A Bridge Between Cultures: My Bengali Monsoon Food Journey

As the rainy season approached, I found myself drawn to the comforting flavors of traditional Bengali cuisine. The familiar spices and aromas of dishes like daal, alu posto, and macher jhol reminded me of my roots and helped me feel connected to my cultural heritage even in a foreign land. When the rain starts to fall, it brings an aesthetic and pleasing feeling for me, with the soothing sound of raindrops. What catches my attention the most during this season is the traditional Bengali food that is enjoyed at this time.

The combination of hot and spicy dishes like Khichuri and Bhuna Khichuri with some Beguni or Telebhaja brings me comfort and nostalgia from my cultural roots. These meals, often prepared by my mother, always bring me back to my roots and cultural upbringing. Growing up in a different culture than my original one, I often felt like I had a dual personality, struggling to connect with either the place where I grew up or the roots from which I actually belong. Food, for me, has always transcended sustenance. It's a powerful link to my identity, a bridge between the two cultures I navigate. The flavors passed down through generations in my family's recipes – a legacy meticulously preserved by my mother – serve as a constant reminder of my heritage. It's a reminder of who I am and where I come from, a grounding force amidst the complexities of a bicultural life.

However, the foods my mom makes and the culinary experiences I shared with my dad and grandparents truly connect me to my heritage. Food has always been a significant part of my identity, bridging the gap between the two cultures I belong to. The flavors and aromas of my family's traditional dishes serve as a constant reminder of who I am and where I come from.

Beyond these monsoon favorites, the memories of summer visits to my grandparents come flooding back. The joy of discovering new street foods as a Bengali girl, the delightful crunch of Jhalmuri (Spicy puffed rice), traditional dishes like khichuri and fried fish, which remind me of my cultural roots and family traditions and the symphony of flavors in countless fried treats – These meals bring me comfort and a sense of belonging, helping me feel connected to both my upbringing and my heritage and a vivid picture of a childhood steeped in culinary exploration.

Now, let's delve deeper into some authentic Bengali dishes that are particularly well-suited for the rainy season. These culinary delights will not only satiate your taste buds but also offer a glimpse into the heart of Bengali monsoon cuisine... 

1. Khichuri

Khichuri is a one-pot meal made of rice and lentils, cooked with spices and vegetables. It's often enjoyed with fried fish or an omelette on the side. The comforting, warm dish is perfect for a rainy day, bringing back memories of cozy family dinners.

2. Bhuna Khichuri

Bhuna khichuri is a richer, more flavorful version of regular khichuri. It's prepared by sautéing the rice and lentils with spices before cooking them together. This dish is often served with spicy chicken or mutton curry, adding a deliciously indulgent touch to rainy afternoons.

3. Macher Jhol

Macher jhol is a light fish curry cooked with seasonal vegetables and flavored with turmeric, cumin, and mustard seeds. This simple yet flavorful dish pairs perfectly with steamed rice and is a staple in Bengali households during the monsoon season.

4. Alu Posto

Alu posto is a dish made with potatoes cooked in a poppy seed paste. The subtle flavors of posto (poppy seeds) create a unique and comforting dish that's often served with steamed rice or luchis (fried bread).

6. Panta Bhat

Panta bhat is fermented rice soaked in water overnight and served with salt, onion, and green chilies. This traditional dish is refreshing and often enjoyed with fried fish or vegetables, providing a cooling contrast to the humid weather.

7. Muri and Jhalmuri

Muri (puffed rice) and jhalmuri (spicy puffed rice) are popular Bengali snacks. Jhalmuri is mixed with mustard oil, onions, chilies, and various spices, making it a quick and flavorful treat that's perfect for munching on while watching the rain.

