Authentic Bengali Dishes You Must Try During Durga Puja 2024

Durga Puja is inarguably the biggest festival in West Bengal and northeast. The festival beckons the arrival of Goddess Durga, and the entire state slips into a festive trance. Durga Puja celebrations cannot be complete without the special Bengali delicacies. While the Bengali families prepare a range of mouth-watering dishes during the festival, you must try Radhaballabhi with Alur Dom or Kosha Mangsho, which are inherent part of the rich Bengali cuisine and a favourite among many.  

If you are curious to know what they are, let us tell you how they are made, and other interesting things about these dishes. 

Also Read: Durga Pujo in Kolkata- Important Days, Worships, and the Rituals

Radhaballabhi and Alur Dom 

Imagine Puri Bhaji had a Bengali makeover, and you would get Radhaballabhi and Alur Dom. Radhaballabhi is the puri but with urad dal stuffing. The bhaji, instead of the plain, yellow-coloured dry potato, is the Alur Dom.  

A popular breakfast item in West Bengal and northeast Indian states, it is made for special occasions like Durga Puja. Radhaballabhi, which is also known as Beshtonika in Sanskrit, has a subtle hint of sweetness, and it is usually served with spicy gravy, which balances the flavour.

Did you know?

According to food historians, Radhaballabhi is a staple item offered to Radha-Ballavjiu the deities of the Singha family, the rulers of Kandi in Murshidabad who later settled in Bengal in the 9th century. Some researchers claim that Radhaballabhi was invented by Sri Chaitanya Dev who created this dish to offer to Lord Krishna. 

Preparation time Radhaballabhi and Alur Dom

•     Alur Dom – 25 mins
•     Radhaballabhi – 25 mins 

Ingredients needed for Radhaballabhi and Alur Dom

•     Potato
•     Onion (finely chopped)
•     Mustard oil
•     Turmeric powder
•     Chilli powder
•     Salt (as per taste)
•     Garam masala powder
•     Whole garam masala
•     Tomatoes (diced into small pieces) 

Method of making Radhaballabhi and Alur Dom

Recipe of Alur Dom 

•     Add two tablespoon of mustard oil in a frying pan
•     Temper the whole garam masala and onions, sauté until caramelised or the onions turn golden brown
•     Add, about 10 g of ginger garlic paste and continue to sauté
•     Add turmeric and chilli powder, and stir for a few seconds
•     Add the tomatoes and let it cook for a couple of minutes
•     Add water and let the mixture boil for a few minutes on low flame until it forms a thick gravy
•     While the gravy is cooking, fry the boiled potatoes in hot oil until its brown and crispy and keep them aside
•     Add the potatoes to gravy and let it simmer. Give the mixture a little stir a couple of times. 
•     Add garam masala powder and mix well. Let it cook for a few more minutes. 
•     Garnish with coriander and it Alur Dom is ready to serve 

Recipe of Radhaballabhi 

•     Soak about 200 g of urad dal for three hours and grind it to make coarse paste. 
•     Add salt, chopped ginger, chilli, and cumin seeds to the paste. Give it a nice mix and keep it aside. 
•     Prepare a dough of refined flour and roll into to small balls, like your do for chapati
•     Flatten the dough with hands, and stuff the dough with urad dal filling and roll them into puris of the size you desire.
•     Deep fry the puris in hot oil until they turn golden brown
•     Keep the puris over tissue paper or thin cloth so that it absorbs the oil 

Enjoy Radhaballabhi with Alur Dom and you will feel blessed by food gods with every morsel. 

Also Read: Durga Temples in India You Must Visit This Durga Pooja

Kosha Mangsho 

In Bengali households, the very mention of Kosha Mangsho spurs excitement. It is usually cooked only on special occasions or festivals like Durga Puja. Mangsho in Bengali means mutton, and Kosha is a cooking method, where the mutton is slow cooked for a long time with spices. Chefs, food critics, suggest that Kosho Mangsho when served with Radhaballabhi or Luchi is the perfect marriage on a plate.  

Preparation time of Kosha Mangsho: 60 minutes 

Ingredients needed for Kosha Mangsho 

•     Mutton (350 g) cut into small pieces
•     Mustard oil
•     Whole garam masala
•     Onion and tomatoes (finely diced)
•     Ginger garlic paste
•     Dry masalas – garam masala, red chilli powder, turmeric powder 

Method of making Kosha Mangsho 

•     Add 50 ml of mustard oil to a frying pan
•     Temper the whole garam masala
•     Add the onion in the pan, and sauté until the onions turn brown and golden
•     Add ginger garlic paste (about 20 gms) and mix well
•     Add the dry masala, including turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and mix well again
•     Next, put in the tomatoes, and gently mix the mixture until the tomatoes starts leaving water and becomes a thick gravy
•     Add the mutton pieces to the mixture and give it a good mix. Make sure to cover the meat with the gravy, before adding garam masala powder
•     Mix well, and let the meat cook for about 15 minutes (don’t cover the pan)
•     Add 1 tbsp sugar, and finely chopped coriander to induce some freshness and flavour
•     Let it cook for another one minute 
•     Transfer the dish into a serving bowl, and relish! 

Gourmet Getaways by Club Mahindra 

At resorts by Club Mahindra, we strive to serve our patrons the best of the local cuisine. The chefs at the restaurants in our resorts bring with them years of experience and expertise. They have a deep understanding of flavour profiles and every dish they create is high on flavour, and taste.  

Our chefs also source the best of ingredients, mostly ones that are locally available and use the best culinary techniques to make our guests every meal unforgettable! You can enjoy Kosha Mangsho, Radhaballabhi and Alur Dom and many other Indian delicacies at Club Mahindra resorts.  

Also Read: 5 Reasons to Visit Kolkata for Durga Pooja

About Club Mahindra chef – Debraj Bhaumik 

A two-time winner of the Culinary Leadership Award by IFCA, and National Award – Chef of the Year winner, Chef Debraj Bhaumik, is a Cluster Executive Chef at Karnataka and Tamil Nadu resorts about 26 years of experience, Chef Bhaumik is a genius in the kitchen.  

Having trained in Italian, Mexican, and Lebanese cooking, Chef Bhaumik has worked with many eminent chefs from around the world. But he has always had an undying passion for Indian food, which led him to extensive research on different Indian cuisines. He now uses all his knowledge, skills, and techniques to create traditional Indian dishes with a modern twist. His signature dishes, Kosha Manghso and Radhaballabhi infused with flax seed, are a huge hit among the patrons.