During Durga Puja, many households embrace days of vegetarian feasting, keeping meat and fish off the menu as part of tradition. 

But who says a vegetarian spread has to be any less indulgent?  These dishes are packed with flavour and nostalgia. So, even without a hint of meat or fish, this festive feast promises to leave you craving more.

Bhoger khichuri

Ingredients: 150g aromatic rice, 200g shona mug dal, 4 potatoes, 1 small cauliflower, 2 tomatoes, 1.5 tbsp ginger paste, ½ cup coconut paste, ½ cup green peas, 2.5 tsp turmeric powder, 1.5 tsp cumin powder, 1.5 tsp red chilli powder, 2 tsp salt or to taste, 2 tbsp sugar, 2 tsp garam masala, 2 tbsp ghee, 10 tbsp mustard oil, 4 dried red chillies, 2 cinnamon sticks, 10 cloves, 1 black cardamom, 8 green cardamoms, 1 tsp cumin seeds and 4 bay leaves.

Method: Dry-roast the dal, then wash it thoroughly. Wash and soak the rice. Cut the cauliflower into large florets and marinate the cauliflower and potatoes separately with salt and turmeric.

Heat mustard oil and fry the potatoes until golden. Remove and fry the cauliflower in the same oil. Temper the remaining oil with cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, bay leaves, cumin seeds and dried red chillies.

Add the chopped tomatoes and ginger paste and cook until softened. Add the fried potatoes, cauliflower, green peas and coconut paste. Cook for a few minutes, then add the washed dal and cook briefly. Add the soaked rice and mix well.

Pour in hot water, bring to a boil and add green chillies. Cook until the rice and dal are tender. Finish with ghee and garam masala. Mix well and let the khichuri rest before serving.

Palong shaker ghonto

Ingredients: 500g spinach, 2 large potatoes, 1 large eggplant, 1 radish, 3 radish leaves (optional), 100g pumpkin, 1 tsp panch phoron, 4 dried red chillies, 1 tsp panch phoron powder, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp sugar (optional), 1 tsp salt or to taste, 15 bori (sun-dried lentil dumplings) and 3 tbsp mustard oil.

Method: Peel and cube the potatoes, eggplant, radish and pumpkin. Blanch the spinach and radish leaves for 5 minutes, then chop. Heat mustard oil in a pan and fry the bori until golden. Remove and set aside.

Temper the oil with dried red chillies and panch phoron. Add the potatoes and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the remaining vegetables, except the spinach and radish leaves. Cover and cook until the vegetables soften.

Add turmeric, chilli powder, panch phoron powder, sugar and salt. Sauté for 5 minutes, then add the spinach and radish leaves. Mix well, cover and cook over low heat for 8–10 minutes. Add the fried bori and cook until the vegetables are tender. Serve hot with khichuri or steamed rice and dal.

Aloo posto

Ingredients: 500g potatoes, 75g poppy seeds, 4 green chillies, ½ tsp nigella seeds, 1 tsp salt and 4 tbsp mustard oil.

Method: Soak the poppy seeds in water for 30 minutes. Grind them with one green chilli and a little salt to make a thick paste. Peel and cube the potatoes, keeping them submerged in water to prevent discolouration.

Heat 3 tbsp mustard oil in a pan and temper with nigella seeds. Add the drained potatoes and fry over medium heat for 3–4 minutes. Add salt and the remaining green chillies and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the poppy seed paste and cook until the raw smell disappears. Pour in 1 cup of water, cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, adding more water if needed. Adjust the gravy to the desired consistency. Finish with the remaining 1 tbsp mustard oil and serve.

But who says a vegetarian spread has to be any less indulgent?  These dishes are packed with flavour and nostalgia. So, even without a hint of meat or fish, this festive feast promises to leave you craving more.

Narkel niramish ghugni

Ingredients: 1.5 cups dried yellow peas, 2 potatoes, ½ coconut, 1 tomato, 4 green chillies, 1.5 tbsp ginger paste, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1-inch cinnamon stick, 5 cloves, 4 green cardamoms, 3 dried red chillies, 2 tsp turmeric powder, 1.5 tsp cumin powder (½ tsp for bhaja moshla), 1.5 tsp coriander powder, 1.5 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp salt, 4 tbsp mustard oil and 1 tbsp ghee (optional).

Method: Soak the yellow peas overnight in water with 1 tsp salt. Drain and rinse thoroughly. Pressure-cook the peas with twice their volume of water, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp turmeric powder and ½ tsp each of cumin, coriander and red chilli powder. Cook over medium heat for 3 whistles. Allow the pressure to release completely, then drain the peas, reserving the cooking liquid.

Peel and cube the potatoes. Chop the tomato and blend it into a puree. Cut the coconut into thin strips. Heat mustard oil in a pan and fry the potatoes until golden. Remove and set aside. Fry the coconut strips in the same oil until browned and fragrant. Remove and set aside.

Patali gurer patishapta

Ingredients: 150g all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp rice flour, 2 tbsp semolina, 25g patali gur (date palm jaggery) or sugar, 1.5 cups water and ½ cup milk (optional).

For the filling: 1.5 cups grated coconut, 1.5 cups powdered milk, 100g patali gur and 1 tbsp ghee.

Method: Heat the water and 25g patali gur in a pan until the jaggery dissolves. Strain and set aside. Sift the all-purpose flour and rice flour into a bowl, add the semolina and mix. Gradually add the jaggery water, stirring to make a smooth, thick batter. Add milk if needed. Cover and leave the batter to rest for 30 minutes.

To prepare the filling, heat the grated coconut in a non-stick pan over medium heat for 5 minutes to reduce its moisture. Add the chopped jaggery and stir until it dissolves. Add the powdered milk and cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens. Stir in the ghee, remove from the heat and allow the filling to cool.

Stir the batter. Lightly grease a non-stick pan with ghee and pour in a ladleful of batter, spreading it thinly. Cover and cook over low heat for 30–40 seconds. Place 2 tbsp of filling along one side and roll up. Repeat with the remaining batter and filling.