8. Chop and Telebhaja

Telebhaja refers to a variety of deep-fried fritters that are a staple in Bengali cuisine, especially during the rainy season. Chop and telebhaja are a variety of vegetable fritters made with ingredients like potatoes, cauliflower, and spinach and mny more other vegetables, coated in a spiced gram flour batter and deep-fried or chicken (magsher chop) and fish (macher bhaja). These crispy snacks are a monsoon favorite, often enjoyed with kasundi, sause or varoius other toppings.

1. Beguni: Slices of eggplant dipped in gram flour batter and deep-fried until crispy.
2. Phuluri: Small balls of spiced gram flour batter, often mixed with bits of onion or spinach, deep-fried to perfection.
3. Aloo Chop: Mashed potatoes seasoned with spices, shaped into patties, coated in batter, and deep-fried.
4. Mochar Chop: Fritters made from banana flower mixed with spices, coated in a gram flour batter, and deep-fried.
5. Macher Chop: Fish (usually bhetki or katla) mixed with spices, shaped into patties, coated with breadcrumbs or semolina, and deep-fried.
6. Peyaji: Onion fritters made by mixing sliced onions with gram flour and spices, then deep-frying until golden brown.
7. Dimer Devil: Hard-boiled eggs wrapped in a spiced potato mixture, coated with breadcrumbs, and deep-fried.
8. Chicken Cutlet: Minced chicken mixed with spices, shaped into patties, coated with breadcrumbs, and deep-fried until crispy.
9. Chicken Pakora: Chicken pieces marinated in a spiced batter of gram flour (besan) and deep-fried to perfection.
10. Chicken Drumsticks: Chicken drumsticks marinated with spices and coated in a crispy batter before frying.
11. Rui Mach Bhaja: Thin slices of rohu fish marinated with turmeric, salt, and spices, coated in a light batter and fried until golden brown.
12. Katla Mach Bhaja: Similar to Rui Mach Bhaja, but using katla fish, known for its firm texture and mild flavor.
13. Bhetki Mach Bhaja: Bhetki (barramundi) fish fillets marinated with spices, coated with semolina or breadcrumbs, and deep-fried.

These crispy and flavorful fritters are enjoyed as snacks or side dishes, adding a delightful crunch to any monsoon meal.

9. Types of Dal with Unique Flavors

Dal, or lentils, are a staple in Bengali cuisine, prepared in various ways to complement different meals. Here are some types of dal, each with its own distinct flavor profile:

1. Jolpoi Dal: Jolpoi dal is made with jolpoi (flour of tender green chickpeas), cooked with a tempering of mustard oil, cumin seeds, green chilies, and sometimes a pinch of sugar. It has a slightly sweet and nutty taste, characteristic of green chickpeas.
2. Chalta Dal: Chalta dal is prepared using chalta (elephant apple), which gives it a tangy and slightly sour flavor. The lentils are cooked with the pulp of chalta, along with mustard oil, turmeric, and other spices, creating a unique and refreshing dal.
3. Horboroi Dal: Horboroi dal features horboroi (starfruit), adding a tangy and fruity twist to the dal. The starfruit is typically sliced and cooked with lentils, mustard oil, and spices, resulting in a dal with a distinctive sweet-sour flavor.
4. Tomato Dal: Tomato dal is made by adding ripe tomatoes to the lentils during cooking. The tomatoes impart a tangy and slightly sweet taste to the dal, complemented by spices like cumin, turmeric, and sometimes garlic, creating a comforting and flavorful dish.
5. Koromjar Dal: Koromjar dal includes koromja (carom seeds or ajwain), which lends a strong and aromatic flavor to the dal. The dal is tempered with carom seeds, along with other spices like cumin, ginger, and green chilies, resulting in a dal with a robust and pungent taste.
6.  Lau Dal: Lau Dal is a Bengali lentil dish made with bottle gourd. It features finely chopped bottle gourd cooked with lentils and seasoned with cumin seeds, turmeric, and green chilies. The dish has a light, comforting texture with a subtle sweetness from the bottle gourd. Lau Dal is typically served with rice or roti, making it a popular choice during the monsoon season for its soothing and nutritious qualities.

