Bengalis are very fond of food. Particularly when it comes to any festival, Bengalis become more concerned about the food menu. Haha. Is this true? What do you say? If you are a Bengali then you will definitely agree with me. Lakshmi puja (Bengali lokkhi pujo or laxmi puja) is a very special & auspicious day to every Bengali people. It generally happens on a full moon night of Autumn. Mostly this celebrated in the month of Ashwin. It is just after a few days of Bijoya Dashami (Vijaya Dashami or Dussehra). So everybody misses the fun, happiness & food what they enjoyed during the Durgapuja festival. So everybody whether he/she is performing kojagori Lakshmi puja & its rituals at home or not welcomes it with a Laxmi puja special food menu.
On the day of full moon night after the Vijaya Dashami, we celebrate kojagori Lokkhi pujo. But most people do not know what is the meaning of kojagori? Do you know?
Even I did not know the meaning or from where the word comes. Actually, it is derived from the phrase “Ke Jagroto” means ‘who is awake?’. It is said that on this day Goddess Lakshmi comes to her devotee’s house and blessed him with wealth, prosperity & good health. That is why it is called Kojagori Lakshmi puja.
Every Bengali people eat a lot of street food, rich food, non vegetarian foods during the Durgapuja festival. So when the day of kojagori Laxmi puja arrives people prefer to something homemade puja special. To9 every Bengali puja special food means khichdi or khichuri along sweet side dishes and sweets. Is this not true? So here is the most popular and my favorite food menu for this puja.
Kojagori Lakshmi puja special best food menu
Khichuri/Khichdi
Without khichuri, any bhog/prasad is incomplete. Not only that khichuri tastes better on the occasion of any puja. So even puja or its rituals are not being performed at home, still most people will enjoy this awesome Bengali style khichuri on this day. Bengali style khichuri means something which is prepared with moong (moog) dal 7 gobindo bhog rice.
5 types of vegetable fries
Bengali people love simple vegetable fries like begun bhaja, aloo bhaja, kumro bhaja, potol bhaja, uchche bhaja etc. Though there many options in vegetable fries but above mentioned are most common with khichuri.
Beguni
Beguni is nothing but brinjal fritters or baingan ka pakoda. Thin slices of brinjal is coated with besan made the spicy batter and then those brinjal slices are deep-fried. Those are crispy outside and soft inside. Most Bengali people will enjoy khichuri with beguni.
Aloor dom
There are many options available in aloor dom like kasha aloor dom, Kashmiri aloor dom, niramish aloor dum, aloor dum er jhol etc. But niramish aloor dum is most prefered and popular type of aloo dum on any Puja or religious festival. I love such niramish aloor dom a lot. Do you too?
Labra/Bengali style mixed veg curry
Labra is a very special Bengali style mixed vegetable curry where you can add different types of seasonal vegetables of your choice. Everybody loves this with khichuri. The basic difference between normal mixed veg curry & labra curry is that labra curry is prepared without onion & garlic. That is why people prefer labra with khichuri for such a festival.
Chatni
Bengalis are very fond of sweet dish. So after finishing khichuri and all side dishes, this chatni take control of the plate, haha. There are many types of chatni available in Bengali chatni like tomato chatni, pineapple chatni, mixed fruit chatni, plastic chatni etc.
Payes
After chatni, payes comes. Payes means chawal ka kheer or rice pudding. It becomes more delicious when it is prepared with jaggery. Particularly date palm made payes is the best. It is available in the winter season. So it may hard to get fresh date palm jaggery in the month of October when kojagori Lakshmi puja celebrated. But normal sugard based payes is also delicious and people love this too.
Misti doi
Misti doi is the most traditional sweet dish in West Bengal. Two decades ago, it is a compulsory sweet dish to serve on the occasion of marriage reception party or any religious/social festival. But nowadays, it becomes an optional dish. Not only that, nowadays it is hardly served in any Bengali wedding/reception party. But that not means people do not love it. Bengali people still love it.
Rasogolla
Bengali people & rasogolla are like synonymous. Without rasogolla any meal is incomplete. It is the king of any sweet dish. I also love it a lot.
So this is my the best food menu for the occasion of Kojagori Lakshmi puja. Is there any other food dish what you want to add to this menu? Is there any special dish what is prepared at your home on this day?
Luchi withaalu phoolkopir tarkari or aalu bandhakopir tarkari is also made along with what you have suggested. Aalur dom, I have not seen being served during lokkhi pujo. But then that might be just my limited experience.