Durga Puja or Navaratri is late this year. But finally, the whole country is ready to worship Goddess Durga in their unique ways. While many North Indians are fasting, there are many (Bengalis and Non Bengalis) for whom this is a time for celebration and feasting. This is the time to immerse in Bengali cuisine and culture.

Bengali Food Festival in Delhi

Chowringhee – Bengali Food Tales at Hilton Garden Inn, Saket set the mood for Durga Puja. For all of you looking for Bengali food options in Delhi during Durga Puja 2023, Hilton Garden Inn brings the taste of Bengal to Delhi. They have organised a Bengali special menu at their restaurant India Grill that is on during Durga Puja.

The hotel has roped in the home chef Sharmila Sinha to cook with their executive chef Biswarup Chatterjee and his team. Together the chefs have created a menu which is a mix of authentic Bengali food, Anglo-Indian cuisine, and some fusion dishes that have Bengali cuisine at heart. Given that Chowringhee was one of the most fashionable spots in Kolkata and home to the Anglo-Indian community, the Hilton Bengali Food Festival experience, promises to be eclectic. We went for a sneak peek into the Bengali food festival on a Friday evening. Here is what you may expect.

Bengali Food Menu

Our welcome drink, cutely called Howrah Bridge, was a blend of Banana and mango. The drink was served in a clay glass. Meanwhile, the kitchen was fragrant with vegetables being fried for the appetiser Bhaja Bhuji (fritters). These were Aloor Chop and Beguni – potato and brinjal fritters coated with besan. A second vegetarian starter was a deliciously camouflaged mashed yam topping on warki parantha.

We tried fish Kabiraji cutlet with mustard next. Kabirajis are fish, mutton, or chicken cutlets that are soaked in an egg-based batter and then fried. Thanks to the egg strands, a crispy nest-like construction is formed around the cutlet. The item is therefore crunchy outside and soft yet firm inside. The Kabiraji cutlet could be the sole reason to visit this festival. The perfect sauce with this is the slightly tangy Bengali mustard-based relish Kasundi. It helps to balance the taste of the fry.

We also had a Kolkata-style mutton Kathi roll. Very spicy and flavourful, this was probably our favourite dish from the menu. The roll reminded us of the street food we relish in Kolkata during Durga Puja.

After that, came the Bengali thali. It had Kolkata Mutton Biryani, vegetarian Dhokar Dalna, Alu bhaja, and Chicken Dak-Bungalow, an Anglo-Indian way of making chicken curry. Anglo-Indian dishes are a fusion of English cooking style tempered with Indian whole spices like bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, and red chilies. The aromatic finale was spicy on the tongue as well as a befitting climax to the main course. Bengali pooris called Luchi and Peas Kochuri were the breads during the meal. A sweet chutney bridges the Bengali main course and the dessert. A date and tomato chutney was the perfect palette cleanser preparing us for the sweet.

Every item was well cooked and the spice-to-flavour ratio was on point. We thoroughly enjoyed the food and were happy to have a taste of Bengal sitting right here in Delhi that too in a luxury dining setup of Hilton Garden Inn.

For desserts, they served Mishti Doi Semifreddo. This was Mishti Doi coated with dark chocolate. Mishti Doi – the Bengali take on yogurt is a delicacy. The Semifreddo would work well for diners who love fusion food.

From experience we have seen Bengali food in Delhi is best had when cooked at home. That said, the good chefs managed to convey the subtle tastes of Bengali cuisine. Also, it is a fallacy that Bengali food is all non-vegetarian. This cuisine has a rich repertory of vegetarian Bengali dishes as well. This festival dispels the myth that Bengali cuisine is solely non-vegetarian; it offers a diverse range of both veg and non-veg dishes.

Whether you’re a Bengali food enthusiast or a newbie, this culinary journey is not to be missed during Durga Puja 2023.

Chowringhee – Bengali food festival details:

Date: 21st – 23rd October, 2023
Time: Saturday 07:30 Pm To 11:30 Pm
Sunday & Monday
Brunch: 12:30 Pm To 03:30 Pm Dinner: 07:30 Pm To 11:30 Pm
Venue: India Grill, Hilton Garden Inn, Saket
Map:

Parking: Vallet at the hotel or self-parking at DLF Avenue mall