Indian Cookery and Confectionery

CLIMBING FISH with CABBAGE

A fragrant Bengali-style fish curry made with whole climbing perch (koi fish) simmered together with cabbage, potato, and green peas in a spiced ghee and oil base. This hearty,…

BHUNI-KHECHURI

Bhuni-Khechuri is a classic Bengali spiced rice and lentil dish where the rice and mung dal are first browned in ghee before being cooked in an aromatic spiced broth (akhni wate…

DOLMA with EGGS

A Bengali-style stuffed vegetable dish where patols (pointed gourds) are hollowed out, filled with a spiced minced egg mixture studded with almonds and raisins, then coated in e…

MEAT HALUA

Meat Halua is a rich, spiced Indian dish of minced meat cooked with aromatic spices, chickpea flour, raisins, almonds, and khowa kheer, finished with egg whites and sugar for a…

MEAT DOPENAJI

A rich, slow-cooked Indian meat dish where tender pieces of meat are browned in ghee with aromatic spice pastes and finished with curd, lemon juice, and garam masala for a thick…

MASUR DAL ( Alternative )

A richly spiced red lentil dal from a classic Indian cookbook, cooked until completely melted and finished with a fragrant ghee tempering of panch-foron and green chillies. Deep…

Fish Polao

A fragrant Bengali-style rice dish in which large fish pieces are simmered with whole spices to create a flavourful stock, and then that stock is used to cook ghee-toasted rice…

GOLAPI KHECHURI

Golapi Khechuri is a fragrant Bengali rice and lentil dish (khichdi) perfumed with rose-water, warming spices, and enriched with ghee-browned potatoes and onions. Optionally gar…

KULIA with EGGS

A fragrant Bengali-style egg curry featuring hard-boiled eggs and potatoes simmered in a spiced paste with peas, finished with a tempering of ghee, cassia leaves, red chillies,…

MEAT CURRY

A richly spiced Indian meat curry made by browning meat in ghee with a fresh-ground paste of chillies, ginger, turmeric, coriander and onions, finished with garam masala and opt…

MALAI CURRY

A rich, coconut milk-based fish or lobster curry from colonial-era India, fragrant with ground spices and finished with ghee-tempered chillies and cumin. The sauce is gently thi…

FISH KULIA

A rich and aromatic Bengali-style fish curry with large pieces of fish and potato simmered in a spiced curd gravy, finished with a fragrant ghee and cassia leaf tempering. The s…

FOWL ROAST

A classic Indian-style whole roasted fowl rubbed with a fragrant spiced curd marinade and browned in ghee with onions and cassia leaves until tender. The bird may optionally be…

FRUITS of KHEER

A charming Indian confection in which a fragrant, cardamom-spiced khoya and almond paste is shaped and coloured to resemble real fruits such as mangoes and lychees. Each sculpte…

DOLMA of PATOLS

A classic Bengali stuffed-vegetable dish where pointed gourd (patol) is hollowed out, packed with a spiced lobster paste, and fried in a crisp egg-and-besan batter. The result i…

COCOA-NUT

A dry coconut and potato curry from colonial-era India, seasoned with warming spices and finished with a fragrant tempering of red chillies and cassia leaves. The dish is cooked…

HILSA FISH ROASTED with MEAT

A whole hilsa fish is scored, smeared with a fragrant mustard and turmeric paste, stuffed with spiced minced meat, then wrapped in layers of banana leaves and roasted over charc…

DHONKA with EGGS

Dhonka, meaning 'illusion', is a clever Bengali curry in which steamed and fried egg squares are cooked with coconut, potato, and aromatic spices. The dish famously mimics the t…

Fowl Dopenaji

A rich and aromatic dry-style chicken dish from colonial-era India, slow-cooked in spiced water and ghee until all the liquid is absorbed. Finished with golden fried onions, thi…

MEAT CHOP with VEGETABLES

A classic Anglo-Indian meat chop made from spiced minced meat blended with pasted vegetables, shaped into oval cakes, coated in beaten egg and powdered biscuit, then fried golde…

GUTI-KABAB

Guti-Kabab is a classic Indian fish croquette made by boiling and deboning large fish, blending it with aromatic spices and gram flour into a paste, then forming the mixture int…

CHHANA POLAO

A fragrant layered rice and meat dish from colonial-era Indian cuisine, slow-cooked with aromatic spices, curd, and saffron. The meat is first boiled to create a flavourful stoc…

FRY of MUTTON FAT, HEART, etc.

