Poila Baishkah 2024: Thakurbari Dishes To Lost Treats Of Bengal- All That You Can Try On This Day
On Poila Baishakh, women adorn themselves in traditional attire, showcasing the richness of Bengali tradition. Apart from this, Bengalis celebrate this day with a lavish traditional Bengali meal.
The tradition of celebrating Poila Baishakh traces back to the Mughal era, primarily as an agricultural festival. During that time, it was celebrated as a harvest festival, marking the first day of the new year by clearing all debts. Landlords used to treat their tenants on this day, trying to sweeten their relationships. The importance of celebrating Pohela Boishakh increased among the common people towards the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century.
It's a day when the Bengali society comes closer to its core. Women adorn themselves in sarees, while men dress in traditional dhoti-kurta or pajama-panjabi, showcasing the richness of Bengali tradition. Apart from this, Bengalis celebrate this day with a lavish traditional Bengali meal.
Here are some Bengali recipes that you can try on this day:
1. MURGIR ROSHALLA (By Rukma Dakshy, Cookery columnist and culinary artist)
Ingredients:
- Chicken- 750g
- Finely chopped onion- 250g
- Red chilli Powder- 1 tsp
- Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder- 3/4 tsp
- Beaten Curd- 1 Cup
- Bay Leaf- 4
- Broken chilli-10
- Sugar- 1 tsp
- Salt as required
- Garlic paste- 2 tbsp
- Ghee- 4 tbsp
- Refined Oil- 2 tbsp
Method:
- Take a pan and mix all the ingredients and half of the green chilli and keep covered for 30 mins.
- Put the same pan on medium flame and stir continuously till everything is well mixed.
- When the chicken starts boiling, cover and cook in low-medium flame until the chicken is soft.
- When the chicken is cooked, remove the cover and cook in high flame till the water content is reduced.
- When the chichen is almost dry and the oil floats on the top, add rest of the green chilli and put off the flame.
- Murgir Roshalla is ready to be served with luchi or pulao.
2. MEEN MASALA (Bhetki) (By Gautam Pukayastha, Owner, Tamarind Restaurant)
Ingredients:
- Fish Cubes 250g Fried
- Chopped Onion 100g
- Chopped Tomato 50g
- Tomato Paste 2 tablespoon
- Tomato 4pcs (cut in cubes)
- Chopped Garlic 5g
- Red chili whole 2pcs
- Red Chilli Powder 10g
- Coriander Powder 10g
- Cumin Powder 10g
- Kashmiri Chilli Powder 10g
- Coconut Milk 50g
- Curry Leaves 5 to 6 pcs
- Coconut Milk Powder 60g
- Sliced Green Chili 3pcs
- Tamarind Juice 1table spoon
- Refine Oil 25ml
- Salt to taste
Method:
- Take a frying pan, and pour oil.
- Add garlic chopped, curry leaves, onion chopped, green chilli slice and stir it for a minute.
- Add chopped tomato, tomato paste and stir.
- Then add chilli powder, kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder salt to taste and stir.
- Add coconut milk and coconut milk powder.
- Boil it for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add fried fish cubes and tamarind juice and stir for a minute.
- Your dish is ready to be served.
3. CHICKEN PATISHAPTA: (Kamalini Paul, Director of The Serra Café)
Ingredients:
For Chicken Mixture:
- Boneless chicken -100
- Refined Oil-10 ml
- Jeera powderp- 2gm
- Chilli powder- 2gm
- Haldi powder- 2gm
- Garam masala- 2gm
- Chopped onion- 10gm
- Chopped ginger and garlic- 5gm
- Green chilli- 2gm
- Coriander leaves- 2 gm
Avoid using ground chicken breast, it tends to dry out during the bhunai(browning). You could use a mix of dark meat chicken mince and ground chicken breast.
Jeera powder, red chilli powder , garam masala powder, turmeric powder, Pound all three together in a mortar pestle. You can use Indian green chillies or, ginger-garlic paste and whole green chillies for mild heat.
For Patishapta:
- Rice flower -100 gm
- Maida -100 gm
- Milk -100 gm
- Salt -2 gm
- Suger – 5 gm
- Refined Oil-10 ml
Method:
- Take maida, and rice flour in a bowl. Add milk.
- Mix it carefully not making any lumps.
- Keep the mixture for half an hour.
- Heat the non-stick pan. Put a little oil. Pour a thin layer of the mixture on it and spread it quickly with the laddle.
- Put the chicken filling lengthwise at the center of it and roll it.
- Wait till the colour is light brown.
- Place it on the plate. Serve hot.
4. ILISH BARISHALI: (By Rukma Dakshy, Cookery columnist and culinary artist)
Ingredients:
- Hilsa- 6 pc
- Nigelle seed paste- 1tsp
- Whole Nigelle seeds- 1 tsp
- Green chilli paste- 2 tsp
- Turmeric powder (1+1=2 tsp)
- Salt to taste
- Coconut milk- 200ml
- Sugar- 1/2 tsp
- Slit green chilli- 8
- Mustard oil- 1/2 cup
- Ginger paste- 2 tsp
Method:
- Put salt and 1 tsp turmeric to the fish and lightly fry.
- Add fresh oil in a pan and put to it Nigelle seeds (whole), 1tsp (turmeric, ginger paste, and green chilli paste, and nigelle paste) and fry the masalas sprinkling water.
- When the oil separates from the masalas, add coconut milk, salt, sugar, fish, and cook in low flame till done.
- Finally add 4 tbsp of mustard oil and the slit green chillies and serve with steaming hot rice.
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