Being Bengali: Four Fantastic Puja Recipes Everyone Will Love

The season of festivals is here and everyone is busy merry making and hopping from Navratri to Durga Puja pandals. Durga Puja is a great time to enjoy some amazing Bengali food, which is a wonderful mix of robust curries, fried chops, fragrant biryanis and gorgeous desserts. Around this time, you want to go out and bite into some traditional Bengali delights like Patisapta, Rosogulla Payesh, Mughlai Parantha or the famous Kosha Mangsha. Why not try them at home too? If you plan to have an intimate get-together at home to celebrate the festival, you must try these fantastic Durga Puja recipes that will definitely impress your friends and family.1. BeguniBeguni is a lovely side dish made with brinjals that are sliced and coated with gram flour before being deep fried in hot oil. It is also popularly known as Begun Bhaja in Bengal and is an integral part of the Durga Puja festivities and bhog. Beguni is a simple wonder and it can be served as a side dish with rice, luchi or khichdi. You can enjoy Beguniwith almost everything but make sure to serve it piping hot as it tends to become limp and soggy when cold. For Beguni, you need to use a large variety of brinjal that has more flesh and less seeds. Baigun Bhajja Recipe by Chef Girish Krishanan
 _{Beguni is a lovely side dish made with brinjals ​}2. LuchiLuchi is a Bengali version of puri that is made with maida and is utterly crisp with soft insides. The difference between a puri and a luchi is that the latter is made purely of refined flour. Luchi makes a great pair with the rich mutton curry Kosha Mangsha, but if you’re preparing an all-vegetarian fare, serve it with Bengal’s favourite soul food – Aloo Dum which is creamy, spicy and absolutely delicious. You can even try a version with stuffed peas and masalas.Recipe by Chef Niru Gupta
 _{Luchi is a Bengali version of puri that is made with maida}
3. Labra Labra is an authentic Bengali dish made with a host of vegetables like pumpkin, potato, brinjal, arbi and radish, and spices with Bengal’s local seasoning paach phoron (a mix of five spices) – all cooked in pungent mustard oil. Labra is a delicious and wholesome dish for Durga Puja celebrations. It is often served as a side dish with Khichuri and Tamatar Chutney.
 _{Labra is a delicious and wholesome dish for Durga Puja celebrations​}4. PayeshThere’s nothing better than a bowl of chilled kheer to end a festive meal. A thick and creamy payesh is considered to be one of the best sweet items to celebrate a happy occasion with or bring in some good news. It is often prepared in most Bengali homes during festivals like Durga Puja. The classic version is made with rice, nuts, cardamom and rose water. To give it a traditional touch, try using Gobindobhog rice or you can even opt for Basmati rice.Payesh Recipe by Radhika Sen
 _{Payesh is considered to be one of the best sweet items to celebrate a happy occasion} Add a delicious touch to your festive celebrations by surprising your loved ones with this simple home-cooked Durga Puja feast.