7 most popular Bengali recipes for Kali Puja

Coinciding with Diwali, Kali Puja is one of the most popular festivals that’s celebrated after Durga Puja in West Bengal, Assam and Orissa. This festival is the time when people worship Goddess Kali at midnight with several rituals and offerings. Just like Diwali, it's a custom to prepare delicious food during Kali Puja and distribute the same among their neighbours. Here are some of the most popular Bengali recipes that you can prepare for your loved ones and enjoy! (Image courtesy- istock Images))

One of the traditional recipes prepared on Kali Puja is Bengali Khichuri, which is like a one-pot meal. This rice recipe is prepared with moong dal, basmati rice and vegetables like cauliflower, peas, potatoes, tomatoes and a melange of spices. Just a bite of this dish khichuri and you will forget that it's made without using onion and garlic. This khichuri is also offered to the goddess as part of the bhog.

Another vegetarian preparation used in the bhog, Labra is an amazing dish that can easily pass as mixed veg. The reason for the same is that it's cooked using cauliflower, pumpkin, carrot, peas, and potatoes. What sets it apart from the common mixed vegetable is that this recipe has grated coconut in it along with a little sugar!

It might sound odd to you, but this is the vegetarian mutton prepared on the occasion of Kali Puja. To make this mutton curry, sacrificial goat is used which is first offered to Maa Kali. It is mandatory to take a bite of this mutton curry. As this is a sacred dish, onion & garlic are not used in its preparation and are thus called Niramish. Instead, it's made with several whole and ground spices and curd.

Another popular Bengali dessert, Chanar Payesh is popularly known as cottage cheese pudding or paneer ki kheer. This dessert is made by cooking grated cottage cheese or paneer in condensed milk and full cream milk and cardamom powder. Once the payesh is thick, dry fruits are added to the payesh and enjoyed.

A light and flavourful fish curry, this dish is made with Tangra fish which is a freshwater fish. This dish is more like a fish broth and is cooked with potatoes, onion and a melange of spices. This freshwater fish broth is often enjoyed with steamed rice.

A classic Bengali biryani recipe that’s prepared with mutton, potatoes, onions, yoghurt, ginger, garlic, biryani masala, whole & ground recipes, birista, dried plums, yakhni, ghee, milk with rose and kewra water and meetha attar. This mutton biryani is a treat for non-vegetarian food lovers and is a must-have during Kali Puja.

This again is a dish offered to the goddess and is a sweet preparation made with gobindobhog rice, ghee, sugar, saffron, cashews & raisins, and whole spices. Also known as Mishti Pulao, this traditional recipe is prepared on special occasions and festivals and has a taste that you cannot forget easily. Often, aged rice is used for making this delicacy and it is paired with kosha mangsho.