Black forest cake...

I have crossed the milestone of 200 posts on my blog. It turns out that the last post was the 200th post. Today as I'm writing the 201st post I would like to thank everyone who visit my blog, read and try my recipes and shower me with their kind words through messages and comments. Thanks to all my Facebook and Instagram followers, and all the co-bloggers for inspiring and encouraging me.

Mach er matha diye dal...

Every Bengali can relate to the image above, a typical Bengali lunch, steamed rice, fried potato roundels and yellow lentils with fish head. Bengalis' are known for their fondness of fish. No meal is complete without fish in it. Fish itself is considered auspicious, and is cooked and served during every festivity and special occasions.  It may seem surprising to some when they see how a giant Rohu/Katla head specially bought and cooked with utmost care to celebrate someone's birthday or to welcome the newly wed groom, but in our part of the country, fish head has always been considered a symbol of affection and respect depending on whom it is served to. In early times it was mandatory to serve the fish head to the the head of the family or the earning member of the family, a gesture of the gender-biased patriarchal society Times may have changed but I know there are families who still believe in this hierarchical legacy.

Noodles with shrimps...

I always complain about summer, the heat, the humidity. But there are few things that are undeniably good about summer, the seasonal fruits like mangoes, litchi, black plums. And the best part is the summer break. The school is closed, the kid is at home, alarms are not buzzing at the wee hour of the morning, altogether a relaxed and happy me.

Lentil with raw mango...

Living in a tropical country we dread the season of summer. The unbearable heat with uncomfortable humidity makes it pretty difficult to carry on everyday work, specially cooking. Standing in the kitchen preparing elaborate recipes, cooking for long stretch of time is not only challenging but can make one feel sick. Moreover we all prefer to eat simple, easy to digest, comfort food during summer. Regional cuisines of India are full of such wonderful recipes that help to cool down the body as well as help to beat the heat. The recipes mostly recommend the use of seasonal fruits and vegetables that provide year long supply of minerals and nutrition and good to fight the negative effects of heat.

Chingri macher bora...

Who doesn't like fresh juicy sweet shrimps? So when I found some in the market few days back, didn't take long to buy a bagful. I wanted to keep it simple to enjoy the flavorful shrimps to the fullest. I was juggling with different recipes, finally an easy shrimp balls recipe came to my mind. It is a tweaked version of a traditional Bengali style shrimp ball recipe.

Macher dimer bora...

Bengalis are known for their inclination towards fish. A Bengali meal is incomplete without fish in it. No part of the fish is thrown out, be it the head or the gut or the bones. Different dishes are prepared using different parts of the fish. Mach er dim or fish roe is no exception and considered a delicacy in Bengali cuisine.

Saak bhaja...

Saak or leafy greens are integral part of Bengali cuisine. From simple saute, stir fry to complex chochori (mish-mash with various vegetables) are part of everyday food. The leafy greens are not only delight for the tastebuds, these are rich in nutrients.