These variations of dal showcase the diversity of flavors in Bengali cuisine, offering delicious options that are enjoyed during different seasons, including the monsoon. Each dal brings its own unique taste, enriching meals with its distinct ingredients and spices.

10. Chutney: Types of Chutney in the Monsoon Season

Chutneys are an integral part of Bengali cuisine, offering a sweet, tangy, or spicy complement to meals. Here are some popular types of chutney enjoyed during the monsoon season:

• Tomato Chutney:

  • Sweet Tomato Chutney: Made with ripe tomatoes, sugar, and spices like panch phoron, this chutney is sweet and tangy.
  • Spicy Tomato Chutney: Includes green chilies and mustard seeds for added heat, balancing sweetness with a spicy kick.

• Mango Chutney (Aamer Chutney):

  • Ripe Mango Chutney: Made with ripe mangoes, sugar, and spices, this chutney is fragrant and sweet.
  • Raw Mango Chutney: Uses raw mangoes, mustard seeds, and green chilies for a tangy and spicy flavor profile.

• Coconut Chutney:

  • Traditional Coconut Chutney: Made with grated coconut, green chilies, and mustard seeds, this chutney is creamy and mildly spicy.
  • Coconut-Tamarind Chutney: Includes tamarind paste for tanginess, adding depth to the coconut base.

• Tamarind Chutney (Tetul Chutney):

  • Sweet Tamarind Chutney: Made with tamarind pulp, jaggery, and spices, this chutney is sweet and sour.
  • Spicy Tamarind Chutney: Adds red chili powder and black salt for a spicier and tangier flavor.

• Pineapple Chutney:

  • Sweet Pineapple Chutney: Made with pineapple, sugar, and lemon juice, this chutney is sweet and refreshing.
  • Spicy Pineapple Chutney: Includes green chilies and ginger for a spicy twist, balancing sweetness with heat.

• Date and Tamarind Chutney (Khejur Achar):

  • Sweet Date Chutney: Made with dates, tamarind, and sugar, this chutney is sweet and tangy.
  • Spicy Date Chutney: Adds red chili powder and roasted cumin seeds for a spicier version, perfect for snacks and main dishes.

• Mint Chutney (Pudina Chutney):

  • Classic Mint Chutney: Made with fresh mint leaves, coriander, green chilies, and lemon juice, this chutney is refreshing and spicy.
  • Mint-Yogurt Chutney: Combines mint leaves with yogurt for a creamy and cooling chutney, ideal for spicy dishes.

• Notkar Chutney: Made with tender mango kernels, this chutney has a unique, slightly bitter taste that complements its spicy and tangy flavor profile.

• Koronja Chutney (Carom Seed Chutney): Known for its pungent and strong flavor, this chutney is made with carom seeds (ajwain), green chilies, and spices, offering a spicy and aromatic addition to meals.

These chutneys add variety and enhance the flavors of Bengali meals during the monsoon season, providing a delightful burst of taste alongside traditional dishes.

11. Mishti

To round out a Bengali monsoon experience, no meal is truly complete without a touch of "Mishti," the Bengali word for sweets. These delightful treats, like the spongy rasgullas swimming in syrup, the dense and rich sandesh squares, or the creamy and tangy mishti doi, offer a perfect ending to any savory spread. They add an extra layer of comfort and joy, a sweet counterpoint to the monsoon flavors and a warming indulgence for the soul during the rainy season.

Photo by Jill Wellington

I spent most of my childhood in the city, but some of my great moments comes back to me from the memories from my childhood spent with my grandparents. Those memories still are an inseparable part of my life now. Which I can't go back to but can only reminiscence happily.

“Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children.”
– Alex Haley

I grew up in a not so small city, where most of my childhood life was spent, but some of my memorable moments are from the village where I used to visit every year, that is my grandparent's house. I was always excited whenever I was going to visit my grandparents as they were my source of inspiration for all of my unique creativity and thinking skill, in those boring times of city life where I always use to feel isolated. Every time I visited them, there was always some sort of joy and excitement as each time there was something that I used to learn and what I used to love is how they made me learn through some unique approach or methods. At the end I use to grasp all those lessens somehow which still amazes me even today. Eventually All those memories of childhood happiness are still there but the people who use to teach them and the vagueness of those limitless query makes me wistfully lonely sometimes.

Moving on to all those sad parts, let me give a brief intro about myself before I start my stories, about my pre-teen days exploration. I grew up in a very open minded yet very traditional household. I was always made well connected with my cultural, literature and traditional aspects. This never meant that always used to grew bored of all those learning stuffs but in fact I was interested in learning those, you can assume I was bit on a nerdy side but in reality, I felt that those are the things that made me deliver myself to others in better way also I can always stay connect to my roots. I was very shy and introverted and was very hesitant to talk to others. My friends always found it hard to approach me as I use to create a barrier to those I didn't talk. Thus, I was always connected to my grandparents during my childhood as they were my best friend for those lonesome days.

I'm a single child so having no sibling or friend around that time made me bit hesitant to share my feelings, to those days my all-time hideout was my grandparents, I still look for those times when my grandpa and me used to sit beside the lake and chat about all of my secrets and gossips of the school time and I always used to get happy to share even the silliest topics , without any hesitation as they were my dedicated secret holder. I learned many life lessons from my grandpa and grandma and those lessons were always helpful during my hard times. I enjoyed the times in the village as I used to explore those which I was never able to in the cities. The lively trees, greenery of the paddy fields and meadows, the freedom which I used to feel in those winds were sufficient for me to fight all of my worries during those day.

The journey to those days was itself self-healing. The beautiful yet dreamy views from the window of the trains and the endless exploration felt like a discovery and adventure to the familiar but still an unspecified destination. I really miss those childhood memories when I was excited even before a month or weeks before the journey. Nowadays the journey seems like an endless struggle with an unrewarding result, as the people who used to make those struggle fruitful are not there, neither is the happiness which came unknowingly to the thought of meeting them.

Photo by Ana Madeleine Uribe

The visit always had something surprising to explore even the small thing like the trees, flowers or ant sort of insect, which would excite me with something seen yet still Unkown facts. The sceneries change its scenarios at every change of season. The festivals had their own color and cultures. The life there was going on with its own steady path without any rush from the outside world, it seems like the beauty is left untouched here and will stay the same as ever, different from those city life where even the time seems to flow in an unknow dash of endless run.

The hospitality of the people there was always the one which touched my heart, even the stranger you met today is ready to reach out for any help you need anytime. Not to mention their personality was very friendly and helpful, as people always reach you out if you are in some sort of trouble. Those days are engraved in my memories even slightest of the moments, remembering those sometimes helps me to deal with any of my hard time. That's why my visit to my grandparents always have a special place in my heart. I wish I could have said to them earlier that what I want is to have them forever with them to share every memory and secret with them and that I still and always will love them, but sometimes somethings are always left unsaid, me telling them this will always a forever regret of mine.

Photo by Dominika Roseclay

I made a lot of memories with them, a lot of mistakes that I wish I could apologize for, and I know what their answers would be with comforting hug and a smile in their faces. A lot of secrets I have which I want to share with them, many new experiences which once was told by them but still the eagerness to tell the whole story and their patience to hear the whole story with lot more anticipation than anyone. I miss them a lot but what my grandparents always made me learn was to move on, so even if I have a story to tell I let them know, you may be asking how?... Well, they're still at my heart and soul, so I get that feeling that they can also hear me and are still waiting to hear more with a pleasing smile that I wish I could see more.... 

“If the people we love are stolen from us, the way to have them is to never stop loving them.” — James O'Barr, artist