A mixture of five spices used commonly in Bengal. Every household will have its own preferred recipe. Garam masala is more common to northern India, as the "hot spices" are preferred to chillis in the cold winters. In southern Indian vegetarian cooking, the equivalent is sambhar powder and in western India, goda masala and kholombo powder. In Punjab, tandoori masala is the most common, and in Bengal panch phoron which gives the food of this area its unique flavour. It comprises equal amounts of cumin, fennel, fenugreek, mustard and wild onion or nigella seeds.
A light version of bori, sun dried lentil paste, made with kadalai or channa dhal, ground split black gram bean.
A small thin chapatti. Dry, unleavened bread usually made from wheat flour, salt and water, cooked on a tawa. Common in the North of India.
Guava. A fruit with the external appearance of an apple or pear. The large, pale, yellow-skinned, pear-shaped ones are the best. They have a very strong smell.
