How to get your bhog fix in Mumbai

Banking on food

Tomato chutney

The genesis of Abhinanda Bhattacharya's cook-from-home business in Andheri is genetic. "My mother is a brilliant cook. She outdoes anyone I know in terms of balanced flavours in a meal," she says. It follows that the concept behind the food business that the banker-turned-chef started is, "Creating memories." Ask a Bengali about chhanar dalna - a kind of cottage cheese curry, to put it loosely - and he would probably be reminded about his grandmother. It's a staple bhog item, just like khichudi - not 'khichdi' - is. Bhattacharya started her Puja menu only this year. But we hope she creates more memories with time.

Abhinanda Bose

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With a little help

Ma-er special

Mana Mashi has been helping the Bose household in the kitchen for almost 20 years now. She saw Achintya, the child at home, flower into a young man of 19. He, in fact, is the one who named this home chef's Andheri-based venture Mana Mashi'r Ghorua Ranna, meaning Mana Mashi's homely food. Anupama Bose, Achintya's mother, tells us that she helped Mana Mashi start this initiative during the lockdown to supplement her income. The items on her menu are tried and tested at Anupama's kitchen. You can't go wrong with this one.

Mana Mashi

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It's so sweet

If Bengalis can be generalised as maachh-bhaat-loving fish eaters, they can also be labelled as people with a sweet tooth for roshogolla and sandesh. Justmyroots is a food delivery service that is satiating the craving for desserts after a bhog that people in Mumbai have. They are channeling two of the oldest, and most famous, Durga Pujas in Kolkata - Shovabazar Rajbari and Rani Rashmoni - to seek inspiration. All you have to do is download the app to take a culinary trip to north Kolkata. Give them a try for a sweet ending to your bhog.

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Dishing out tradition

There is a significant Bengali population in Navi Mumbai who are starved of their Durga Puja fix of staple bhog dishes, including khichudi, laabda, chholar daal, peas pulao, tomato chutney and payesh. All these can be delivered to them, thanks to Navi Mumbai Bengali Association. The organisation has started a system where they will home deliver traditional bhog to anyone living between Airoli and Kharghar. It's so authentic that the delivery starts only after the actual puja in the afternoon is done. Parthasarathi Basu, the general manger of the association, tells us, "There is a form you have to fill. Once it reaches us, the food will reach your doorstep."

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