When the steaming hilsa with the aromatic paste of freshly marinated mustard paste and onions is placed on the table, can anyone refute it is Bangle Ranna? The ongoing Bengali food fest at Aditya Park Inn at Ameerpet organised to celebrate Poila Baisakh is meant for those who love to eat and have a long chat over their meal. And not just any food but food which is rich and filled with taste. The fancy traditional fare in the ongoing bangla ranna is a buffet of the choicest dishes including palak and chingri (shrimps cooked with palak) mochar ghanto and phulgobi pakori—a must-have side dish in all Bengali weddings, lunch and dinner invites.
Organisers also put up a replica of the Howrah Bridge at Kolkata in thermacol complete with the bends and twists of the original bridge.
For a change let's begin with what's for dessert. Mishti Doi, rasamalai, langcha, bonde, kheer, mishti singara, rossogulla et al. After that sneak peek , it's time to settle for the non-mishti foods. The deep fried golden chicken chunks in all sizes will invite you for a bite. Pile them on your plate with a little sweet mango chutney and some jhal muri and alu papri chat .
Jhal Muri and alu papri chaat is a favourite street food in Kolkata and makes for an anytime snack. On the huge buffet are typical Bengali luchis as well. Luchis or maida puri is best enjoyed with chicken or mutton curry or a plain alu curry or alu bhaji. Nothing can beat the kosha mangsho (mutton curry) and luchi combination. The kosha mangsho is cooked to perfection and so is the muri ghanto (fish head cooked in a spicy dal). Alu postho also makes for a good dish to try. The spread looks complete with day to day preparations like karela bhaja, moocher ghanto and moong dal to go with plain rice. Also included in the spread is sweet pulao.
Now for the hilsa. It tastes absolutely heavenly to polish off a whole fish which is fresh. Since it is steamed, the juices are intact makingthe fish all more delectable.
Among the sweets, the mishti doi is a clear winner with the huge bowl polished clean within minutes.
