Panch Phoron : Bengali's signature spice mix

Panch Phoron

Bengali's signature spice mix

 Author – Shomaly Chakraborty

Ingredients

Cumin SEEds (jeera)

Fennel seeds (Saunf / Mishti Jeera)

Nigella seeds (Kalonji / Kalo jeera)

Black Mustard seeds ( Rai / shorshe) 

 Or Wild celery seeds ( Radhuni)

Fenugreek seeds ( Methi)

RECIPE

Bengali cuisine is one of the most enriched one & it’s highly appreciated for it’s traditional recipes. Paanch Phoron is also used in Oriya, Bhojpuri, Assamese food preparations.

Grab these five spices from a grocery or supermarket. They are used as whole spices.

Take equal quantity of each of them (eg. 1 tablespoon of each) and assemble them like so. Preserve them in an airtight jar & keep them handy whenever needed.

Before using them in a recipe,give a good mix by shaking the jar well so that the spices are well mixed & evenly distributed.

Food preparations

• Khichuri

• Dal (Lentil )

• Roasted potato

• Labra ( Mix veg)

• Mango chutney

• Meat 

• Pickles

Prior to cooking the recipes, heat a pan , smoke some oil and add on the five spices mix. Let them splatter well in the oil and proceed ahead with the rest of the recipe.

The heavenly aroma & alluring taste it adds to the recipes,is beyond imagination. That’s what makes the dishes different from the other recipes along with the signature touch.

The grinded version is less likely used as it’s mostly used in whole form. The spices leaves it’s flavour in the oil & get mixed in the curry.