Bengali cuisine revolves around some of the most sumptuous fish, chicken and mutton preparations, don't you agree? While there are many vegetarian delicacies that are equally delicious, a non-vegetarian spread on the table often takes the cake. And if you are someone who loves to explore indulge in ever-so rich and scrumptious non-vegetarian delicacies, Bengali cuisine has options galore! The cuisine uses distinct spices, tossed with local and seasonal produce, to make some of the most stellar innovations. From doi maach, posto chicken, Kolkata biryani to chops and robust macher jhol, each dish is better than the previous, so much that you won't just stop at one bite.
So if you want to try delicious Bengali fare, we have come up with a list of some of the best delicacies from the lot.
(Also Read: 11 Best Bengali Recipes)
Here Are 9 Non-Vegetarian Bengali Recipes That You Must Try :
1. Doi Maach
One of the most popular Bengali curries, doi mach is a yogurt (doi-based) slightly sour fish curry with tender fish chunks marinated in a pool of spices. A perfect lunch/dinner dish, it goes well with steamed rice. Find the full recipe here..
2. Kosha Mangsho
Kosha mangsho (that literally translates to mutton curry) is one of the classics of the Bengali cuisine. Packed with bold spices, this thick curry comes with the right flavours of clove, cardamom, cinnamon and mustard oil. Try this staple at home with the recipe here.
3. Bhapa Chingri
Bhapa means steamed in Bengali, and chingri is shrimp or prawns. This recipe has marinated prawns combined with a spicy mix of coconut, mustard and chilli sauce - an absolute crowd-pleaser! Click here for the full recipe.
4. Macher Jhol
A staple across Bengali homes, macher jhol is a fish curry made in mustard oil. Quick, easy and irresistibly delicious, macher jhol has fried fish chunks tossed in a curry made by sautéing onion seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and bay leaf. Find the full recipe here.
(Also Read: 8 Best Bengali Fish Recipes)
5. Posto Chicken
A traditional dish that you can be prepared in an hour, posto chicken boasts of a mouth-watering melange of spices and chicken with a nutty paste made with poppy seeds (posto in Bengali). It goes best with rice for a soul-satiating meal. Find the recipe here.
6. Bhetki Parcel
Bhetki is a similar dish to Bengali staple fish paturi and takes its name from the fish by the same name- Bhetki. It is a local silverfish found in Kolkata. Bhetki parcel has marinated fish fillets, wrapped in banana leaf or aluminium foil and baked to perfection! Click here for the recipe.
7. Kolkata Chicken Biryani
Straight from the streets of the 'City of Joy' - Kolkata, this chicken biryani has slowly gained recognition around the country and even beyond for simply being a subtle variant of the robust and spicy Lucknowi biryani. With its mild yet appetising flavours tossed with chicken, potatoes and eggs on top, it is sure to be an indulgent treat on the table! Find the full recipe here.
8. Kolkata Kathi Rolls
Yes, your favourite street food is a gift of Kolkata and a lot of us don't even realise that. Juicy chunks of chicken or mutton combined with a pool of spices and a fiery chilli sauce makes for a scrumptious treat that one can instantly nosh upon on the go. After all, kathi rolls were invented in Kolkata for the British who were seeking a quick on-the-go snack! Click here for the recipe.
9. Fish Kabiraji
These fried fish fillets make for a popular tea time snack in Bengal. Fish pieces marinated in spices and then wrapped in gram flour and breadcrumbs before being deep-fried is a snack you wouldn't want to miss! Find the recipe here.
Did we miss your favourite Bengali dish? Let us know in the comments!
About Aanchal MathurAanchal doesn't share food. A cake in her vicinity is sure to disappear in a record time of 10 seconds. Besides loading up on sugar, she loves bingeing on FRIENDS with a plate of momos. Most likely to find her soulmate on a food app.