Debasish Mukherjee / New Delhi

Muslim Cooking came to Kolkata's (then Calcutta) Chitpur first. It was after the fall of Murshidabad when the Nawbab of Bengal Zafar Ali came to kolkata that the Nawabi food made its way into the city. With the Nawab came his bawarches (Cooks) with dekhchi (Cooking Vessel), tassat and seekh (Skewers), and a whole new cuisine.

Since then the area called the Chitpur Road which is the oldest road in Kolkata -more than 200 years old - has been serving an irresistible breakfast of naan (a flat loaf) with kebab or kofta (minced meatballs) with rice and Soorwa, a soup from trotters, or the richer nihari on a cold winter morning. To sweeten the taste, firni, halwa, or kheer prepared with milk, pappy rice, sugar, and dried fruits is served. 

Naan (Flat loaf) with Kebab

Kolkata has been the refuge of many a court in exile. Two begums and eight sons of Tipu Sultan along with their entourage, together with his elder brother’s family came to Kolkata from South India in the early nineteenth century. They were interned in a place called Tollygunge, then an insalubrious marshland. With them in the southern part of the city, the Deccan cooking edged its way into Kolkata. Today, right behind the Shahi Masjid of Tollygunge stands a dilapidated red brick mansion known as “Nawab Khoti”, home of Mohammed Maqbool Alam, the sixth-generation descendant of Tipu Sultan’s only brother Prince Karim Shah.

Maqbool’s charming Begum Sherbanoo, fondly remembers her grandmother-in-law, Begum Sahiba Anjumanara, a legend for her cooking skill. One of the hundred meat recipes of the great lady handed down by word of mouth Sherbanoo is the proud possession of the city’s culinary heritage. The recipe of this is included in the Muslim cuisine across Calcutta or Kolkata.

Mutton Curry

Fifty years later came another royal exile, Wajid Ali Shah, and a new taste was added to the Kolkata Muslim flavour of food-“The Avadhi Flavour” from Lucknow. We all know that the journey of Biriyani started there on, but apart from Biriyani; Avadhi cuisine came with a few more amazing delicious dishes like Polau, Shami Kebab, and shahi machhli ka qorma to mention a few.

Bengali Muslims like bhuna gosht, a variation on the do piazza and tikka kababs and parathas at festival time. During Ramzan, a month-long fast is broken daily at Iftar, with a sip of water at sunset and fruits like date, followed by cucumber, piazzi (onions deep fried in the lentil batter), and somosa. A traditional Iftar food is Halim, a substantial nourishing soup of meat, lentils, and cereals. Iftar parties become the signature of Kolkata. The table is laden with rich qorma, sizzling kebab, and chaap (curried rib chops) during that calibration.

Two hundred years ago the bawrchee brigade was firmly settled down in the Chitpur area of “Black Town”as named by the British. From there Muslim confluence of food has amalgamated in the rich treasure of Kolkata Cuisine and makes it more delicious

A traditional Iftar food - Halim

Some of the Unique Muslim Foods which Kolkata chairs:

Paya (Soup of Goat’s Trotters) This is a very special soup which is made with goat’s trotters and combination of loads of spice and onion. It is well known for its high nutrition value and immunity booster effect.

Roghni Roti (Whole Wheat Griddle Bread) all the Muslim rulers were very fond of this Roti. In this preparation, wheat flower has been mixed with Ghee, Milk and Salt and then baked in moderate oven, and here comes the Roghni Roti.

Kolkatta Kebabs: Muslim food in Kolkata is known for its Kebab. Kebab shop has travelled from Colootola in the North to the wheel barrow all over the city. Few of the famous kebab are Handi Kebab (Kebab in a Pot), Shami Kebab (Minced Meat Kebab), Raan Kebab (Spiced Roasted Leg of Lamb)

Rezala (Meat with Yoghurt Curry) and Halim (Meat and Cereal Stew) are the signature dish of Muslim cuisine. Rezala is an amazing recipe of Meat with Yoghurt which delight taste bud of every food lovers of Kolkata throughout the year, and Halim is the main attraction of Ramzan month; during every Iftar evening Kolkata taste this amazing dish and chairs.

Since 200 years Kolkata has been celebrating the amazing aroma of Muslim Cuisine. Restaurants like Nizam, Siraj, Arsalan, Aminiya became synonymous with the food culture of  the City of Joy where in the gentle evening breeze of river Hoogly mixed with  the fragrance of those cuisine along sound of azan bring back the era of Nabab’s and it will go on.