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Bengal’s traditional festive fare can be
characterized by its simplicity and unique taste.
Here is a sampling for the five main days of Durga Puja. I remember enjoying these back home in Pilani, India.
Puja Menu
"Shasthi" or the sixth day of Durga Puja - "luchi" (a deep-fried bread),
"aloor dum" (a delicious potato dish),
"chholar dal" (Bengal gram cooked and enhanced with delicate spices),
"baigun bhaja" (slices of fried eggplant) and "payesh" (a fantastic rice pudding).
"Saptami" or the seventh day
- "parota" (a whole wheat pan fried bread), "badhakopi" (a uniquely Bengali
flavored cabbage
and potato dish), "moong dal"
, "beguni" (a slice
of eggplant covered in a batter of Bengal gram flour
and spices) and "malpua" (a dessert).
"Ashtami" or the eighth day - This day offers the most traditional of all Bengali festive fare.
"khichri" (made with rice, moong dal , cauliflower, potato and spices), "labra"
(mixed vegatables), "beguni", "Aloo Bhaja" (fried matchstick
potatoes) and tomato chutney.
"Navami" or the ninth day -
"pulao", "paneer kalia" (spicy
cottage cheese curry), "beguni", a sweet tomato chutney, "bonde" (a
dessert), and "mishti doi" (sweetened yogurt).
"Dashami"
or the tenth day - This last day of puja is to meet and greet family
and friends after the end of puja days. This is accompanied by some
delectable snacks and desserts such as "nimki" (a crunchy deep fried
delight), "narkel nadu", "rasogolla", "payesh" and "sandesh".
More Traditional Bengali Recipes You May
Enjoy During Pooja
And Lets Not Forget The Sweets
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