By Tarishi Shrivastava
August 1, 2024
The word ‘bhapa’ stems from Bengali, and as the name suggests, these Bengali dishes are steamed with mustard and coconut paste. It gives the dish a rich and aromatic flavour. Here 7 popular Bhapa dishes from Bengali cuisine:
Bhapa Ilish is made with hilsa fish (ilish) steamed in a mustard and coconut paste, green chillies, salt, turmeric powder and mustard oil.
Bhapa Chingri is made with prawns steamed in rich mustard and coconut paste, curd, salt, turmeric, green chillies, and mustard oil.
A traditional dish made with rohu fish steamed along with mustard paste, curd, turmeric, salt, mustard oil, and coconut paste.
Dhokar Bhapa is another traditional dish made by steaming lentil cakes (dhokas) in a flavourful mustard and coconut gravy.
As the name says, this steamed fish delicacy from Bengal is made with chitol fish cooked in a mustard-coconut paste, mustard oil, turmeric, spices, and salt.
A vegetarian dish made with paneer cubes is steamed in mustard and yoghurt marinade, along with minimal spices and salt.
Peeled and diced bottle gourd are steamed with mustard, poppy seed paste, turmeric, salt, and some mustard oil.