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In 2021, Kishwar Chowdhury made an ‘unapologetic’ choice to cook a household staple and a popular Bengali dish, panta bhat (smoked rice water accompanied by aloo bhorta and sardines) that took on wings and a life of its own. Her version of the delightful fermented rice dish from Bengal, also known as poita bhat in Assam, pakhala bhat in Odisha, geel bhat in Bihar, cooked on the grand finale of MasterChef Australia, combined sophistication in presentation and deep-rooted cultural heritage.
“I was in Melbourne that time, and hearing news about this dish from all over the world—
