Tag Archives: bengali

Indian Bridal Inspiration: Sabysachi Mukherjee

Posted in All Things Indian, Weddings by

I’m not quite sure why we still celebrate Columbus Day here in the US, but I’m not going to complain about having an extra day off to nurse my sinuses back to health, do a little bit of online shopping, and catch up on all my favorite food and Indian fashion blogs.

Today’s post has nothing to do with food, though if you’ve been following me on Instagram, you know I have a yummy Burmese noodle recipe to share soon. Instead, I wanted to give you a sneak peek into what’s been inspiring me lately. I’ve been obsessed with Indian fashion for a while now, but especially after I started planning my big fat Bengali/Punjabi wedding two years ago. I would scour Indian fashion blogs, Pinterest, and online shopping sites to find inspiration for my own bridal outfits and would find myself in awe of one particular designer. The one and only Sabyasachi Mukherjee.

I had a chance to experience Sabyasachi’s Spanish-inspired Indian collection in person at the IIFA Awards when they were held in Toronto back in 2011. It was truly love at first sight, and I’ve been following his work closely since. I love his ability to fuse antique textiles and traditional Indian styles with an incredibly modern aesthetic. His style is constantly evolving and very universal in its impact, but he manages to stay true to his Indian and Bengali roots which is really admirable considering how much richness our culture has to offer.

There are two recent Sabyasachi campaigns that I am particularly obsessed with. In the “Revive Banaras” collection, Sabyasachi repurposes traditional Bengali banarasi saris into more modernized lehengas and saris. As someone who proudly wore a banarasi sari for her own wedding, I love the idea of Sabyasachi bringing them back into the limelight and making them more relevant and tangible for a modern audience. The colors are bold and rich, but the styling and details are elegant and understated. I just love the way he’s styled this entire collection and selfishly wish it came out a few years ago before my wedding! Just how gorgeous are these pictures?

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The second campaign I’m obsessed with is an editorial/ad campaign for Conde Naste Traveller India, styled by Sabyasachi and featuring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan looking more stunning than ever. I’ll let the pictures speak for itself, because it’s not hard to tell why I’m in love with everything about this campaign. I mean, just look at that floral white sari with those impeccable pearls. Flawless.

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Leave a comment if these campaigns inspire you as much as they inspired me! I’d love to hear about what other Indian designers you’ve been following and why you love them. xo.

 

Bengali Salmon Curry (Macher Jhol)

Posted in All Things Indian, Cooking by

Every family has that one meal that reminds them of home. It’s usually simple and uncomplicated, the meal that you remember eating on a weeknight after a long day of school and homework. For me, that dish is bhaat, daal, and macher jhol. Rice, lentils, and fish curry.

My family hails from West Bengal in India and we’re obsessed with fish. Growing up, we moved from the United Arab Emirates, to France, to Indonesia, to Texas and Bombay, but fish was always a staple with our dinner. The best part about living in different countries is that we would get to try different types of local fish (pomphret, carp, Indonesian gurami, Bengali hilsa), but always cooked as a simple macher jhol with Bengali spices. The ultimate comfort food that made our home feel like home, no matter where in the world we were.

I miss my mom’s fish curry every day. My recipe will never be as good as hers, but at least it satisfies my cravings for a little taste of home on cold Chicago nights. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

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Pieces of salmon, cut in squares, marinaded in turmeric and salt 

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Kalo jeere (black cumin) – the most important spice for Bengali cuisine! 

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Salmon simmering in the light curry of onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes and turmeric

Ingredients (serves 2) 

1 salmon fillet, cut in 4-5 squares
1/4 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp ginger paste
Salt, to taste
2 tsp haldi (turmeric powder)
1/2 tsp kalo jeere (black cumin)
1/2 tomato, diced (can be substituted with 1/2 tsp tomato ketchup or paste)
Oil

Recipe 

Marinade the salmon pieces in 1 and a half tsp of haldi and season generously with salt.

Heat oil on a non-stick pan – use your best judgment, but I usually add a little extra than I normally would. A little bit of extra oil makes curries more delicious! Once the oil is heated, pour the kalo jeere and let fry for 15 seconds. Add in the onions, garlic, and ginger and fry this mixture together for a minute or till the onions are slightly brown. Add in salt, tomatoes (or ketchup) and the remaining haldi. Stir for a minute on low to medium heat.

Increase the heat to high and gently drop in the salmon pieces. Fry the salmon on each side for a minute. Pour half a cup of water into the mixture and let the salmon simmer in this mixture for a few minutes. Turn off the heat and cover the mixture to let the salmon continue cooking until ready to serve. Do not overcook! The salmon will cook very quickly, especially if they’re cut into small squares, so just keep an eye on the fish and remove from heat so that they’re as soft and succulent as possible.

Serve with a plate of hot rice and make sure to mix it with the curry to enjoy the true flavor of ‘macher jhol’.