Hey foodies!!
Have you heard about Roshogollas & Sondesh?
Have you ever tasted these sweet dishes?
If yes, then you must know which state these sweets belong to. It’s traditional Bengali dishes, right!!
There are endless surprises for foodies when it comes to Kolkata cuisine.
Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal is also known as Calcutta. During the time of British rule in India, this port on the Hooghly River served as the main commerce hub for the nation. Kolkata is a mesmerizing city with a lot to offer visitors thanks to its long history, diverse cultural influences and delicious & famous food of Kolkata. Check out the learn to know about interesting facts about Kolkata and the best places to visit in Kolkata.
So let’s get started without further ado.
Machher Jhol
Machher Jhol is a traditional hot fish curry in Nepalese food, Indian Cooking, and Bangladeshi Cooking in the eastern piece of the Indian subcontinent. It is an extremely hot stew or sauce that is presented with rice. Machher Jhol is generously prepared with turmeric, garlic, onions, ground ginger, and Indian flavors. Potatoes are added to the curry as a thickening specialist. Tomatoes are likewise added to give the dish a rosy variety which is liked by individuals of Bengal.
The sorts of fish that are regularly utilized in Odia and Bengali families are ilish or ilishi, rui, and catla. Aside from these, there are some renowned, little-estimated fish that are typically preferred over others. If you are a seafood lover, you gonna love this
- Bengali dish.
- Specialty: Exclusive Fish Curry
- Best place to eat: Bhojohori Manna
Aloo Posto
Aloo Posto is a delicious traditional food of Kolkata that is served as a side dish. It is a spicy potato dish cooked in mustard oil and seasoned with poppy seeds and green chilies to enhance the flavor. The dish has a deep, nutty flavor and is served with hot flatbreads, rice, and various curries.
- Specialty: Potatoes fried in a tasty mixture of spicy poppy seeds.
- Best place to eat: Sonar Tori, Sonargaon
Kosha Mangsho
A meal called “mutton curry” is made with vegetables and goat meat. Every state, nation, and area of South Asia and the Caribbean serves the meal in a variety of ways.
All the ingredients were traditionally combined and cooked slowly over a wood fire in a clay oven to create the mutton curry. Today, all the ingredients and spices are briefly sautéed in a large wok before being cooked in pressure cookers and slow cookers. Mutton that is slowly cooked gets softer than mutton that is prepared ordinarily. Usually, rice or Indian bread like naan or parotta is served with mutton curry. The meal can alternatively be served with the grain ragi.This is also one of the best food of kolkata.Specialty: Special Mutton Curry
- Best place to eat: Golbari, Koshe Kosha, Oh! Calcutta, and more.
Kolkata Biryani
The meat and potatoes in Kolkata biryani are typically slow-cooked in clarified butter at low heat (dumpukht). The raw rice, raw beef, and raw potatoes are then stacked in a large pot (handi), which is then flavored with spices including cardamom, mace, saffron, cloves, and sweet ittar. The handi is sealed before continuing to be baked using the dumpukht technique. In Calcutta, eggs are frequently included in the rice together with the meat and the potato. This dish is inspired by Awadhi style and the best food of Kolkata.
- Specialty: Finely Flavoured Rice
- Best place to eat: Arsalan Restaurant, Royal Indian Hotel, and more.
Luchi
Luchi is a maida-based flatbread that is deep-fried. The Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Odisha, West Bengal, and Tripura, as well as Bangladesh’s neighboring, are particularly fond of luchi. This is also one of the best food of kolkata.
Notably, it is consumed with aloo dum or kosha mangsho. Luchi is a common staple food during times when rice should be avoided, such as during Ekadashi for those who follow the ritual or comparable circumstances. This is because Luchi does not contain rice or rice flour.
- Specialty: Deep-fried flatbread (Kolkata Style Aloo Poori)
- Best place to eat: Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick, Bhojohori Manna, Kewpie’s
Shukto
Shukto is a well-known vegetable dish in Bengali cuisine that is typically eaten with rice in Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal. It is specifically eaten in banquets of Bengali social rituals like Annaprasana, Sraddhya, or Bengali weddings as a component of traditional Bengali Thali. It has a little bitter taste. Shukto is available in a wide variety of forms and can be prepared in many ways.
- Specialty: Bowl Of Veggies
- Best place to eat: Bhajahari Manna, Oh! Calcutta, and more.
Sweet Dishes Of Kolkata
Roshogolla and Rajbhoj
Rasogolla, a famous food of Kolkata which means “Balls in Sugary Syrup,” is exactly what it is. After extensive kneading, it is produced from chhana and formed into golla, or balls, which are then lightly fried and covered in ras, or syrup. There are techniques to use to make it rubbery and delicious.
Similar processes are used to create Rajbhog but with superior enhancements. They are bigger, kesar-yellow in coloration, have more pista, etc. Then, our basic rashogolla is transformed into Rajbhog, or “Food fit for the King.”
Rashogolla has a milder, gentler flavor that is also simpler to process. Rajbhog has a richer, more exotic flavor.
