Boishakhi delights
ahela Boishakh is an exciting time filled with decadent feasting and festivities that come in a myriad of colours. Truly, it is a time for indulgence. We, the lucky ones, are blessed to be part of a culture so deeply rooted in flavour.
Bengali food is indeed a paradoxical wonder; it is both simple in its humility and beautifully complex in its depth. To enjoy this time of feasting, we’ve prepared a roundup of dishes to share with your family and friends. Let the natural flavours of Bengal shine through with these recipes.
Panta Ilish
A dish that needs no introduction, Panta Ilish is a staple delicacy celebrating the simple, rural roots of Bengal. The height of Boishakhi tradition, it is almost criminal to neglect this delicacy. Panta Bhat is essentially leftover rice soaked in water, a wonderfully convenient dish to prepare.
Ingredients
o 2 cups of rice
o Water
o Salt, lime and chilli – all to taste
Method
Cook the rice as you normally would and allow it to cool completely. Add water to fully submerge your cooked rice and set aside overnight for the classic taste of fermented rice. Garnish with a hint of salt, lime and chilli and you have a paanta worth salivating over. With the Ilish bhaaja, go for a classic approach highlighting the true taste of one of our favourite fish.
Ingredients: o 6 pieces of Ilish (Hilsha) maach
o ½ tsp red chilli powder
o ½ tsp turmeric powder
o Salt to taste
o Oil
Method
Clean the fish thoroughly with water. Rub a bit of salt and turmeric powder on to your fish pieces and set aside for five to 10 minutes. Wash off the salt and turmeric to get rid of any foul odours the fish may have. Mix together chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt and coat your fish pieces generously. Seriously, go all out on this one for maximum flavour. Heat oil on a medium high, and fry your marinated fish pieces until they are crispy and golden-brown. Yum!
Note: Keep an eye on the fish, the frying time isn’t set in stone and depends entirely on the thickness of the fish you’re using.