A Bengali wedding is more than just an event. It is a sensory experience. The food is at the core of the festivities. People will discuss what was served for years after the wedding. From the very first morsel to the very last sweet, each dish has its own story to tell. The best wedding caterers in Kolkata understand this. They take days to prepare several dozen dishes. Mustard oil, panchphoron, and ghee are used for cooking.
There is an ordered sequence of dishes served at a Bengali wedding banquet. It begins with bitter dishes and ends with sweet dishes. In between, the dishes include fried items, rice, dal, fish, mutton, and chutneys. Every dish has its own significance. Every dish complements the previous dish in some way. There is no randomness. Everything has been planned in advance. You will find everything here from the menu course-wise.
Top Bengali Traditional Wedding Feast Menu
The wedding feast of the Bengalis is more than just a meal. It is a grand affair where several dishes are served following a particular order. Every dish has its place and significance. It is an excellent meal that is prepared with care. It takes months for people to get excited about the feast. To comprehend the grand meal, one needs to understand its menu.
Sherbet and bitters
The meal begins with an initial welcome by providing the guests with sherbet or fruit juice. This is followed by tasting bitters such as neem leaves or bitter gourd. The latter is a traditional custom in Bengal that is known to clean the palate and stomach.
Telebhaja
Now we move on to the fried snacks. This consists of snacks such as Beguni and Fish Fry. They are crunchy, golden, and served hot. These snacks are easy to eat and quite delicious. They get your appetite going without filling your stomach. They are generally accompanied by some black salt and green chili.
The rice and dal course
The main dish comes now. Steamed rice is accompanied by yellow moong dal. The dal is prepared using ghee, cumin, and ginger. The combination is basic yet tasty. It forms the foundation of the spread. It helps prepare the stomach for more elaborate meals ahead. Cooking so many dishes for hundreds of guests is not easy. That is why families hire experts. The best wedding caterers in Kolkata handle everything.
Dhokardanla and aloo posto
Vegetable dishes such as aloo posto and dhokardalna should be used. Such dishes will help in balancing the menu since they are healthy and delicious and precede the main course.
Macher jhol and More
Fish is a must-have food item in any Bengali marriage. The first dish of fish will be a light curry of fish known as macher jhol. Next up will come a richer and spicier dish of fish, known as fish kalia. There could be some fish cutlet as well.
Chingri malai curry
Prawns are considered to be a delicacy in Bengali marriages. Malai curry chingri is a creamy preparation consisting of prawns and coconut milk. The dish is light and rich. It usually accompanies pulao or plain rice. The dish is an indicator of the feast becoming grander.
Kosha mangsho
The main course features mutton as the hero dish. Kosha mangsho is a mutton curry that is slow-cooked to perfection. It is rich and spicy. The meat is soft and melts right off the bone. It is mostly accompanied by either luchi, paratha, or pulao.
Sweet and tangy
After the heavy food comes the chutney; it can be made of mangoes, tomatoes, or pineapples. It is sweet and tangy. It refreshes the palate and helps in digestion. It is a small dish, yet very significant. It readies the stomach for the dessert that follows.
Mishti Doi and sandesh
And here comes the sweet part: mishti doi, sandesh, rasgullas, chomchoms, and others. These sweets are very sweet, and they are the highlight of any Bengali meal. This is how you finish your meal in style. You are expected to take some of these sweets with you after the meal.
Betel leaf
The meal concludes with a dish called paan. Paan consists of a betel leaf stuffed with areca nuts, coconuts, and sweet syrup. This is chewed at the end of the meal. This is done in order to freshen the breath and help with digestion. It is a practice that has existed for many years.
Conclusion
Thus, the Bengali marriage feast has started with something bitter but ends up with something sweet, every dish having a tale to tell. The dishes such as sherbet, kosha mangsho, and mishtidoi are noteworthy. When you receive an invitation to a Bengali marriage, be ready to enjoy and eat a lot.