A rustic Indian offal fry featuring two preparations: spiced mutton fat balls coated in chickpea flour batter and deep-fried until golden, alongside boiled pieces of liver and h…

FISH SOUP

A light, spiced Bengali-style fish soup made with fried fish, browning vegetables, and a fragrant tempering of cassia leaves, chillies, and panch-foron. The recipe also includes…

ENCHOR

A traditional Bengali curry made with tender green jackfruit and potatoes, simmered with aromatic spices and finished with a fragrant ghee tempering. This dish, known as Enchor,…

CURRY with CRABS and PUMPKIN

A fragrant Bengali-style curry combining meaty crab pieces with finely chopped tender pumpkin, simmered together with pepper, cumin, and mustard, then finished with a aromatic t…

FISH with FLATTENED RICE

A traditional Bengali-style fish dish where pieces of fried fish and flattened rice (poha) are simmered together in a spiced curd-based gravy until the liquid is absorbed. Rui (…

Chhana Polao

A fragrant Bengali sweet rice dish made with fresh chhana (Indian cottage cheese) browned in ghee, cooked with saffron-spiced water, nuts, raisins, and finished with sugar and c…

DALNA with EGGS

A classic Bengali egg and potato curry where hard-boiled eggs and large potato pieces are browned in ghee, then simmered in a spiced gravy finished with a fragrant onion and cas…

MASUR DAL ( Simple )

A simple, comforting red lentil dal from colonial-era Indian cookery, seasoned with turmeric, ginger, pepper, cumin, and finished with a fragrant ghee tempering of panch-foron a…

KHECHURI with GREEN PEAS

A fragrant Bengali rice and lentil porridge enriched with saffron, green peas, and warming spices, finished with a golden onion and chilli tempering. This hearty one-pot dish is…

GHUGNI (Simple)

A hearty Bengali spiced gram (whole chickpea) curry with potato and coconut, finished with a fragrant ghee tempering of aniseed and red chillies. This dish is served warm and ma…

GHUGNI

A hearty Bengali egg and pea dish where hard-boiled eggs and potatoes are browned in ghee and simmered with spiced peas until the sauce is thick and dry. Served hot, it makes a…

JHURI

Jhuri is a traditional Bengali crispy fried fish dish where fish is seasoned with turmeric and salt, then fried and broken into small fragments before being tossed with ginger,…

MEAT DHONKA

A rich Bengali-style dish of fried meat halua cakes simmered in a thick, spiced potato gravy. The fried egg-coated meat pieces absorb a fragrant sauce of pasted spices, finished…

FUL-KAPI CHACH-CHARI

Ful-kapi Chach-chari is a classic Bengali dry-fried vegetable dish made with cauliflower, potato, and green peas, seasoned with aromatic whole and ground spices. It is tradition…

EGG-CHOP

A classic Anglo-Indian snack of spiced potato and egg patties coated in breadcrumbs and shallow-fried in ghee until golden and crisp. Simple to make and deeply satisfying, these…

DEVIL with EGGS

A colonial-era Indian stuffed egg dish where hard-boiled eggs are hollowed out, filled with fragrant spiced minced meat, and then browned in ghee. Served alongside pasted mustar…

KACHU-SAK GHANTA

A traditional Bengali dry vegetable dish made from tender arum stalks, spiced with pepper, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and red chillies, then fried with moistened grams and fres…

LAU-GHANTA

Lau-Ghanta is a traditional Bengali-style spiced pumpkin dish where tender pumpkin pieces are simmered with aromatic spices, milk, and flour until nearly dry. It is finished in…

MEAT CHOP

A classic Anglo-Indian snack of spiced minced meat encased in a seasoned mashed potato shell, shaped into almond-like croquettes, coated in egg and breadcrumbs, and fried in ghe…

MEAT BHARTA

A rich, slow-cooked Indian meat dish where boneless pieces are browned in ghee with aromatic spices, then simmered with coriander paste, poppy seeds, almonds, and khowa until th…

Fowl Juice

A clear, lightly spiced chicken broth traditionally prepared as a restorative soup for the unwell. The chicken is simmered with onion, turmeric, and pepper, then finished with g…

BADSHAHI ROTI

Badshahi Roti is a royal Indian flatbread stuffed with a spiced, steamed paste of urad dal (husked black lentils), curd, ginger, and warming spices. The stuffed discs are pan-fr…

