The world is made up of two kinds of people - one, who eat to live and the other, who live to eat. I can safely vouch for falling in the latter. Exploring cuisines of different places and trying that one unique dish which stands out in a particular place is something I love doing. My first tryst with the food of Kolkata was when Oh! Calcutta launched in Mumbai. It boasts of mouthwatering local specialities. Ever since, exploring Kolkata street food has been a must-do. When I did get the chance to visit the beautiful city, I was all excited to check it off my wishlist.
The staple diet of the Bengalis is rice and fish, so the first dish on my list was Mustard Fish wrapped in banana leaf. This is said to be a signature Bengali dish and after tasting it I’ll definitely second it. The use of mustard seeds is very common in Bengali cuisine and it was this ingredient that stood out and gave the dish a punch. Most of the time, the variety served is the river-water Betki which is nice and fleshy and slightly on the sweeter side.
When it comes to Kolkata street food, there were two savouries I definitely wanted to explore - Jhalmoori and Kathi Rolls. Jhalmoori is a Kolkata version of the popular Bhelpuri. But it’s lighter, crispier, drier and without the sauces. It was so light and delicious that I could eat it all day. I’ve tried mobile moori (packed) everywhere, but the taste and tadka is different when it is made on the streets of Kolkata.
What better than having Kathi Rolls from the places where it was invented. If you step into a Kolkata street food market, you will see numerous Kathi Roll thelas serving their customers the yummiest rolls. When I took the first bite of the Kathi Roll at Kusum’s, it was heaven. The textures, taste, spices and everything were perfectly balanced. It’s a treat to watch these rolls being made as well.
Next on my list was Kachori, enjoyed amidst the massive crowd at the small but famous Ganguram’s. The kochuris, as they call them, stood out and were different from any variety previously tasted. Round and flat with a spicy aloo filling, they are served with tamarind and mint chutney.
Luchi Aloo was another must-have, this Bengali version of Poori (Luchi) and Aloo (Dum Aloo). The luchi is made out of maida while the aloo is boiled and served as a sabzi. The dish had a Bengali tadka of its own and is available at every nook and corner of the city.
To quench my thirst, I had two beverages in mind - Daab Shorbat and Doodh Cola. Daab Shorbat is basically made of coconuts and its malai blended together, the perfect drink to beat off the summer heat. Take a visit to Paramount Cold Drink House, it’s quite famous there. I sampled many other coolers offered here, at this legendary store, which Saurav Ganguly visited. Don’t miss all the famous personality pictures on the wall.
The famous Doodh Cola, a mixture of milk and Thums Up, a variant of the coke float, didn’t fail to reach my expectation, either. Sampled at Balwant Singh’s Eating House, it was both refreshing and energising.
The perfect way to end the food trail was with the desserts. I started by trying out the famous Fruit Kulfi. Served with pieces of real fruits, all the carts at Cammack street sell them. The mango and orange were my favourite. The best part is you don’t feel too guilty as you are eating fruit, right!
If in Kolkata, you cannot miss the famous Bengali sweets. I tried the famous Sondesh in different flavours of Rose, Kiwi, Blueberry, Strawberry, Jaggery Alphonso, Kesar and Ice Cream. There were at least 50 more to sample. I had one and it just melted in my mouth. Eat it fresh at the store itself, or bring it home and keep it in a cool room, just for a day. Keeping it in the fridge spoils the flavour. The Baked Rasgulla was so juicy and spongy and with every bite it felt like a cheesecake with rasgulla inside it. Bengali sweets are a dream at Balaram Mullick.
From vegetarians to non-vegetarians, this metropolitan city has something for everyone. Apart from the plethora of historical monuments, Kolkata cuisine has a uniqueness which makes you fall for it. I’m hungry writing this, and want to go back and eat some more!
