Jamai Sasthi Special: Bengali Recipes

Friday, June 14, 2013, 12:36 [IST]

Jamai sasthi is a very special occasion in every Bengali household. This day is dedicated to son-in-laws. 'Jamai' in Bengali means son-in-law and 'sasthi' means sixth day as the festival is celebrated on the sixth day of the Jyestha month according to the Hindu calendar. A grand fest is organised to mark this occasion. This festival lays foundation for a strong family bonding. Of course it goes without saying that food is the main part of all the festivities.

Mothers-in-law cook special dishes and invite their sons-in-law and daughters to honour them with a feast. Fish remains the main focus for the Bengalis. However there are a number of other Bengali delicacies which are prepared for this special occasion such as the aloo posto, daab chingri, ghugni, biryani, aloo dum etc. They are all equally tempting.

Check out the various delicious Bengali recipes which are an absolute hit for jamai sasthi.

Aloo Posto

It is a classic Bengali recipe using potatoes and poppy seeds. Most Bengali recipes have two dominating flavours, mustard and poppy seeds. This easy potato recipe belongs to the second category.

Daab Chingri

Daab Chingri is a dish not only served in but also cooked in a coconut! This Bengali recipe takes the popular combination of coconut and prawns but adds a touch of creativity to it. This Indian food recipe makes use of coconut and prawns but not the hardened and shelled mature coconut, it is tender coconut that adds the mild flavour to Daab Chingri.

Muri Ghonto

The basic ingredients of this Indian fish recipe are the head of fish and rice. It is needless to say that it is a very traditional dish. You will not find a perfect Muri ghonto recipe in any cook book. It is a legacy passed down by mothers and grandmothers.

Ghugni

Ghugni is a popular street food in Kolkata and other parts of Bengal. You can see street vendors wait with their enormous mounds of steaming yellow chickpeas curry by the roadsides. People usually eat ghugni with bread, bun or rotis.

Shorshe Ilish

Shorshe Ilish has all the trademarks of an authentic Bengali recipe. Most Bengalis consider shorshe ilish to be a very difficult recipe so, they usually reserve the dish for special occasions. But, this Bengali recipe is actually much more simpler than other fish curry recipes like macchar jhol.

Kosha Mangsho

Kosha mangsho is a much loved recipe for Bengalis. This Bengali style mutton curry is a complete bliss. In Bengali, 'kosha mangsho' means slow cooked chicken. You will need ample patience to prepare this delicious mutton curry but once you are done with the cooking, you will never forget the lip-smacking taste.

Fish Biryani

Compared to other types of biryanis, Bengali style fish biryani contains much less of spices but tastes extremely delicious. This delectable non vegetarian rice recipe is generally prepared using the most loved rohu fish.

Crab Masala

Crab masala is a special recipe to cook crabs in Bengali style. It is a typical Indian curry with lots of zingy spices and fair amount of oil. Like most Bengali recipes even crab masala is cooked with mustard. The flavour of mustard oil adds a special Bong touch to crab masala.

Pathuri Maach

Pathuri maach is a special Bengali dish that is made with fish. The dish is steamed and wrapped in a banana leaf. The best aroma of pathuri maach comes from the mustard sauce that is used to prepare this recipe. When you unwrap the fish from the banana leaf, you will get the strong aroma of mustard.

Mishti Pulao

Bengali mishti pulao is one rice dish which you just cannot resist eating. In Bengali 'mishti' means sweet. Bengali mishti pulao is a mildly sweet, aromatic and a flavoured rice recipe which is generally prepared on special occasions like festivals and marriages.