Cross border flavours
The partition of Bengal, much like any instance of forced rehabilitation, be it Germany or erstwhile Soviet Union, is one that is replete with anecdotes. And among the many stories that both East Bengal (now, Bangladesh) and West Bengal natives have to tell, some are woven with food.

Mumbai-based home chef Anjana Basu remembers her mother's tales of East Bengalis beginning life across the border without basic amenities such as utensils. "They were forced to make food with bare minimum ingredients. So, they learnt to make use of otherwise neglected plant parts like corms. That's where we get kochu shak [taro] from," she shares.