- Specialty: Sweet Tooth Love
- Best place to eat: Balaram Mullick, Radharaman Mullick, Hindusthan Sweets, and more
Sondesh and ChomChom
Sondesh is a milk and sugar-based delicacy that is native to the Bengal region in the east of the Indian subcontinent and one of the most famous food of Kolkata. Instead of using milk, some sondesh recipes use paneer. A softer variety of Sondesh known as pranahara is created by some locals in the Dhaka area using mawa and yogurt. Some people believe the Gupo/Gufo style of Sandesh from Guptipara to be the “first branded sweet of Bengal.”
Traditional Bengali desserts like cham cham, chomchom, and chum chum are well-liked across the Indian subcontinent. The candy is available in a range of hues, primarily white, light pink, and yellow covered with coconut or mawa flake to garnish.
- Specialty: Mandatory Bites & Delicious Amalgamation
- Best place to eat: Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick, K.C. Das
Mishti Doi
Mishti doi is a fermented sweet doi that is a favorite in Bangladesh, West Bengal, Tripura, Assam, and the Barak Valley of Assam. It is said to have originated in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent. The ingredients include milk, sugar, or jaggery. Depending on the preparation technique, it differs from plain yogurt. According to their notoriety, mishti doi come in a variety of forms. The sweet curd from Nabadwip, Kolkata, Bogra, and other places is particularly well-known.This is also one of the best food of kolkata.
- Specialty: Fermented Sweet Yogurt
- Best place to eat: Bheem Nag & Jadav Chandra Das, Jugal’s, Amrit Sweets, and more.
Patisapta
This is a well-known sweet dish that is popular among Bengalis out there. Patisapta is prepared at the ‘poush parbon’ among other traditional sweets such as Dudh-Puli, Malpua, and Kolar Bora. This is a spherical pastry made of milk and refined flour that is stuffed with coconut, dry fruit, and mawa and served as a roll.
- Specialty: Festive Delights
- Best place to eat: 6 Ballygunge Place, Oh!Calcutta.
Street Food in Kolkata
Jhalmuri
A common street food in Bengali, Bihar, and Odia is jhalmuri, which is made of puffed rice with a variety of spices, veggies, chanachur, and mustard oil. It is much-liked in Bangladesh as well as the nearby Indian states of Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha. When a British chef by the name of Angus Denoon tried this snack in Kolkata and started selling it on London’s streets, the food of Kolkata quickly gained popularity there. Through the Bangladeshi diaspora, Jhalmuri’s popularity has spread to other Western cities including New York City.
- Specialty: Healthy Munchings
- Best place to eat: Jawaharlal Nehru Road and Triangular Park
Phuchka
Also known as gol gappas and paani puri, these little water bombs with spicy masala and meethi chutney are one of the best things to eat on Kolkata’s streets. While they appear light, they are rather filling and toothsome, which is exactly why you can’t stop at just one. The burst of flavors in your mouth when you bite into a puchka is an experience you’ll never forget.
The secret to an impeccable puchka rests in the tamarind water, which differs from seller to vendor, giving each stall its own distinct flavor. It is perhaps the best street food of Kolkata.
- Specialty: Distinct taste
- Best place to eat: Vivekananda Park
Telebhaja
Telebhaja is a popular snack in the city that has successfully preserved the flavor of Bengali cuisine. It is best consumed during the monsoon season with a cup of tea. From beguni and phuluri to peyaji and alur chop, these crispy snacks coated in besan (corn flour) provide something for everyone’s palate.This is also one of the best food of kolkata.
- Specialty: Perfect Snack
- Best place to eat: Kalika Mukhorochak at College Street, Dacre Lane, and more
Chop
Chop, also called as cutlets in some parts of North India, is one of the city’s most famous and delectable snacks. This Kolkata cuisine is formed by filling alur, prawns, or chicken into a ball of dough, which is then deep fried for crispiness. You can eat it dry or with your favorite chutney and tea.
- Specialty: Spicy Cutlets
- Best place to eat: Dacre Lane, Mitra Café, and more.
Kathi Rolls
Unlike any other ordinary roll, Kathi Rolls in this city are especially delicious. You can have egg, mutton, chicken, or paneer; simply mention your favorite and you will get it. They are primarily created from a flaky flour paratha, which is then rolled up with the desired stuffing and laced with tempting sauces, spices, and vegetables.
- Specialty: World Famous Wraps
- Best place to eat: Anamika Roll Center near Triangular Park, Hot Kathi Roll at Park Street.
Conclusion
There is nothing in comparison to Kolkata’s beauty, and both its food and culture as all of them say volumes about it. Therefore, don’t give it too much thought and give yourself a treat by traveling to this city for a culinary adventure! Now, as you arrange your trip to Kolkata, be sure to try these above-listed famous foods of Kolkata. This is also one of the best food of kolkata.
FAQs
Q1. What are the most interesting facts about Kolkata?
- Kolkata is a populated city.
- It was earlier known by the name, Calcutta.
- The Cantilever bridge is the busiest in Kolkata.
- Calcutta Polo Club is the oldest building in Kolkata.
- Kolkata has Asia’s oldest tram system.
Q2. How is the food culture in Kolkata?
Kolkata is known for its huge diversity in cuisines and cooking styles. The food of Kolkata is known for its flavors. Fish is the most common food served here with rice. The best way to explore Kolkata is to taste the mouthwatering foods.
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