‘But fish is a vegetable where Bengalis are concerned? Do you not call it a jal-tari – a water vegetable?’
I have now heard this from many a wide eyed non-bong.
True we are omnivorous as a community…that is we have remained the way God intended us to be…but we do have our share of vegetarianism.
And when we say vegetarian we probably outdo every other community in variety, quantity, flavour and last but not the least in following it to the ‘T’.
ONION, GARLIC ….very very non-vegetarian. How many Jains and other so called veg-Indians can claim to be as virtuous a vegetarian as our vegetarians? None. Not even the vegans that have now begun to flood the world.
Who but a Bengali can serve a vegetarian (Nirameesh) mutton curry as an offering to Kali on the night of Kali Puja?
Nirameesh you say?
Well, goat meat or lamb neither of them can measure up to the onion and the garlic on, I guess it should be called, the SIN SCALE. Cook the mutton without the perverse onion and garlic and you have a perfectly pious casserole.
But on a serious note think about a poribeshon kora lunch or dinner plate – one that the matriarch has taken care to supervise keeping in mind her family’s health needs. I simply cannot find the English equivalent of poribeshon kora. Next think of a similar platter from anywhere in India …lets be bold…anywhere in the world. Sure, I agree that the glory lies in the fish head, fish slices, meat curry etc but not one Bengali can ever get to that part of the meal without having to wade through copious amounts of shukto – the bitter mixed veg stew which is meant to cleanse the system, or the neem-begun (neem leaves with brinjal) or the karala-chorchori (bitter gourd with potatoes and brinjals)…remember one cannot just mix any old vegetable…there is quite a precise formula; the bhaja (fries) to tempt the palate; the dal (pulses for that first bit of protein kick)...different ones for different days …and of course not uniformly flavoured with the pyaz-tamatar-ka-tarka; the dry vegetables – the chorchori, ghonto, chechki; the wet vegetables – the dalna …foods that do not require a dal to provide the moist accompaniment; the very wet stew or jhol …a wonderful combination of vegetables and fish; the sweet chutneys that follow the non-veg items…to clear the palate of the strong flavours before the gently flavoured desserts can be served.
Note again the quantity of every item that is served…perhaps we are the only community that does not pick at their vegetables delicately. Come to think of it, we are hearty eaters.
Spare a moment for the way in which the humble import from South America transforms itself for the Bengali.
Every mother instructing the daughters in the art of fine cooking issues the following instructions for cutting the potato:
· Bhatey: the mashed version spiced with pungent mustard oil and green chillies
· Jhiri –Jhiri: fine strips that get fried to a crisp to go along with the dal
· Gol: thin flat round slices for a softer juicier fried version
· Chand: thick crescents for the jhol,
medium ones for shukto and chorchori
fine crescents for the fiery jhaal with mustard
· Lomba: like French-fries for Potol (Parwal) chorchori. Another variation is to cut the potato lengthwise into 4 sections, then slice each section diagonally into half. Here the potol is cut exactly like the potato.
· Dumo-Dumo: for the dalna where the potato is cut lengthwise, each half is cut once again lengthwise into two and chopped into 1 inch pieces retaining the curve on one side
· A finer dumo version: for aloo posto and ghonto
· Aadh-khana: halves for aloo-dum, mutton korma and macher kalia (fish kalia)
The northerner's fondness for Paneer (cottage cheese) however failed to percolate into Bengal. One can spot a non-probashi Bong by his wrinkled nose and the evident distaste on his face.
'Poneer?'
Channa (again cottage cheese) on the other hand caters exclusively to the famous Bengali sweet-tooth.
Vegetarianism in Bengal is probably as old as Vaishnavism and predates Chaitanya by several centuries. But even amongst the non-Vaishnavs it has developed into an art form catering to the days when fasts are observed, to the tastes of widows who may wish to continue with tradition and for the masses who are out to enjoy God’s abundance.
And No. Fish is quite definitely non-vegetarian. But where exactly on the SIN SCALE ?...well below onion and garlic obviously.
I have now heard this from many a wide eyed non-bong.
True we are omnivorous as a community…that is we have remained the way God intended us to be…but we do have our share of vegetarianism.
And when we say vegetarian we probably outdo every other community in variety, quantity, flavour and last but not the least in following it to the ‘T’.
ONION, GARLIC ….very very non-vegetarian. How many Jains and other so called veg-Indians can claim to be as virtuous a vegetarian as our vegetarians? None. Not even the vegans that have now begun to flood the world.
