Often referred to as the entrance into the extraordinary east, West Bengal is located on the Monsoon-soaked east coast of India. Rich in culture and ethnically diverse Bengal holds onto an ancient cuisine that is said to date as far back as early Buddhism. The cuisine is made up of two regions - West Bengal which is in India and East Bengal which lies in Bangladesh. Early Buddhist writings that date as far back as the 11th centaury are said to have glorified the rich produce that was derived from agriculture in these regions. Vast river systems, favorable weather conditions and fertile soils have all allowed an abundance of fresh river fish, rice, fruits and vegetables to blossom in this region. As a coastal cuisine Bengali food does employ the use of coconuts; however contrary to other Indian coastal cuisines coconut oil is not used as a medium of cooking. The cuisine is delicious and unique and it is primarily cooked in mustard oil. Mustard greens are used as a vegetable and the seeds are used as a spice.

A typical Bengali family will almost always have a fish dish grace their table at every meal. Fish is also an integral part of every Bengali festivity so much so that a newly wed Bengali bride is welcomed into her new home with a ceremony where she has to hold a fish whist waiting for a pot of milk to boil over, symbolizing a home that is abundant with food, affection and love. And one thing is for sure; an ample stock of fish can be found in almost all Bengali households.

Muro Ghonto (an exotic thin fish curry), daab jhingri (scrumptious prawns cooked in tender coconuts) and aloo posto (potatoes cooked in a poppy seed paste) are favorites I have often enjoyed on a Bengali table. Poppy seeds and the panch phoran spice blend are used fabulously in this cuisine. Panchphoran is the most popular spice blend employed in Bengali cooking. Panch means five and phora means seeds and this wonderful blend is made with equal quantities of mustard, fenugreek, nigella, cumin and fennel seeds. Often described as the Indian equivalent to our very own Chinese five spice powder, panch phoran has a unique aroma and an enticing bitter sweet flavor.

The Bengalis are perhaps the greatest food lovers I have ever come across. Strong leftist philosophies, the great poet Rabindranath Tagore, fish and sweetmeats are often hot topics of discussion that I have often encountered when visiting a Bengali home. Their love for sweets or "mithais" has ventured far beyond home borders and today "shondesh"(delectable sweets made from cottage cheese), malpuas (sticky syrupy fritters), ladoos (sweet chickpea flour balls) and gulab jamuns (deep fried flour balls soaked in a rich cardamom syrup) have gained world wide recognition.

Mangoes, bananas, sugar cane, rice, a variety of greens, meat and milk are also consumed in abundance along with yoghurt and spices. Rice is a staple and is almost always accompanied with a fish and lentil dish. A Bengali kitchen is generally quite busy, a place where ladies pride themselves s in the kitchen cooking delicious and sumptuous meals for the family. Unlike most other parts of India, Bengali food is served in courses and not ladled onto a plate all at once. First they start with a little ghee or clarified butter and mix it into a small portion of boiled rice with a splash of "lebur rosh" (lemon juice) and some salt. A bitter palate cleanser such as bitter fried melon follows in preparation for the treat to follow, mostly a "dhal" (lentil) and a "bhaja" (vegetable). Next comes the "tarkari" (a gravied vegetable) followed by one or two fish dishes. When it comes to fish, there are extensive choices: - fried, baked, curried, sautéed, stewed or steamed. The meat, if on the menu, will always come after the fish, then an "ambal" or chutney, a sweet betel leaf breath freshener called "paan".

I am not a Bengali but I love their cuisine, its unique aromas, the Bengali heritage, their sweet sounding dialect, imagery, art, and their lifestyle.