KOPTA

Kopta is a traditional Indian fish croquette made by boiling fish with aromatics, removing the bones, mixing the flaked fish with spices, raisins, and almonds, then forming into…

KOPTA

Kopta are spiced minced meat balls coated in egg and breadcrumbs, then fried in ghee until golden brown. This colonial-era Indian recipe combines aromatic spices, nuts, and gram…

MEAT CUTLET

A colonial-era Indian meat cutlet made by marinating tenderised meat slices in a spiced bread-and-egg paste, coating in crushed biscuit crumbs, and frying in ghee until golden.…

ACHAR of MANGOES

A traditional Indian mango pickle made with sun-dried green mangoes preserved in spiced mustard oil, or alternatively in a sweet treacle-based brine. This simple, beginner-frien…

MANIK-BHOG

Manik-Bhog is a traditional Indian confection made from khowa kheer and sugar, shaped into fragrant balls stuffed with raisins, cardamom seeds, and rose water. Delicately flavou…

CHATNI of PAPAW

A tangy Bengali-style chutney made from green papaya simmered in tamarind water with raisins, aromatic spices, and a finishing touch of mango-scented ginger juice. Sweet, sour,…

HALUA of MOOG

A rich and fragrant Indian sweet halua made from soaked and ground mung beans, cooked slowly in ghee with milk, sugar, cardamom, dried fruits, and a whisper of camphor. This tra…

HILSA FISH BOILED in RICE

A traditional Bengali preparation of Hilsa fish rubbed with mustard, turmeric, and green chillies, then wrapped in banana leaves and gently cooked inside hot boiled rice. This r…

DARBESH

Darbesh is a traditional Bengali sweet made from fried chickpea flour and semolina bonde (small round fritters) soaked in sugar syrup, then bound together with raisins, almonds,…

EGG-BARA with SOUP

A comforting Indian curry in which fried egg dumplings (egg-baras) are simmered with potato pieces in a spiced broth. The dish is finished with a fragrant tempering of onions, r…

FISH SWEETS

A unique colonial-era Indian treat where flaked boiled fish is combined with mashed potato, eggs, milk, butter, and flour to form small fried balls. These can be served hot as a…

FOWL KABAB

A whole fowl trussed into a compact shape, coated in a fragrant spiced curd marinade, optionally stuffed with seasoned minced meat, almonds, potato and egg white, then spit-roas…

Meat Bread

A colonial-era Indian preparation of rabbit or hare, boiled, deboned, and mixed with egg, spices, and flour before being formed into rectangular cakes and pan-fried in butter. T…

FRENCH CUTLET

A colonial-era Indian cutlet of spiced minced meat marinated with ginger, onion, chillies, almonds, and raisins, shaped into oval patties, then encased in a seasoned mashed pota…

Meat Galantine

A classic colonial-era Indian meat galantine made by boiling a seasoned meat and breadcrumb paste wrapped in a cloth, then pressing it cold into a firm, sliceable loaf. Serve de…

MEAT KABAB with CONDENSED MILK

A rich and flavourful colonial-era Indian kabab made from minced meat blended with dry condensed milk (khoya), gram flour or powdered rice, ghee, warm spices, and optional almon…

ITALIAN COOKING of MUTTON

A richly spiced Indian mutton dish where bone-in thigh pieces are marinated in curd and aromatic pastes, then dry-cooked in ghee until tender with no remaining broth. Finished w…

ACHAR of MANGOES (French Preparation)

A fragrant whole-mango pickle from a colonial-era Indian cookbook, where green mangoes are sun-dried with salt, stuffed with aromatic spice powders and ginger paste, bound with…

CHATNI of PINE-APPLE

A sweet and tangy Bengali-style pineapple chutney made with raisins, aromatic panch phoron spices, and a hint of lemon juice. The pineapple pieces are soaked in lime water befor…

DAM with POTATO

A fragrant and richly spiced Indian potato dish simmered in ghee, curd, and an almond-spice paste until thick and saucy. This colonial-era recipe produces a comforting, mildly s…

EGG FRY with CAULIFLOWERS

Tender cauliflower florets are boiled with turmeric and salt, coated in a seasoned egg batter, rolled in powdered bread or biscuit crumbs, and fried until golden and crisp. Opti…

MARMALADE of GINGER

A fragrant preserved ginger confection from colonial-era India, where whole pieces of ginger are soaked in lime water for three days to mellow their heat, then candied in a thic…

