Dhaka means the world to me. Most of my professional life has been here and a large chunk of my personal life is intrinsically linked with Dhaka. I am never tired of the city. Yes, there are obstacles. Yes, there are resource shortages. Yes, there are insane traffic snarls. But there is one thing which is never in short supply — great people!
Everyone talks about food during pujo. More often than not, khichuri, polao, ilish, chingri and mangsho tends to land leading roles in these discussions with luchi, and cholar dal playing solid supporting roles. And of course, beyond all this there are sweets. Artful, creative, delicate, yet honest to god mishti. Sandesh, kamolabhog, chandrapuli, narkel naru… the list can go on.
I got in the dog house with some of my friends for saying Shubho is not the appropriate salutation for Mahalaya since it is a sombre and solemn occasion. So, I’ll steer clear of all arguments and say this instead.
Here is another gem from my in-law’s family — succulent jute greens or ‘paat shaak.’ Very seasonal. Cooked with little prawns in shell and enough garlic to have Dracula skip this city for some time to come.
The very famous and iconic Mughlai paratha. This particular one was made with duck egg, as opposed to chicken egg. The cubed potatoes on the side were an added attraction in my salad days. The Mughlai paratha in Dhaka is a crispier version.
When the tasked with writing this, I mentally balked. After all, I have not done a long piece in a while. But then I thought, maybe this is a journey worth telling.
Ladies and gentlemen, on your left are cubes of a type of mango whose season is as short as my attention span. This is Haribhanga.
I was reading an article by Fiona Caulfield that got published in The Guardian.
I have been very lucky lately. I have been invited to two brilliant efforts, which are at two ends of the cuisine spectrum.
My friend Piplu, who is a filmmaker of great repute, had a dream.
Possibly my last lunch at O Kitchen/Holey Artisan Bakery.
My grandfather was a lawyer. Not the glamorous world of criminal law for him.
Tucked away in a residential area, just off one of the busiest streets of Kolkata is a small eatery, Ammini. It specialises in non-vegetarian South Indian food.
Venturing out for dinner at -1C is no mean feat. We did just that in McLeodganj. And it was fun.
McLeodganj is studded with great, easy-on-the-pocket eateries. The steady stream of tourists, mostly people from different countries...
The intrepid travellers went to McLeodganj. Upper Dharmashala, in Himachal Pradesh, a beautiful, sleepy, quaint town that hits headlines thanks to His Holiness Dalai Lama who lives there.
If you live in Calcutta, or plan to go to Calcutta or are visiting Calcutta, you have to go to Bohemian. It is that good – I have said this before and I will say it again. No one is pushing the envelope of Bengali cuisine as much as the most excellent Chef Joy.
The much vaunted meet after Pujo celebrations. Primarily because we do not want to let go of festivities and look for any excuses to carry on.