Boishakhi Bhorta
Bhorta is the simplest and ultimate comfort food from Bangladesh and West Bengal, India. A true Bengali feast must always includes a wide selection of bhorta to complete the meal. This practice is very important during Bengali New Year, also known as Pohela Boishakh. Bengalis all over the world susher in the new year by making elaborate feasts complete with a wide selection of bhorta.
A delicacy that is very near and dear to my heart. Not only do I love eating it, I also love talking about it’s history and preservation as a symbol of culinary heritage of Bangladesh. You can learn more about my personal feelings and the history of bhorta here.
What is Bhorta?
The simple bhorta is a potpourri of greens, peels, vegetables, fish, and meats that are either boiled, steamed, baked, roasted, charred or lightly fried. Traditionally, it will always have three main elements — mustard oil, shallots and dried red chilies or fresh green chilies. In essence, they are a collection of small side dishes that we serve along side rice and main entrees.
Can you think of condiments and side dishes that complete the full meal in your own/other cultures? Here I will give you a head start — think salsa and ceviche in Mexico and other Latin countries, banchan in the Korean peninsula, meze in the Mediterranean and the Balkans. Leave a comment below and tell us about side dishes in your culture!
Another year around the sun and today marks the first day of Bengali New Year 1428. In a typical celebratory fashion, this year I am sharing couple new recipes of bhorta as well. Previously I have shared 5 different types, today I am adding 2 more to my collection. I am going to list them all below so they are easier for you to locate.
Notice how I call them all spicy, because they are! Bhortas are meant to be spiced heavily with mustard oil, shallots and dried red chilies or fresh green chilies. These three essential components come together and impart so much flavor, which in turn enhances the flavor profile of the main ingredient, as well complement the full meal.
The ingredients are prepared in various different ways — boiled, steamed, roasted, burnt, caramelized, fried and so on. For example, in my list above, potatoes and lentils are boiled; tomato, eggplant and garlic are roasted; okra and hyacinth beans with shrimp are steamed. Keep in mind, the preparation of these ingredients are interchangeable and varies from family to family. This is just how I personally like them and grew up eating.
Recipe — Boishakhi Bhorta | Part II
Serves: 4-6
Roshun Pora Bhorta | Spicy Mashed Roasted Garlic
Garlic - 2-3 bulbs, in total we need 20-25 garlic cloves
Shallots - 1, thinly sliced
Dry Red Chilies - 2-3
Mustard Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
First of all, this recipe is so simple and so easy to make yet it is so addictive! Remove the garlic cloves making sure to keep their skin on. In a frying pan, dry saute the garlic cloves in medium-low heat. The garlic will be ready when the skin is starting to burn - turning blackish-brown and the cloves inside the skin have softened. Remove the garlic cloves from the pan, let it cool down and then remove the skins.
While the garlic is cooling, dry roast the red chilies in medium low heat. Be careful not to let it burn, the skin color will change from red to black pretty quickly. Once they are roasted, remove from the pan.
In a mortar and pestle, like the Bengali Sheel Pata or Mexican Molcajete, crush the garlic cloves, dry red chilies with a dash of salt. Once it has formed a chunky paste, add the sliced shallots and mustard oil, then combine thoroughly. Taste test for salt and add more if needed. That’s it, this bhorta is ready for devouring!
Sheem + Chingri Bhorta | Spicy Mashed Hyacinth Beans with Shrimp
Shrimp - 3-4, cleaned and deveined
Hyacinth Beans - 1 cup
Green Chilies - 2-3
Salt - as needed
Mustard Oil - 1 tbsp
Shallots - 1, thinly sliced
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add a teaspoon of salt. Once the water starts boiling, add the shrimp pieces. The shrimp will change color pretty quickly, going from grey to orange, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the shrimp and set aside
Prepare the beans - remove the fiber from each side, cut off the two ends and cut them in half. Add the beans to the boiling water. Cover the lid and turn off the heat. The beans will soften and cook in the hot water. After 10 minutes, remove the beans and green chilies.
Note: If you can’t find hyacinth beans, long beans, green beans, sugar snap peas or snow peas are good substitutes.
In a large mortar and pestle, like the Bengali Sheel Pata or Mexican Molcajete, pound the beans, green chilies and shrimp with a bit of salt. I recommend keeping the shrimp skins for the added flavor. Continue crushing the ingredients until it has formed a paste to your liking - it’s up to you if you prefer bhorta chunky or smooth. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, you could also grind the ingredients in a blender.
Note: Crushing the ingredients in a mortar and pestle, or sheel pata or molcajete releases a burst of flavor that you won’t get from using a blender. The grinding action releases the essential oils from the ingredients which adds depth of flavor to the food. Preparing food in a blender chops the food instead of grinding it which releases less flavor and gives it a different texture.
Finally, Add the sliced shallots and mustard oil, and mix thoroughly. Taste test for salt and add more if needed. If you prefer the bhorta spicier, you may add more green chilies, just make sure to crush it first. Mix thoroughly one more time and the bhorta is ready to be served!
Aloo + Dim Bhorta | Spicy Mashed Potatoes with Eggs
As always, I am including aloo bhorta to my menu this year. Aloo bhorta, is loosely translated to Spicy Mashed potato, and it is the most common form of bhorta in Bangladesh and other Bengali speaking regions.
It’s quick and super easy to make, trust me, one cannot mess this up. And who doesn’t have potatoes in their pantry? Aloo bhorta is also considered to be a proletariat hunger killer, commonly known as starvation food. Some warm rice, a scoop of aloo bhorta and a generous pour of dal, the ultimate comfort meal for a simple Bengali.
Here is my trick or addition to jazz it up and make it special for a celebratory feast. Add a boiled egg to it aaaand *chef’s kiss*. I think the comb8ination of boiled potato and boiled eggs is just something! I am clearly one of those — #PutAnEggOnIt and everything will be better. I mean look at those scrummy little eggy bits! Ok I will stop pitching potato and eggs, a classic combo in my humble opinion!
Panta Bhat | Overnight Steeped Rice
As customary, the best way to enjoy these bhorta during the Bengali new year celebration is with Panta Bhaat, loosely translated as steeped rice. Basically, it is cooked rice which is left to soak and ferment in room temperature water overnight. Traditionally, served in the morning as breakfast with salt, shallots, fresh green chilies, alongside aloo bhorta and other types of bhorta.
The very first post we made to launch The Spice Odyssey was actually Panta Bhaat and good ol’ Ilish Bhaja. It was my first Pohela Boishakh spread which I put together all on my own. That was about two years ago, so Pohela Boishakh back in 2019. Then I dropped dead. I am kidding! I took a very long hiatus because y’know life happens. All of that changed when we were all knee deep into this dang pandemic and I told myself “girlfriend, it’s now or never!”. So I made a comeback! Someday I will tell you guys more about the origin of The Spice Odyssey (it goes 10 years back) since I love talking about origins and history so much.
Anyway, if you want to make some fermented rice and give yaself a good time, here is our good ol recipe for Panta Bhat. Also, yes, it is fermented rice but you can’t get drunk off of Panta Bhat. An OTC cough syrup has a higher alcoholic content you derp. Enjoy!
Lol you guys need to read this!
Mother: why does the your panta bhaat look so fresh and intact?
Me: Oh shoot! I accidentally put it in the fridge overnight.
That means it did not ferment!
Hot Tip: It should be left out in room temperature so the rice start to ferment and disintegrate. I went ahead and took a picture for the sake of the photo shoot but this is just cold rice in cold water. Panta Bhaat is steeped and fermented rice. You will notice how different the rice looks in my previous take from two years ago.
