With Durga Puja round the corner, Bengalis across the country and the world are gearing up to celebrate ten days of revelry and feast.
“When I think of Pujo, apart from the smell of bamboo pandals, new clothes, and bhog er khichuri (the khichri served as bhog to Goddess Durga), the smell of luchi with my pishi’s (maternal grandmother whom she lovingly called ‘Bhutum’) aloo morich er torkari is the most intimate and memorable for me,” said Chef Dyuti Banerjee, who appeared in MasterChef India Season 7 and aims to make people aware of authentic Bengali cuisine and dishes.
She recalled how her Bhutum would prepare the dish for breakfast during Durga Puja. “The entire family gathered around the table and waited for her to walk in with aloo morich and fluffy luchi,” reminisced Banerjee.
Banerjee mentioned that the highlight of the dish is the absence of one particular standout ingredient. “Each ingredient plays its part the best. The humble aloo, peyaj (onion), golmorich (black pepper), green chillies and ghee, come together to create the dreamiest magic possible,” Banerjee added.
For her, more than the melt-in-the-mouth aloo, what stands out in the dish is the ghee “because the ghee tunes the symphony in the dish and brings out the unbeatable best in the rest of the ingredients,” she added.
Apart from the taste and the ease of making it, the dish reminds Banerjee of her childhood and brings back memories of celebrating Pujo with her entire family under one roof.
