Bengali cuisine is appreciated for its fabulous use of panchphoron, a term used to refer to the five essential spices, namely mustard, fenugreek seed, cumin seed, aniseed, and black cumin seed. The specialty of Bengali food lies in the perfect blend of sweet and spicy flavors.

The staple food of people in Bengal is rice and fish. To lend a distinctive flavor to the fish, it is deep fried in mustard oil and then cooked in gravy. Most of the cooking is done using mustard oil. Traditional Bengali food always ends with mishti doi(sweet curd).

Bengali food is famous for its mithais (sweets). The origin of typical Bengali sweets can be traced back in the traditional household kitchens. The most popular Bengali mithai is rasogolla, which is enjoyed by people all over the country.