Cooking class and home cooked Bengali meal in New Town, Kolkata

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Summary

Join Zinnia in her small kitchen for a one hour hands-on cooking class. The cooking class will begin with an introduction to Indian spices and Zinnia will show you the ingredients of panch phoran, a spice blend of cumin, brown mustard, fenugreek, nigella and fennel which is commonly used in Eastern India. She will also explain why mustard oil is used in Bengali cuisine and will show you how mustard seeds are ground into a paste. After which you will learn to roll out the dough and fry luchis (a deep-fried flatbread), prepare the shorshe chingri (prawns in mustard gravy) and tomato and dates chutney from scratch.  You will then join Zinnia and her family (when at home) at their dining table for a home cooked Bengali meal that might include a few dishes such as shorshe maach (fish cooked in mustard sauce) or kosha maangsho (mutton curry), aaloo posto (potatoes with poppy seeds) or begun bhaaja (eggplant/aubergine fry) and cholar dal (lentils) served with rice or flat bread and a tomato and dates chutney. Your meal will end with some paayesh (rice pudding), the most favored dessert in Bengali homes for any occasion.

Tour info

Duration
2 hours - 3 hours
Group Size
Pricing (From)
Commentary
Meeting Point
Dropoff location

Why take this tour?

Zinnia lives with her husband and their 9 year old daughter in Kolkata. For Zinnia being in the kitchen is truly a stress buster! Zinnia taught herself to cook after she got married from recipe books and long phone conversations with her mother!  Zinnia will welcome you to their apartment in New Town with a warm smile. While you sip on your welcome drink, Zinnia will share all about her love for cooking. She cooks not only traditional Bengali food but can also fix up a few delectable North Indian dishes. The menu is thoughtfully chosen to feature 3-4 Bengali specialties and the distinctive use of mustard oil and mustard seed paste which is unique to Bengali cuisine. Join Zinnia in her small kitchen for a one hour hands-on cooking class and then sit down at the dinning table to enjoy the meal you helped prepare.

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What’s included?

  • Private cooking class with your host Zinnia

  • Home cooked meal (lunch or dinner)

  • Local alcohol (1-2 glasses of local beer)

  • All taxes, fees and handling charges

  • Gratuities

  • Lunch

  • Dinner

  • Bottled water

  • Coffee and/or Tea

  • Alcoholic Beverages

  • Hotel pickup and drop-off

Things to know

Before you book

  • Duration: 2-3 hours

  • Mobile tickets accepted

Covid Policy

  • Regular temperature checks for staff
  • Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas

Cancellation Policy

    If you cancel at least 3 days in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee.
Operator Website

Operated by:

Traveling Spoon

About operator:

Traveling Spoon provides travelers with private, authentic food experiences, from homemade meals to cooking classes and market tours, with local hosts in their homes.

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  • 16 reviews

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