bhapa

Bhapa is a Bengali word meaning “steamed” and is used to describe a family of dishes prepared by steaming ingredients, typically fish or dairy, wrapped in leaves or cooked in a covered vessel. The term is common in Bengali cuisine of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, and its preparation emphasizes fresh flavors and gentle heat.

Bhapa ilish (steamed hilsa) is the best-known example. In this dish, pieces of hilsa are lightly seasoned with salt and turmeric and mixed with a paste of ground mustard seeds, green chilies, and often coconut or poppy seeds. The fish is arranged in a banana leaf or a clay dish and steamed until tender, producing a delicate, aromatic result that relies on the fish’s flavor rather than heavy oil or frying.

Other variants use different fish such as rohu or bhetki, or seafood such as prawns, to create bhapa chingri. These also rely on a simple seasoning of mustard, green chilies, and sometimes yogurt, with steaming as the primary cooking method, which preserves the fish’s texture and the fragrant notes of mustard.

In addition to fish dishes, bhapa doi is a steamed yogurt dessert in which sweetened yogurt is gently steamed in a clay pot, sometimes with a hint of jaggery or cardamom, until set.

The bhapa technique is associated with seasonal cooking, especially during hilsa season and the monsoon, and is typically served with plain rice to balance the bold mustard flavors.