Bengal’s age old love for seafood isn’t a new tale to talk about. They are not just fond of fishes, but have traditional recipes for crabs, prawns, oysters and so on that are further segregated according to preferences of East and West Bengal. Sonar Tori, one of the most premium Bengali diners of Kolkata, famous for Chef Bhaskar Dasgupta’s culinary wonders has taken cue from this to curate the one-of-a-kind Kankra Goldar Goppo consisting of eleven unique crab and scampi recipes.
“This is an annual saga conceptualised around the months of February and March every year since good quality seafood is available around this time. This year the menu is slightly different from last year since we had also included freshwater bhetki in the previous menu. There are a lot of items this year such as the Kankrar Chingri Pitha where crabs and scampi have come together in one dish for celebration of flavours,’ shares Chef Bhaskar.
Each time we are headed to Sonar Tori, we find ourselves mesmerised by how Chef Bhaskar’s passion towards his art is reflected in each of his delicacies. This time too, it wasn’t any different. The first appetiser Coxbazar Chingri Cutlet in itself bowled us over with its mouthful portions that are crunchy on the outside and melts as you bite towards the centre. Served with sweet chilli garlic chutney, these cutlets are literally flavour bombs. Chef also suggested we try the Murshidabadi Tawa Chingri that happens to be his own recipe with the traditional baganer moshla from the land of nawabs.
“This year’s menu is a confluence of tradition and creation since there are a few dishes like Goalondo Kankra Masala which is a modern spin on traditional recipes. This particular recipe has been inspired by the famed Steamer Curry made with mutton. Similarly Chattagramer Chingri Masala takes inspiration from Chittagong’s culinary fascination with garlic. In order to make the dishes a more pleasant experience for connoisseurs, we have made sure to control the spice levels in each,” adds Chef Bhaskar.
The bill-of-fare isn’t only about light bites and appetisers since it also features some star recipes that taste best when paired with steamed rice. We settled for the Shankarpuri Kankra featuring a single, big crab sourced from the shores of Bay of Bengal . Marinated with raw mustard oil and the goodness of mustard seeds, this pungent delicacy is more than sufficient for two. If you feel Lonka Shorshe Chingri Bhape might be a mustardy equivalent of Shankarpuri Kankra, you can try the Kalo Jeere Narkol Chingri for an off-beat yet flavourful pairing with your usual carbs.
Kankra Goldar Goppo is on till March 14th
Price for two: Rs. 1000+++ taxes