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| Photo: Vyron Perelis, Greece |
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Kolkata dazzles the sense, including the culinary. You know Tandoori and Moghul but do you know much about Bengali preparations?….shukto, loochi, mach-bhat or sundesh? Learn to cook Bengali and other regional dishes in the homes of local Indian women.
A unique feature is that the menus have been determined by local Kolkatan women, your home presenters, who have expressed their pleasure in teaching you their favourite dishes in their own homes. Then, after you have prepared the dishes, you can sit down and enjoy the delicious products of your time in the kitchen.
By going into Bengali homes we gain intimate insights into the daily family life of a different culture and have the opportunity to make new and significant friends. The sessions provide the opportunity for a wider cultural exchange and you are encouraged to chat about a whole range of things that interest you about India in general.
You have the opportunity to have more than one session. Some people in the past have been so keen to learn more, they have had up to 4 sessions and have chosen each successive menu with the home presenter.
We meet you at your hotel or lodge and take you to the home presenter’s house where we stay for a time while you settle in. You will be given a recipe booklet along with a leaflet outlining the history of and customs attached to Bengali cuisine. The lessons usually last for 3 hours or more and hopefully will inspire you to add a couple of new preparations to your vocabulary of recipes.
You will need to contact us well in advance as classes are not run daily and bookings are based on a 'first in' basis. Let us know if you are a vegetarian or if you have any food aversions. |
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| A short overview |
| Bengali cuisine differs from those of other areas of India. This difference is based on the availability of many ingredients, which have flourished in a hot and humid region with a vast river system. The fertile soil produces abundant rice and a spectacular array of vegetables which are the staples of the diet. Add to these staples mangoes, bananas, coconuts and sugarcane, along with fish, milk and meat, then mix in yoghurt and spices such as panch poron (a five spice mix unique to Bengali cuisine), ginger and mustard oil and you start to get flavours not found elsewhere in India.
Compared to other Indian cuisines, Bengali preparations seem softer and less heavy than some of the gravy based preparations found in the north and not as spicy hot as some South Indian food. The Bengalis are essentially rice eaters but bread preparations are also available.
Fish has traditionally been the preferred meat but chicken and to a lesser extent lamb (read goat) are also popular.
Their sweets are world famous with a sweet shop on nearly every corner. |
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| Cooking Class Impressions |
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