep the experience as authentic as possible. For a fact, most of the dishes were cooked without onion and garlic, just as it is mentioned in the book.

106838950Each dish that arrived on the table was introduced with a few tidbits of information. Banana flowers are termed as mocha in Bengali, but the term Gorbho Mocha baffled a few. Turns out, it’s a bigger variant of the usual ones we get to see. Connoisseurs started off with two types of starters, and even though the Guley Kebab with Gorbho Mocha Salad was a part of the vegetarian menu, it stood out with its melt-in-mouth texture.

Moving on to the mains, that were served in two portions, the first arrived with Khamiri roti, paired with Vartakur Shirazi Bhorta (Roasted eggplants, cottage cheese and eggs in Persian Shirazi style) and Nimona (Rooted in Kannauj, it consists of hand-pounded fresh winter peas and green grams). The other portion of mains essentially consisted of delicacies like Mangodi Tahiri with Mutton, Baganey Chutney and Alabur Raita (Bengal small grain spiced rice with lentil cakes, green chutney made of local herbs and a pungent take on raita, featuring bottle gourd as the star ingredient). The other dish Buter Dal diye Hasher Qaliya (duck cooked with chickpeas and Mughal spicing) paired well with the Tahiri. To wrap things up on a sweet note, there was the Dudh Badamer Monohora (Thickened milk with dry fruits) that was served with caramelised

Goyna bori.

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The spread was not just dotted with lost recipes from the princely states of Burdwan, but Cooch Behar and Natore too. Available in both non-vegetarian and vegetarian options, the dining experience, set around an ambient, candle-lit round table with wooden high chairs further elevated the royal experience.

Pics: Anindya Saha

Location: Glenburn Penthouse

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