FISH-PURI

Fish-Puri is a traditional Indian fried bread stuffed with spiced, deboned fish. The dough is made with ghee and flour, filled with aromatic fish mixture, and deep-fried until g…

ACHAR of AMLAKI

A traditional Indian sweet and spiced pickle made from fresh amlaki (Indian gooseberry) fruits, softened by boiling, coated in sugar syrup, and finished with a fragrant spice pa…

KACHURI

Kachuri are traditional Indian deep-fried flatbreads stuffed with a spiced gram paste, yielding a crisp, golden exterior with a savoury, aromatic filling. This colonial-era reci…

HARIRA

Harira is a rich, fragrant Indian confection made by browning flour in ghee, then slowly cooking it with milk, a dense sugar syrup, cloves, and saffron until gloriously thick. O…

MEAT KORMA

A classic Indian meat korma where pieces of meat are marinated in a fragrant paste of ginger, poppy seeds, chillies, and onions blended with curd, then slow-cooked in ghee until…

ENGLISH CURRY with CRABS

A colonial-era Anglo-Indian crab dish in which seasoned crab meat is gently fried with onion, ginger juice, lemon juice, and pepper, then stuffed back into the cleaned shells an…

LAU-POSTA

A traditional Bengali vegetable dish of tender pumpkin cooked down with pasted poppy seed and ginger in mustard oil, finished with browned broken bori (lentil dumplings). The di…

GOPAL-BHOG

Gopal-Bhog is a traditional Bengali sweet made from mung bean flour, coconut, and aromatic spices, shaped into balls, fried, and then soaked in sugar syrup for up to 24 hours to…

EGG-CUTLETS

A classic Anglo-Indian snack of hard-boiled egg quarters dipped in a spiced chickpea flour batter, coated in a turmeric-and-ginger egg wash, rolled in crushed biscuit or semolin…

GUJIA

A traditional Indian sweet made from reduced milk and sugar formed into small balls, stuffed with minced nuts and spiced with cardamom and sugar-candy, then finished in a saffro…

Brinjals

A simple and traditional Indian preparation of brinjals (eggplant) that can be made two ways: plain-fried with turmeric and salt, or coated in a spiced chickpea-flour batter and…

FRY of MEAT

A fragrant Indian minced meat fry in which spiced, curd-marinated mince is cooked in ghee with garlic and cassia leaves until all moisture evaporates and the meat is tender and…

MADHURAMLA KHANDA

Madhuramla Khanda are sweet and sour fried cubes made from a thick mung bean flour and curd paste, finished in sugar syrup and then simmered in a spiced, tangy curd sauce until…

Livers (Alternative Method)

A spiced Indian liver and potato dish where boiled liver slices are fried with onions, ginger, green chillies, and pepper in ghee, then finished with browned potatoes and a smal…

MARMALADE of PINE-APPLES

A fragrant Indian-style pineapple marmalade slow-cooked with cassia leaves and cinnamon until the fruit is jewel-like and coated in a thick, sticky syrup. An alternative spiced…

MEAT CHAPATI

A fragrant colonial-era Indian dish of spiced meat slices smeared with a turmeric, ginger, and garam masala paste blended with curd, then slowly pan-cooked in ghee under weights…

FISH with CREAM of MILK

A whole fish is gently poached in buttered water while wrapped in butter-lined paper, then finished with a simple warm cream sauce seasoned with pepper, salt, and a pinch of flo…

DUGDHAKUPIKA

Dugdhakupika are traditional Indian fried pastry cakes filled with a rich, sweet milk and sugar kheer filling, then soaked in sugar syrup until saturated. They are made from a f…

HILSA FISH with COCOA-NUT

A remarkable traditional Bengali preparation in which spiced hilsa fish is sealed inside the hollow stone of a half-ripe coconut and boiled for an hour, allowing the fish to ste…

DHONKA of SHRIMPS and COCOA-NUT

A Bengali-style curry featuring fried cubes of a shrimp and coconut mixture simmered with potatoes in a fragrant spiced gravy. The dish is finished with a tempering of ghee, cas…

HALUA of PAPAWS

A fragrant Indian confection made from ripe papaw paste cooked in ghee with milk, sugar, and pastes of raisins, almonds, and pistachios until thick and crystallised. This halua…

MALPOA with CHHANA

Malpoa with Chhana are traditional Indian sweet fritters made from a spiced fresh cheese paste, deep-fried in ghee and then soaked in sugar syrup until fully saturated. The comb…

