Taste of Eastern India: Delicious, Authentic Bengali Meals You Need to Try

My boyfriend is from Kolkata and Bengali food is not something you really find in Indian restaurants in the US. I love cooking and my boyfriend loves to eat so I bought this cookbook (along with another one) in the hopes of finding some authentic recipes that I'd be able to make for him. This cookbook has been fantastic! I've tried 7 of the recipes so far and they've all been amazing. Everything I've made has tasted incredible and my boyfriend claims that these dishes taste just like home. We've had some of his friends over for dinner as well and they have also been really impressed with the dishes that I've made from this book. The recipes are clear and easy to follow and the photography is absolutely gorgeous. I did have to get some ingredients from an Indian grocery store and I've had to make substitutions for the fish in the recipes but the effort has been more than worth it.Overall this is a fantastic cookbook for someone who already knows and loves Bengali cuisine or for people curious to try a type of Indian cuisine that isn't widely available in the US. Some of the recipes can be a bit time-consuming but none of them are very hard to make and they're definitely worth the effort.

I've been a follower of Kankana's food blog Playful Cooking for years and of her youtube channel for the last few months. After trying few recipes from her blog, I was convinced that her book will be a keeper in my kitchen shelf. So I ordered it right away. I can assure that it is a great book to get introduced to flavors of Bengal. I made shrimp-potato appetizer dish from the book and it was mind blowing. My kids loved it the most. Her recipes are clearly written and easy to follow that even a novice can whip a amazing meal without much stress. The book has a huge collections of recipes including fish, chicken, dessert, appetizers and snacks. I give this book 5 stars because of the easy to replicate recipes, tons of lovely pictures that are styled out of the world and also for introducing us to the less known world of delicious bengali food .

Have been a fan of Kankana’s blog and YouTube channel for few months. After trying few dishes from blog, I decided to purchase her book. It is a wonderful collection of Bengali recipes. I am a vegetarian and found many wonderful recipes that am eagerly waiting to try. Over the weekend, I tried Dudh Phulkopi which was absolutely divine with mild spiced milk gravy. The pictures accompanying recipes are simply beautiful. Definitely Recommend buying the hard copy. Recipes and flavors are unique, instructions are easy to follow. Kankana has the ability to break down complicated recipes into simple and clear steps. It is a perfect book for a newbie or a seasoned cook in Indian cuisine who is looking to broaden their recipe collection to include some unique Bengali flavors!

Nice recipes, pictures too!

The recipes are not authentic Bengali cuisine. The tile is misleading.

I purchased Kankana's book on eastern India's cuisine based on her blog & instagram. I am from Kolkata but I have always been looking for bengali recipes which are simple to make with readily available ingredients- and this book does exactly that! I tried out a couple of recipes from the book including this absolutely delicious and simple to put together sweet pancakes or 'pithe'. I am in love with the easy jaggery sauce that goes along with these pancakes- I use them with so many desserts now! I am also loving how vegetarian friendly Kankana's book is- showing bengali food is not just about fish but a variety of vegetables used interestingly! Not only is this book informative, it also serves as a great coffee table book and an amazing conversation starter :)

I have been a huge fan of Kankana’s blog and instagram. When her book released i decided to buy the book. I was a novice in Bengali cooking but this book taught me everything about Bengali dishes, spices etc. This book has a huge collection of recipes with easy to follow instructions. I was impressed that it has so many Vegetarian dishes. I give this book 5 stars as it has amazing recipies and beautiful photography which inspires you to cook. I have made so many recipes from this book and every time they turn out amazing.

After making the chaana kaju torkari (fried cheese dumplings in tomato and cashew gravy), I can wholeheartedly recommend this recipe collection. This book has everything—from basic spice mixes and chutneys to complex Bengali meals. The instructions are easy to follow and come with appetizing photographs. Anybody who enjoys the flavor of Indian cooking but wants to explore beyond the Northern Indian dishes found in most American Indian restaurants should definitely check this book out. My only (minor) complaint is that the binding seems a bit flimsy, even though the pages themselves are thick and durable. Nothing to deter me from offering a full recommendation however.

Excellent collection of traditional recipes. I found it easy to follow and also a good read.

.Das Kochbuch hat sehr gut die Bengalische Küche Original getreu an die Leser gebracht. Man kann das sehen, es ist doch etwas anderes als übrigen indische Küche. Bengalen hat die lange namenhafte Tradition in der indischen Geschichte in der Vergangenheit und in der Gegenwart. Wenn man Indien reist , sollte man unbedingt die Unterschiede übrigen indische Küche auskosten.

The book had some good recipes in it with a mixture of meat fish & vegetarian dishes.I only wish there were more vegetarian recipes.

Super book...yummy recipes and awesome photos of food. All recipes are written in a very clear steps and easy to prepare. Start with the basics of cooking and continue with yummy recipes.

This book is not just any other cooking book but it talks about whole Bengali/ East Indian culture. In the early pages, you get to know how to make different spice mixes of your own. You might not find some ingredients very easily and some you might need to make it from scratch. But overall a great book I have tried making the cauliflower with a lot of gravy. will try others soon and update with a better picture.