Travel, Tales and Food
Murg Zafrani is a gorgeous dish of whole chicken leg pieces cooked in thick tomato gravy with few selected spices and zafran. It goes well with paratha, naan or even plain roti (Indian flat bread) but, perhaps the best with – white rice cooked with butter, and mint chutney in the side.
Zereshk Pilaf – the fragrant rice dish cooked generally with dried, wild, red berries (‘Zereshk’ or ‘Zeresk’) and zafran (saffron) will take you to Persia where it was believed to have originated. Zereshk Pilaf is more popular in India as ‘Barberry Pilaf’ or simply ‘Berry Pulao’ since it was believed to be introduced in India by the Zoroastrians.
‘Rosogolla’ is almost synonymous with Bengalis. A Bengali who doesn’t like rosogolla is perceived to be like a Brazillian who doesn’t watch football. After Nabin Chandra Das made his sweet ‘discovery’ of white sponge-like balls floating in sugary syrup, Bengali sweetmeat makers unleashed their imagination and eventually rosogolla found itself many avatars. Baked Rosogolla is one among them.
Au gratin is a simple and popular casserole dish, prepared with both vegetarian and non vegetarian ingredients. Almost all connoisseurs of continental food are familiar with the dish called “au gratin”