Durga Puja 2025: Delhi-NCR home chefs welcome you to relish Bengali flavours, culture at their homes
Delhi's foodies can experience flavours of Bengal as home chefs prep to serve Mutton Kosha curry and khoya malpua alongside Ray's films and Rabindra Sangeet.
Durga Puja begins with full fervour from this weekend, but days before that the aroma of delicious Bengali dishes has already filled the air. Fragrance of freshly prepared aloo chop, Mutton Kosha curry, khoya malpua and several other delicaclies has started emanating from the kitchen of home chefs in Delhi-NCR. But, what they plan to dish out is something more personal and memorable as some are opening their homes for the city’s foodies to experience their culture in true, authentic fashion.
“Food is a big part of Durga Puja celebrations. You may go to the fanciest Bengali restaurant, but nothing will beat the experience of being cosy at a home! During the festivities in Kolkata, it’s a tradition to invite guests over for feasts. We want to bring that very culture to Delhi-NCR with our Durga Puja special Bengali thali,” shares Susmita Guha Srivastava (9810217710), a Dwarka-based home chef, who is all set to welcome guests to her home with a specially curated menu comprising authentic Bengali delicacies. “People have booked slots for both lunch and dinner, at our home. The food preparation is done in a way to give our guests the feel of ‘Maa ke haath ka khaana’ because that’s the most authentic it can get (smiles). This year, I’ll treat our guests to Sarson Hilsa, Baingan Hilsa, Mutton and Chicken Kosha curry, Paturi, Sukto as part of the thali. This I’m hosting this from September 27 to October 1 and have especially kept slots limited for only four to six persons because we want this to feel like an intimate family meal. The interest has been overwhelming as most of the slots are already full.”
At Moushmi Moitra’s dining table, in Gurugram’s Sector 112, meals during Pujo are not just about food. “Once you book a table, alongside relishing some delicious food, I promise you’ll also go back having learned a new skill and even new recipes,” she smiles, sharing, “For instance, we teach our guests what goes into making the famous Bengali luchi; how to roll it and then fry it. This year, I’ll be preparing and serving dishes like aloo dum, dal puri, aloo chop, and then ending the meal on a sweet note with Nolen Gur Rosogolla and Khoya Malpua.”
What excites Moushmi (95609 40750) the most, she says, is how a mix of people are showing interest in becoming part of such intimate food experiences. “We’ve had guests inquiring from all cultural backgrounds, and that’s beautiful to see. There’s a lot of interest from foreigners, tourists and expats as well, who often tell us ‘We want the real Bengali flavour and Durga Puja experience’.”
For some like Subodh Chatterjee, a Delhi-based insurance advisor, it’s exciting to attend such home dining experience during Durga Puja . “I am a Bengali and got married this year to my partner; who is from Rajasthan. I desperately wanted to soak in the Pujo vibe. But since going to Kolkata is not possible for me, I found this way to be the best to give my wife a deep dive into our culture. Can’t wait to impress her with Bengali food!” And for others, like Tiya Batra, a sales professional from Gurugram, this is turning into an annual experience! “I love this time of the year as Durga Puja brings such vibrancy and I am an ardent lover of Bengali food. Last year I wanted to have a new food experience instead of visiting a pandal and tried one such home dining experience. It was such a wholesome and a homely experience and allowed me to make friends with the other guests as well. So I’ve signed up for it yet again.”
Adding a fun spin to such home dining experiences is Rituparna Dasgupta (9953429212), a Noida-based home chef, who believes in making her Durga Puja feast a celebration of food, music, and films. “Imagine digging into a plate of Kosha Mangsho with Luchi while watching Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne (The Adventures of Goopy and Bagha; 1969),” says Rituparna, sharing, “We’re inviting guests to our home between September 28 to October 1 and really wish more youngsters come in to learn about the Bengali culture but without feeling that this is only about tradition. To keep the mood lively, we’ll have Rabindra Sangeet playing in the background and sometimes even classic Satyajit Ray films playing on the TV while the guests enjoy the food we serve... It’s like a little slice of Bengal right here in NCR.”
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