Who but a Bengali can serve a vegetarian (Nirameesh) mutton curry as an offering to Kali on the night of Kali Puja?
Nirameesh you say?
Well, goat meat or lamb neither of them can measure up to the onion and the garlic on, I guess it should be called, the SIN SCALE. Cook the mutton without the perverse onion and garlic and you have a perfectly pious casserole.
But on a serious note think about a poribeshon kora lunch or dinner plate – one that the matriarch has taken care to supervise keeping in mind her family’s health needs. I simply cannot find the English equivalent of poribeshon kora. Next think of a similar platter from anywhere in India …lets be bold…anywhere in the world. Sure, I agree that the glory lies in the fish head, fish slices, meat curry etc but not one Bengali can ever get to that part of the meal without having to wade through copious amounts of shukto – the bitter mixed veg stew which is meant to cleanse the system, or the neem-begun (neem leaves with brinjal) or the karala-chorchori (bitter gourd with potatoes and brinjals)…remember one cannot just mix any old vegetable…there is quite a precise formula; the bhaja (fries) to tempt the palate; the dal (pulses for that first bit of protein kick)...different ones for different days …and of course not uniformly flavoured with the pyaz-tamatar-ka-tarka; the dry vegetables – the chorchori, ghonto, chechki; the wet vegetables – the dalna …foods that do not require a dal to provide the moist accompaniment; the very wet stew or jhol …a wonderful combination of vegetables and fish; the sweet chutneys that follow the non-veg items…to clear the palate of the strong flavours before the gently flavoured desserts can be served.
Note again the quantity of every item that is served…perhaps we are the only community that does not pick at their vegetables delicately. Come to think of it, we are hearty eaters.
Spare a moment for the way in which the humble import from South America transforms itself for the Bengali.
Every mother instructing the daughters in the art of fine cooking issues the following instructions for cutting the potato:
· Bhatey: the mashed version spiced with pungent mustard oil and green chillies
· Jhiri –Jhiri: fine strips that get fried to a crisp to go along with the dal
· Gol: thin flat round slices for a softer juicier fried version
· Chand: thick crescents for the jhol,
medium ones for shukto and chorchori
fine crescents for the fiery jhaal with mustard
· Lomba: like French-fries for Potol (Parwal) chorchori. Another variation is to cut the potato lengthwise into 4 sections, then slice each section diagonally into half. Here the potol is cut exactly like the potato.
· Dumo-Dumo: for the dalna where the potato is cut lengthwise, each half is cut once again lengthwise into two and chopped into 1 inch pieces retaining the curve on one side
· A finer dumo version: for aloo posto and ghonto
· Aadh-khana: halves for aloo-dum, mutton korma and macher kalia (fish kalia)
The northerner's fondness for Paneer (cottage cheese) however failed to percolate into Bengal. One can spot a non-probashi Bong by his wrinkled nose and the evident distaste on his face.
'Poneer?'
Channa (again cottage cheese) on the other hand caters exclusively to the famous Bengali sweet-tooth.
Vegetarianism in Bengal is probably as old as Vaishnavism and predates Chaitanya by several centuries. But even amongst the non-Vaishnavs it has developed into an art form catering to the days when fasts are observed, to the tastes of widows who may wish to continue with tradition and for the masses who are out to enjoy God’s abundance.
And No. Fish is quite definitely non-vegetarian. But where exactly on the SIN SCALE ?...well below onion and garlic obviously.
7 comments:
Mouthwatering! The more I read you, the more I realise that you are the Intellectual Love of my life.
This was a great start on on other bangla delicacy recepes to follow! Please continue. & whose intellectual lovelife are you???????
Thank you for leaving a very kind comment on my blog.
I too enjoyed reading your blog. I had never really thought about the various different ways we Bengalis cut the potato. Interesting!
Your book "Charting the Deep" also sounds very interesting.
Dear R, you may bow to my curtsy.
Siddhartha, I hope to be able to announce the release of my next book soon...this time a mix of the legends and history of Rajasthan. Do keep an eye out for it.
very very interesting.... :)
After exciting our olefactory senses with the heady scent of Bokul you have moved to tickling our tongue with fine veggie cusine from Bengal...wonder what's next!
I am amazed that you managed to post the photos of the good ol'aloo in all its cut avatars...very educational indeed for all those uninitiated in that fine art. Congratulations!
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