Among Bengalis, there is no separation of starter / main / dessert. The meal unfolds like a score, served on a large round plate (thala) where rice sits at the center. One begins with the bitter (shukto) to 'open' the palate, then comes dal, vegetables (torkari), river fish (macher jhol), and the sequence closes with a sweet touch and a cup of tea. Each flavor has its place in the order, and one eats with the right hand, mixing rice with each preparation.

Two signatures of Bengal: panch phoron (a blend of five whole spices — cumin, nigella, fenugreek, fennel, black mustard seeds) which are crackled in oil, and pungent mustard oil that perfumes almost everything. Asima Chatterjee, a plant chemist, would have recognized in each of these seeds a small pharmacy.