A cosy Valentine’s Day at home can be just as special as dining out. With seasonal, hyperlocal ingredients easily available across Kolkata markets, you can put together a gourmet-style spread without spending hours in the kitchen. From indulgent desserts to flavour-packed mains, here are five easy recipes for two that promise romance on a plate.
Baileys with nolen gur
A Bengal favourite meets a creamy classic in this no-fuss dessert drink. The smoky sweetness of nolen gur blends beautifully with Baileys, while a scoop of vanilla ice cream makes it indulgent and celebratory. It is effortless, elegant and perfect to begin or end your evening.
Ingredients
- Baileys: 120 ml
- Nolen gur: 2 tbsps, grated or melted
- Vanilla ice cream: 2 scoops
Method
- Warm the nolen gur slightly so it becomes syrupy
- In two serving glasses, pour 60 ml Baileys each
- Stir in 1 tbsp nolen gur into each glass
- Top each with a scoop of vanilla ice cream
- Serve immediately
Love charcuterie board
Put together a playful, no-cook platter that balances sweet, salty and tangy flavours. With Bandel cheese bringing in a smoky Bengali touch and fresh fruits adding brightness, this board is perfect for grazing while you sip and talk.
Ingredients
- Bandel cheese: 100 gm, cubed
- Cheddar cheese: 100 gm, sliced
- Olives: ½ cup
- Pineapples or black grapes: 1 cup, chopped
- Potato crackers: 1 packet, about 100 gm
Method
- Arrange Bandel cheese and cheddar on a wooden board
- Place olives in a small bowl and add to the board
- Scatter chopped pineapple or grapes around the cheeses
- Add potato crackers on the side
- Serve immediately with toothpicks or small forks
Baked bekti with a melting butter candle
This dramatic yet simple main is perfect for a special night. Fresh bekti is seasoned lightly and baked to flaky perfection. The parsley butter candle melts over the warm baked fish, creating a rich, aromatic sauce right at the table.
Ingredients
- Bekti fillet: 2 pieces, about 200 gm each
- Garlic: 6 cloves, finely chopped
- Black pepper powder: 1 teaspoon
- Salt: 1 teaspoon or to taste
- Lemon: 1, cut into wedges
For butter candle
- Salted butter: 100 gm
- Chopped parsley: 1 tbsp
- Wick: 1 small food safe wick
Method
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
- Rub bekti with salt, pepper and chopped garlic
- Place on a lined baking tray and bake for 15 to 18 minutes
- Mix softened butter with parsley and set in a cupcake mould with a wick. Chill until firm
- Place the butter candle over the hot baked fish and light it
- Let the butter melt over the fish. Finish with a squeeze of lemon before serving
Burnt garlic bacon rice with a Bengali twist
Gobindobhog adds fragrance and a soft texture to this indulgent rice bowl. The nuttiness of ghee, heat from chilli oil and crisp bacon bits come together for a comforting main.
Ingredients
- Gobindobhog rice: 1 cup
- Chilli oil: 2 tbsps
- Chopped garlic: 8 cloves
- Ghee: 1 tbsp
- Bacon bits: 1 cup
Method
- Wash and cook Gobindobhog rice with 2 cups water until fluffy. Set aside
- Heat ghee in a pan and add chopped garlic
- Cook until the garlic turns deep golden and slightly crisp
- Add bacon bits and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes
- Mix in chilli oil and stir
- Fold in the cooked rice and toss well. Serve hot
Chocolate-coated strawberries with sea salt
Nothing is more romantic than chocolate-dipped strawberries. Fresh seasonal strawberries coated in dark chocolate and finished with a hint of sea salt create the perfect balance of sweet and savoury. This is a quick dessert that looks impressive with minimal effort.
Ingredients
- Fresh strawberries: 200 gm, washed and dried
- Dark chocolate: 150 gm, chopped
- Sea salt: ½ teaspoon
Method
- Melt dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water
- Dip each strawberry into the melted chocolate and coat evenly
- Place on a parchment-lined tray
- Sprinkle a tiny pinch of sea salt over each
- Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes until set. Serve chilled
