Bengali culture...................

         The Bengali people are perhaps the greatest food lovers in the Indian subcontinent. A leisurely meal of many items which requires long hours of labor and ingenuity in the kitchen has long been a major part of Bengali culture. The traditional way of serving food is on the floor, where individual pieces of carpet, called asans, are spread for each person to sit on.In front of this seat is placed a large platter made of bell metal/steel or on a large piece of fresh cut banana leaf.................Around this platter a number of small metal or earthen bowls are arrayed in which portions of dal, vegetables, fish, meat chutney and dessert are served. In the center of the platter sits a small mound of piping hot rice flanked by vegetable fritters, wedges of lime, whole green chilies and perhaps a bit of pickle. Finally in the center of the mound a little hole is made to pour in a spoonful of ghee to flavor the initial mouthfuls of rice. .......................