From Khichuri to Rasgulla: Durga Puja Special Recipes

Durga Puja is not only about prayers and pandals. It is also about food, family, and memories. Every year, when the sound of the dhak begins and the streets fill with lights, kitchens also come alive with the smell of festive dishes.

Food during Durga Puja is special because it is cooked with love and shared with everyone, family, friends, and even strangers at pandals. Let’s look at some popular Durga Puja foods, their stories, and easy recipes you can try at home

🍲 What’s on the Plate? Must-Have Durga Puja Dishes

1. Khichuri & Labra – The Soul of Pujo Bhog

If you have ever eaten bhog at a pandal, you know the taste of khichuri and labra. Served on banana leaves, this simple meal feels divine. It’s warm, filling, and shared with hundreds of people, which makes it special.

Recipe:

1. Wash rice and moong dal.
2. In a pressure cooker, heat ghee, add cumin seeds and ginger.
3. Add rice, dal, turmeric, salt, and 3 cups water. Cook for 2–3 whistles.
4. For labra, heat oil/ghee in a pan, add cumin seeds, then vegetables. Add turmeric and salt. Cook until soft.
5. Serve khichuri hot with labra on the side

2. Sandesh – Sweetness in Every Bite

Sandesh is a soft, melt-in-your-mouth Bengali sweet made from fresh chenna. It is often offered to Goddess Durga before being served to family members. Each piece carries the love and effort of home kitchens.

Ingredients (Makes 12 pieces):

• 500 ml full-fat milk
• 2–3 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder

Steps:

1. Boil milk in a pan. Add lemon juice slowly and stir until curdled.
2. Pour the curdled milk into a muslin cloth to collect the chenna (paneer), let it drain for 15–20 minutes.
3. Mix well chenna until smooth.
4. Mix in sugar and cardamom powder.
5. Shape into small discs or squares. Chill for 30 minutes before serving.

3. Narkel Naru – Coconut Ladoos

Coconut ladoos are made in every Bengali household during Durga Puja. Kids love helping to roll them, and the sweet aroma fills the home with festive cheer.

• Recipe:
  1. Grate 1 cup fresh coconut.
  2. Melt ½ cup jaggery with a little water.
  3. Mix coconut and ¼ tsp cardamom powder into the jaggery syrup.
  4. Shape into bite-sized ladoos while warm.

4 .Puli Pitha – Dumplings with Tradition

Puli pitha has been part of Bengali festivals for centuries. Traditionally, they were made in large quantities for Durga Puja and other autumn festivals. The round, soft dumplings represent completeness and prosperity — a fitting tribute to Goddess Durga, who symbolizes strength and abundance.

In many households, the preparation of puli pitha is a ritual in itself:

Ingredients (Makes 15–20 pithas):

• 1 cup rice flour
• ½ cup grated coconut
• ¼ cup jaggery
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• Warm water

Steps:

1. Mix rice flour with warm water to make a smooth, soft dough.
2. Mix grated coconut, jaggery, and cardamom powder for the filling.
3. Divide dough into small balls. Flatten each ball into a small disc.
4. Place a teaspoon of filling in the center, fold, and shape into dumplings.
5. Steam the dumplings for 10–12 minutes until cooked.
6. Serve warm, or drizzle with a little ghee for extra flavor.

5. Rasgulla (Soft Syrupy Balls)

Rasgulla, is a soft and sweet dessert that everyone loves during Durga Puja. It is round, spongy, and full of syrup.

When I was small, I always waited for Rasgullas after the Puja bhog. The syrup would run down my hands, and my grandmother would smile and say, “Eat slowly.” Those moments made the sweet taste even better.

Ingredients (Makes 12–15 balls):

• 1 liter full-fat milk
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 cups water

Steps:

1. Boil milk, add lemon juice to curdle. Strain to get chenna.
2. Mix well chenna until smooth. Make small balls without cracks.
3. Boil sugar and water to make syrup.
4. Drop balls into the syrup, cook on medium heat for 12–15 minutes.
5. Cool and serve.

Conclusion

Durga Puja food is not just about taste, it is about feelings. Every dish carries love, care, and memories of family. When we share these recipes, we also share happiness and tradition.

• Check out our Top 10 Punjabi Food Recipes
• Check out our Top 6 Bengali Ilish Recipe

Kajalp