Lost recipes of Bengal’s nobles featured at this Bengaluru restaurant’s Nobo Borsho celebration

We celebrated Shubho Nobo Borsho with authentic Bengali flavours and charm this year, right here in Bengaluru! Like every Bengali household, Café M’s kitchen transformed into a Bengali household, replete with authentic ingredients for a Poila Baishakh Mahabhoj. With a live rendition of Manna Dey’s ‘Coffee Houser Sei Addata Aaj Aar Nei’ and other Bengali hits performed as live entertainment, this preview of the actual Bengali New Year celebrations beginning this weekend was a treat for the senses and a warm hug for the heart. Upon arrival, the sweet and tangy Aam Porar Sorrot welcome drink helped us start reminiscing.

As we were seated, the Kola Patay Bhapano Channa made its way to our table. This channa or acid-set cheese curd, steamed within a banana leaf, tugged at our hearts with the soft, creamy channa melting in our mouths with a healthy mix of masalas. Adding to this list of appetisers was Haaser Dimer Devil. A favourite street food and snack, the scotch duck eggs were equally crunchy with the outer coating of the egg and soft and heartwarming thanks to the perfectly boiled egg.

The live-counter section, titled Samna Samni (meaning face-to-face), was a personal favourite for us. Offering a range of classic Bengali dishes, this section shifted gears with its authentic Bengali flavour notes. Narkeli Cholar Dal, a simple and popular breakfast and lunch item, hit home with the piquancy of the green chilli and a slight hint of sweetness from the mix of split Bengal gram and tiny coconut pieces. Pair this with luchi (a ruffled refined flour fried bread) and you’ve just hit a home run. The luchi’s age-old companion, Aloor Dom, was also part of this menu. The Hing Diye Aloor Dom was a delectable potato gravy curry replete with the essence of asafoetida.

The main course is where this preview really took off. Showcasing lost recipes from the kitchens of nobles and aristocrats of Bangal (East Bengal in undivided Bengal) became a common feature of this section . Chingri Maacher Hurra, a duet prawn dish prepared in the style aof the regions along the Kirtankhola River, was one such offering. Others that stood out for us were Bawam Murgh and a Rosogollar Korma — a must-try in our opinion and much more.

No Bengali meal can end without a serving of rosogolla or sandesh and chef Gaurav Paul, who curated this brilliant menu, ensured that we were not disappointed. The rosogollas came in eight different varieties, including a Coorg filter coffee variant and a chilli variant as well! We’ve also learned that the flavours of Kolkata’s Tangratown will inspire some dishes as celebrations begin this weekend!

Meal for two: INR 4,800. April 13, 1 pm onwards. April 14 to April 16, 12:30 pm onwards. Lunch and dinner. At Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield.

Mail id: pranav.shriram@newindianexpress.com

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