Celebrate Poila Baisakh with these 3 flavourful Bengali recipes

If there’s something Bengalis treasure more than Durga Puja, a lazy bhaat ghum (slumber), or their eternal love affair with maach-bhaat (fish and rice), it would have to be Poila Baisakh. The Bengali New Year isn’t just a date on the calendar; it’s that one day when time slows down just enough for Bengalis to gather, laugh a little louder, and eat a little more heartily.

To make this celebration even more special, Chef Roopa Nabar, in collaboration with TTK Prestige, presents a curated menu— “Poila Baisakh Recipes That Bring Home the Flavours of Tradition and Togetherness.” This three-dish spread captures the spirit of a Bengali household on New Year’s Day—comforting, creative, and cooked with love. Think of it as a flavourful ode to home, heritage, and the kind of festive warmth that lingers long after the plates are cleared. 

Recipes to savour on Poila Baisakh

Ingredients:

• 300 g mutton kheema

• 2 cups basmati rice

• 1 tbsp green paste (chili, ginger, garlic, coriander)

• ¼ tsp turmeric

• ½ tsp red chili powder

• 1 tsp Kolhapuri masala

• 1 large onion, diced

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• ½ tsp garam masala

• 1 tsp whole spices (1 bay leaf, 1” cinnamon stick, 4 cloves, 5 peppercorns)

• Finely chopped fresh coriander

• Salt to taste

• Oil for cooking

Method

1. In a mixer grinder, blend the kheema with green paste, turmeric, garam masala, and salt.

2. Heat oil in a kadai and sauté the diced onions until translucent.

3. Shape the spiced kheema into 12–15 equal balls and add them to the kadai. Cook for 5–10 minutes. Then add chili powder and Kolhapuri masala, stirring well. Simmer for another 10 minutes.

4. In a separate kadai, heat oil and add the whole spices. Stir-fry, then add the finely chopped onion and cook until light pink.

5. Add washed and soaked basmati rice. Stir for a minute, then add 4 cups of hot water and salt.

6. Cover and cook for 3 minutes, until the rice is half done.

7. Add the cooked kabab mixture to the rice, mix gently, and cook for another 5–7 minutes.

8. Garnish with chopped coriander, serve hot and dig in.

Ingredients

• 500 g pomfret, cut into 6–7 pieces

• 2 tbsp mustard seeds

• 1 tbsp poppy seeds

• 1 tomato

• 5 green chilies, slit

• 3 tbsp mustard oil

• 1 tsp turmeric powder

• 1 tsp red chili powder

• Salt to taste

Method

1.  Clean and wash the fish. Rub with turmeric and salt; set aside for 10 minutes.

2. In a mixer grinder, grind mustard seeds with a pinch of salt. Separately, make a paste of poppy seeds with a little water.

3. Puree the tomato.

4. Heat mustard oil in kadai and fry the fish until golden brown. Remove and set aside.

5. In the same oil, sauté the tomato puree for two minutes on low flame.

6. Add red chili powder and poppy seed paste. Sauté for another minute.

7. Mix the mustard paste with two cups of water and add it to the pan along with green chilies. Once it boils, add the fried fish and cook on low flame for two minutes.

8. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Ingredients

• 12–15 cauliflower florets

• ½ onion, roughly chopped

• ½ inch ginger

• 2 green chilies

• 1 cup refined flour

• 1 tbsp cornflour

• ½ cup roasted and crushed vermicelli

• Oil

• Salt to taste

Method

1. Boil water in the kadai with a pinch of salt. Add cauliflower and blanch for two minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Grind onion, ginger, and green chilies into a fine paste using a little water.

3. Preheat the air fryer.

4. In a bowl, mix refined flour, cornflour, salt, and the ground paste. Add enough water to make a thick, lump-free batter.

5. Spread vermicelli on a plate. Dip each cauliflower floret in the batter, then roll in vermicelli to coat.

6. Place on a silicone mat in the air fryer. Apply a little oil on both sides and air fry at 210°C for 2 minutes on each side.

7. Serve hot with tomato ketchup or your favourite chutney.

From hearty rice dishes to crunchy, guilt-free snacks— this Poila Baisakh, let your kitchen be filled with the aromas of tradition and joy. May your celebrations be as rich in flavour as they are in love, with every bite marking the beginning of a year full of warmth, happiness, and delicious memories.

(Written by Archisha Mazumdar)