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Bengal's food culture is inseparable from its enthusiasm for adda and relaxed tea-time chats with a selection of savoury snacks. Classic food at such gatherings has been unashamedly extravagant: deep-fried telebhaja, chops smeared with mustard, and cardamom-flavoured rusks crunched up crisply. But in a contemporary kitchen where healthful habits and timesaving gadgets prevail, the same ethos can be replicated using Usha's OTG (oven toaster griller). The ease of baking and the strength of Bengal's pantry of grains, vegetables, and spices give rise to a new generation of tea-time treats. Not only do these recipes evoke nostalgia, but they also re-imagine classics with less oil, more texture, and unexpected depth of flavour — an ideal fit for today's changing palate and the home cook.
Baked Telebhaja
Telebhaja, literally translated as "fried in oil," is a monsoon hit throughout Bengali households. Thin vegetable slices such as brinjal, potato, and pumpkin are submerged in besan (gram flour) batter and fried to a golden crisp. The baked version, however, provides the same crunch without the grease. Brinjal and pumpkin slices are immersed in a mustard-kalonji-spiked batter and placed on a greased baking tray. A drizzle of mustard oil prior to baking at 200°C guarantees a crackly crust. The result is a tray of golden bhajas that taste remarkably close to their original counterparts but leave none of the guilt behind.
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Chire Bhaja Rusk
Rusks have long been a part of Bengali teatime, but these oven-toasted ones based on chire (flattened rice) are something different. Flattened rice is combined with a little jaggery, fennel, salt, and ground peanuts and then moulded into rustic bars and baked until crispy. These crunchy, sweet-savoury nuggets remind one of muri makha (spiced puffed rice) but with an added crunch and longer shelf life. With hot black tea or even mishti cha, they are the perfect comforting stop.
Also Read: Cupcake Varieties To Bake In An OTG
Shorshe-Spiced Sweet Potato Tikkis
Inspired by Bengal’s signature mustard gravies, these tikkis use sweet potato instead of meat or fish. Boiled sweet potatoes are mashed and combined with poppy seeds, kasundi (Bengali mustard relish), green chillies, and breadcrumbs. Once shaped into flat discs, they’re brushed with oil and baked in the OTG till golden. What emerges are smoky, sweet-savoury cakes with a mustardy kick — an ode to the flavours of shorshe maachh, reimagined for the vegetarian plate.
OTG Baked Mug Dal Nimki
Nimki, a diamond-cut savoury cracker, is typically fried and crispy. This baked variety has the same signature ajwain and kalonji taste but is prepared using moong dal and whole wheat flour. The dough is kneaded using ghee, rested, rolled, cut, and then baked at low heat to ensure even browning. The crunch is unmistakably gratifying, and the whiff of ghee adds depth of flavour without the richness of deep-frying. Served with masala chai, it's a snack fit for any adda.
Spiced Sondesh Crumble Bars
Sondesh, the classic Bengali dessert of chenna, gets a savoury spin in this OTG recipe. The chenna is combined with crushed nuts, cardamom, and a dash of salt, and spread over a baked oat-and-flour base. The top is dotted with black sesame and baked until set. These bars are crumbly, creamy, and subtly sweet, teetering between snack and dessert. They appeal to the Bengali taste that does not flinch from complexity, even in the most humble bites.
