Durga Puja 2023: Bengali culinary experts share bhog dishes that you can prepare at home

Last year’s idol of goddess Durga at the pandal by Bengal Club at Shivaji Park. Pic courtesy/Instagram

Kosha mangsho (Bengali spicy mutton curry)

All the dishes that are part of the traditional bhog platter are cooked without onion or garlic. Apart from the traditional platter dishes that are popular in the community, we always prefer to make delicacies like badhakopir ghonto [Bengali cabbage sabji] and beguni [eggplant fritters]. Chandrima Sarkar, food blogger, @notoutofthebox

Kosha mangsho. Pic courtesy/Chandrima Sarkar

Ingredients
>> 500 gms of mutton (medium-sized pieces, curry cut)
>> 3 tbsp yoghurt or curd (whisked) >> 2 onions, medium-sized (thinly sliced)
>> 11/2 tbsp cumin powder
>> 4 to 5 green chillies (halved) >> Salt to taste
>> 1 tbsp ginger paste >> 1 tbsp garlic paste >> 1/4 tsp of sugar >> 1/2 tsp of garam masala powder >> 1/4 cup mustard oil

For marinating the mutton
>> 1/4 cup raw papaya (grated)
>> 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
>> 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

For tempering
>> 2 whole dry red chillies (halved) >> 10 black peppercorns (lightly crushed)
>> 2 black cardamoms (lightly crushed) >> 3 green cardamoms (lightly crushed)
>> 3 cloves>> 3 cinnamon sticks (1-inch pieces)

Method
Marinate the mutton pieces with grated raw papaya, red chilli powder and turmeric powder. Keep it aside for two to three hours. On a stove, heat oil in a deep-frying pan/kadai (preferably an iron wok). Temper with whole dry red chillies, black peppercorn, black cardamom, green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon sticks. Now, add sliced onions and sauté them over medium flame until brown in colour. Add ginger-garlic paste, mix and sauté for a few seconds. Next, add the cumin powder, mix and sauté for a few seconds. Add the marinated mutton, yoghurt, salt and green chillies. Mix and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, uncovered. Keep stirring regularly to prevent burning at the bottom of the pan. If you're using an iron wok; you'll notice that the mutton will start to become a bit darker.

Next, add 250 ml hot water to the mutton. Mix well, cover and cook on low flame until the mutton pieces are fully done. Keep stirring in-between. It takes approximately one hour for the mutton to get cooked through. The gravy of this dish should be on the thicker side, so adjust the quantity of water accordingly during the cooking process. Add sugar and garam masala powder, mix well and cook for two to three more minutes. Turn off the stove, and transfer the delicious kosha mangsho to a bowl. Serve hot with parota, basanti polao or luchi.

Bhog-special khichuri and tomato aamshotyo'r chutney

Bhog or naivedya is a lavish affair on saptami and ashtami days, and the most auspicious days of the Durga Pujos. The pure vegetarian multi-coursed bhog'r dala with bhog'r khichuri, phali begun bhaja [fried long strips of brinjal], bandhakopi'r ghontyo [dry cabbage preparations] are few of the many dishes that are relished in the pandals and at home. Home chef Somma Ghosh, Kitchen Tales by Somma Ghosh, @kitchentalesbysommaghosh

(Clockwise) Cabbage sabzi, tomato aamshotyo'r chutney, payesh, bhog'r khichuri and beguni. Pic courtesy/Somma Ghosh

Ingredients
>> 300 gms of chopped tomatoes >> 200 gms sugar >> 1/2 teaspoon ginger grated
>> 1 packet/200 gms aamshotyo (chopped into 1/2-inch squares or rectangles)
>> 100 gms dates
>> 50 gms raisins
>> 1 tsp roasted cumin and red chilli powder
>> 1 tsp mustard oil
>> A pinch of paanch phoron seeds (a mixture of cumin, fenugreek, mustard, aniseed and nigella seeds)
>> A pinch of rock salt

Method
In a wok or non-stick kadai, pour mustard oil. Once it heats up, add a pinch of the paanch phoron seeds. When they crackle, add 1/4 teaspoon of grated ginger. Sauté and then add the chopped tomatoes. Sprinkle a bit of salt over the tomatoes and cover the kadai with a lid. Water will get released from the tomatoes in the wok as they wilt in the heat. The cover helps to retain all the heat inside and release moisture from the tomatoes with the steam developing inside the pan. After 10 to 15 minutes, once the tomatoes look soft, add the aamshotyo pieces. After another 10 minutes or so, when the aamshotyo pieces look slightly softer, add sugar and the seeded dates and soaked raisins. Stir and mix properly. Open the lid, there is no need to cover it anymore. Keep stirring at regular intervals, till it is all tender. Check for sweetness and adjust by adding more sugar, if needed. If you want to make it spicy, then add a pinch of red chilli powder and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle a pinch of rock salt. Before removing from the flame, sprinkle roasted and ground cumin and red chilli powder. After it cools, transfer the contents to a glass bowl. This can be garnished with roasted cumin and red chilli powder.

Bhog-special khichuri

Ingredients
>> 100 gms of Gobindo bhog rice >> 100 gms of shona moong dal >> 1 chopped potato (into four cubes and fried) >> 2 of pieces tomatoes (chopped lengthwise) >> 1/2 cup peas >> 8 fried cauliflower florets >> 1 tbsp grated ginger >> 1/4 tsp turmeric powder >> 1/2 tsp jeera powder >> 1/4 tsp whole jeera >> 2 bay leaves >> 2 whole red chillies >> 1 tsp roasted cumin and red chilli powder >> 2 tbsp mustard oil >> 1 tbsp ghee >> 650 to 700 ml of hot water

Method
Wash the rice thoroughly at least six times and set aside. Heat mustard oil in a three to five litre cooker. Add whole jeera, whole red chilli and bay leaf. Now, add shona moong dal. When the dal is golden in colour, add sliced tomato, grated ginger, turmeric and cumin powder and mix it. Add the washed rice and stir. Add some salt as per taste and mix properly. Next, pour hot water slowly and cover and cook while closing the lid of the cooker. Turn the stove flame to low after the first whistle. Switch off flame after 12 to 13 minutes in total. Add the fried cauliflower florets, ghee and sprinkle roasted cumin chilli powder, when the steam is released and you are able to open the cooker. Close the lid and keep aside till serving.

Go pandal hopping

>> Thane's Aamra Prabashi celebrates one of the largest Durgotsav. Along with pujo fare, bhog prasad will be offered to attendees from October 21 to October 23.
On: October 19 to October 24
At: Hiranandani Estate, New Horizon School ground, Rodas, Thane West
Log on to: @aamraprabashithane

>> The North Bombay Sarbojanin Durga Puja Samiti will see a 20-foot-high idol with an intricately crafted mukut for the goddess.
On: October 20 to October 24
At: Hotel Tulip Star, Vaikunthlal Mehta Road, Juhu
Log on to: @northbombaydurgapuja

>> Bengal Club will celebrate its 88th Durga Puja with elaborate rituals followed by a grand aarti where drummers or dhakis from Kolkata will lead the festival music.
On: October 20 to October 24
At: Shivaji Park, Dadar West.
Log on to: @bengalclub_shivajipark

>> Attend Deonar Bongiyo Parishad Sharodotsav for their cultural activities and participate in their sandhya aarti, bhog and special pujas for all the days.
On: October 19 to October 24
At: New Mandala Ground, Anushaktinagar.
Log on to: dbpanushaktinagar.com