KABAB

A classic Indian fish kabab made by marinating thick cuts of large fish in a spiced ghee, curd, ginger, and coriander mixture and roasting them on a skewer over an open flame un…

EGG POLAO

A fragrant Bengali rice dish (polao) cooked with spiced broth (akhni water), eggs, and potatoes, finished with saffron-infused milk, ghee, and garnished with pistachios, almonds…

EGG with MEAT

Tender pieces of meat are marinated in aromatic spices and curd, slow-cooked in ghee until dry, then coated in a spiced egg batter, rolled in powdered biscuit, and shallow-fried…

FISH with EGGS

A colonial-era Indian fish cake made by blending boiled fish with spiced egg yolks, shaped into rectangular patties, and pan-fried in ghee until golden. The combination of musta…

AKWARI

Akwari are traditional Indian fried dough cakes made from whole wheat flour, ghee, curd, and cardamom, then soaked in a thick sugar syrup and air-dried to create a sweet, lightl…

HALUA-PAPRI

Halua-Papri is a rich, dense Indian confection made from flour, milk, sugar syrup, and ghee, perfumed with saffron and cardamom and studded with raisins and pistachios. Once coo…

ACHAR of SAJINA FLOWER

A tangy, pungent Bengali-style pickle made with moringa (drumstick) flowers, tamarind, mustard paste, and mustard oil. The flowers are first marinated overnight before being sun…

KASUNDI

Kasundi is a traditional Bengali green mango pickle in which salted, sun-dried mango pieces are blended with ginger, chillies, mustard, and tamarind, then briefly cooked in must…

GOKUL-PITHA

Gokul Pitha is a traditional Bengali sweet made from khowa (reduced milk solids) and water chestnut flour, shaped into flat discs, dipped in a flour-and-milk batter, fried in gh…

CHATNI of PUMPKIN

A sweet, sour, and lightly spiced Bengali-style chutney made from tender pumpkin simmered in a tamarind broth with raisins and aromatic whole spices. This recipe comes from a cl…

FISH CURRY with COCOA-NUT

A fragrant colonial-era Indian fish curry simmered in fresh coconut milk with fried onions, garlic, red chillies, almonds, ginger, and a splash of vinegar. The sauce is cooked d…

MEAT CHHENCHKI

A deeply flavourful dry-fried meat dish from colonial-era Indian cooking, where small cubes of meat are coated in turmeric paste, onion, and garlic, then slowly fried in ghee un…

BARA with FISHES

A traditional Indian fish cake made by boiling and deboning large fish, mixing with chickpea or rice flour and spices, then frying in oil or ghee until golden-brown. These crisp…

EGG FRY with MUN LEAVES

Tender amrita mun leaves are first boiled, then double-coated — first in a spiced chickpea flour batter, then in a seasoned egg wash — and fried in ghee or oil until golden and…

GHUGNI of MEAT

A dry, spiced meat dish from colonial-era Indian cooking, made with small cubes of meat and potatoes fried with aromatic spices until no liquid remains. Barabatees (field beans)…

HALUA of GREEN PAPAWS

A fragrant, old-fashioned Indian sweet made from boiled and mashed green papaw, cooked down with ghee, raisins, spices, sugar, and lemon juice until it forms a thick, stiff doug…

DEDO-MONDA

Dedo-Monda is a traditional Bengali sweet made from firm chhana and khowa, flavoured with rose essence and cardamom, shaped into balls that are flattened and pressed together in…

FISH-BREAD

A layered baked dish of spiced fish and potato discs, stacked in alternating layers and gently baked with butter. Optionally finished with fried onions for extra flavour, this c…

GOVINDABHOG

Govindabhog is a traditional Bengali confection made from khowa kheer and sabeda flour, seasoned with pepper, cardamom, and saffron, fried in ghee as tiny droplets and bound tog…

CHATNI of GREEN MANGOES

A tangy-sweet Bengali-style chutney made from unpeeled green mango pieces simmered with raisins, sugar, and aromatic spices in oil. This preserve balances sour mango with sweetn…

KHECHURI WITH FUL-KAPI (cauliflower)

A comforting Bengali rice and lentil porridge (khechuri) enriched with golden-browned cauliflower pieces and optionally soaked whole grams, offering a hearty and fragrant one-po…

KUL-ACHAR

Kul-Achar is a traditional Indian sun-cured plum pickle in which ripe plums are salted, dried, and then preserved in mustard oil with ginger, pepper, mustard, and aniseed. The j…