Where to enjoy authentic meals this Durga Puja

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Hidden gems from Bengal

From malai muger dal (moong dal with coconut milk; Rs 250) to gondhoraj chicken fry (Rs 300; six), Malad-based home chef Madhumita Pyne's pujor bhojon menu is a mix of some celebrated dishes and lesser-known fare. So, there are crowd favourites like mochar chop (banana blossom croquette; Rs 250; four), fish finger (Rs 300; four) and shorshe posto machh (mustard-poppy seed fish; Rs 350), but also unconventional picks like til potol (pointed gourd with sesame paste; Rs 250) and Bangladeshi-style mangsher or mutton korma (Rs 450). "This is a mix I strive to achieve in all my menus. However, every dish on the menu is a festive one," she adds.

On October 12 to 15; order two days in advance
Call 9892803506
Log on to @insomniaccook on Instagram

Scoops from the East

What's a puja feast without a sweet indulgence? Ice-cream brand Trayog has come up with Bengali flavours-inspired ice-creams, such as the rich and creamy mishti doi (Rs 499 for 500 ml), the aromatic gondhoraj malai (Rs 499) and aam kasundi (Rs 399) which captures the essence of the mango mustard sauce used
in Bengali households.

From October 11; pre-order now
Call 9324590822
Log on to @trayog_celebratetradition

A classic fix

From ashtami to dashami, The Lunchbox Co by home chef Arpita Roy has got your cravings covered for each day with a different, set menu (Rs 499 to Rs 999). From khichuri, luchi-alur dum and chaal er payesh (a kheer variant), to mutton dak bunglow, mutton rezala, kaju kishmish polao and prawn cutlet, there's a plethora of offerings. "For bijoya dashami, we offer nimki-goja [a sweet, crunchy snack] and narkel nadu or coconut laddoos," she reveals.

On October 13 to 23
Call 9748176769
Log on to @The LunchboxCo

Bhog beckons

Home chef Somma Ghosh's menu is rooted in her exper-ience of cooking bhog at celebrations in Delhi, Mumbai and Dubai. "Ashtami is the most important tithi [time], during which niramish or pure veg food is cooked," she says. The bhog thala (Rs 495 onwards) comprises bhuni khichuri, bandhakopir torkari (a mishmash of cabbage, potato and peas), begun bhaja (brinjal fry), chutney, and saffron kheer. For dashami, there's prawn malaikari (Rs 375) and kosha mangsho (Rs 450), among other crowd-pleasers.

On October 13 and 15; order in advance
Call 9820462881
Log on to @kitchentalesbysommaghosh

Adda favourites

The Hungry Cat Kitchen, run by Subhasree Basu and Manju Velkar, has a host of offerings across pre-puja and puja menus, and adda boxes. The former two include delicacies such as Chittagong-style Mezbani mangsho or mutton (R500), Odia style pork tarkari (Rs 450), kheema koraishutir (peas) mini puffs (Rs 350; four), fish florentine (Rs 500) and chelo kebab (Rs 650), among others. Since Durga Puja is incomplete without an engaging adda, the duo has come up with a pujor adda box (Rs 2,800; serves four) that includes the spicy-tangy street food item churmur, smoked mutton kathi roll and kheer kodom, a sweet, among other treats.

On Till October 12 (pre-puja menu); October 13 to 17 (puja); October 12 to 15 (pujor adda box); order a day before
Call 9820928658
Log on to @hungrycatkitchen