Panta Bhat

Dassana Amit’s panta bhat is cooked rice soaked overnight in water, served with the same rice water. Her account places this everyday preparation in eastern India, including Bengal and Assam; this profile follows her rice-and-potato version.

The rice has a mild, lightly tangy character after its overnight rest. Mustard oil, salt, chopped onion, green chilli and coriander season the rice and its water just before serving.

Cooked rice at room temperature goes into a bowl with water above it. The lumps are broken up, the bowl is covered, and the rice rests overnight before its final seasoning.

The accompanying aloo bhorta begins with potatoes boiled until fork tender. After draining and cooling, they are peeled and roughly mashed with onion, green chilli, mustard oil and salt; optional ginger, then coriander finish the mash.

Optional dry red chillies are fried separately in mustard oil until crisp and served as a topping or side. The selected recipe serves the rice at room temperature with its potato accompaniment and consumes the rice water along with the grains.