It’s that time of the year again — eat, drink and be merry — for Bengalis. I decided to usher in the first day of the month of Baishak, the Bengali New Year, with a dish that Bengalis drool over — Chilli Chicken.

Dishing out an Indo-Chinese speciality, instead of a traditional Bengali recipe, was solely done to pleasure my tastebuds. I had been craving Chilli Chicken for long and the thought of family and friends indulging in a variety of delectable dishes back in Kolkata today, acted as a spur.

Secondly, an authentic Bengali spread sounds no less than a luxury to me these days, for I lack in both time and energy to dish out an exquisite three to four course meal.

So here’s to a spicy start to the New Year!