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Dictionary

Ever read a recipe you felt like trying but some words just don’t make sense e.g. Fenugreek or Asafoetida? Here’s your ready reference. Treat this as a dictionary for all your Bengali Culinary words.

Here you go!

Vegetables and Legumes

English Name

Bengali Name

Amaranth

Noyte shaakh

নটে শাখ

Apple Gourd

Tinda

তিন্দা

Ash Gourd

Chal Kumro

চাল কুমড়ো

Beetroot

Beet

বীট

Bitter Gourd

Karola/Karela

করলা

Bitter melon/Bitter gourd

Karola

করলা

Black-eyed pea

Lobia

লোবিয়া

Bottle Gourd/ Calabash

Lau

লাউ

Broad Beans

Sheem

সীম

Brussels sprout

Biliti Bandhakopi

বিলিতি বাধাকপি

Cabbage

Badha Kopi

বাধাকপি

Carrot

Gajor

গাজর

Cauliflower

Fulkopi

ফুলকপি

Celery

Pathuni Shaakh

পাথুনি শাখ

Ceylon spinach

Pui Shaakh

পুঁই শাখ

Chickpea

Chola

ছোলা

Cilantro/ Coriander

Dhane Pata

ধনে পাতা

Cucumber

Sausha

শসা

Drumstick

Sajner Data

সজনের ডাটা

Eggplant/Aubergine/Brinjal

Begun

বেগুন

Elephant Foot yam

Ol

ওল

French Beans

Beans

বিন্স

Garbanzo

Kabuli Chola

কাবুলি ছোলা

Gooseberry

Amloki

আমলকি

Indian pea

Mator

মটর

Ivy Gourd/ Gentlemen’s Toe/Little Gourd

Kundri

কুন্দ্রী

Jackfruit

Kathal

কাঠাল

Kidney bean

Raajma

রাজমা

Lentil

Dal

ডাল

Lotus root

Padma

পদ্ম শাখ

Malabar Spinach

Pui Shaakh

পুঁই শাখ

Mint

Pudina Pata

পুদিনা পাতা

Moth bean

Mung dal

মুগ ডাল

Mustard

Sarse

সরসে

Okra

Bhindi/Bhendi

ভিন্দী/ ঢেরস

Onion

Peyaj

পেয়াজ

Pea

Matorshuti

মটরশুটি

Pigeon pea

Arhar Dal

অরহর ডাল

Pointed Gourd

Potol

পটল

Potato

Alu

আলু

Pumpkin

Kumro

কুমড়ো

Radish

Mulo

মুলো

Red Amaranth

Lal shaakh

লাল শাখ

Red Lentil

Masur Dal

মুসুর ডাল

Ridge Gourd/ Chinese Okra

Jhinga/Jhinge

ঝিঙ্গা

Snake Gourd

Chichinga

চিচিঙ্গা

Spinach

Palang

পালং

Spring Onion/Scallion

Peyajkoli

পেয়াজকলি

String Beans

Barboti

বরবটি

Sweet corn aka corn; aka maize

Bhutta

ভুট্টা

Sweet Potato or Kumara

Mishti Alu

মিষ্টি আলু

Taro

Kochur Loti

কচুরলতি

Teasle Gourd

Kakrol

কাকরোল

Tomato

Tomaato

টমেটো

Turnip

Olkopi

ওলকপি

Turnip greens

Shalgam

শালগম

Water spinach

Palang

পালং

Winter melon

Chal Kumro

চাল কুমড়ো

Yam

Kochu

কোচু

Spices

English Name

Bengali Name

Allspice

Kebab chini

কাবাব চিনি

Asafoetida

Hing

হিং

Bay Leaf

Tej Pata

তেজ পাতা

Black Cardamom

Bauro Elaich

বড় এলাচ

Black Cumin

Kalo Zeera

কালো জিরা

Black Pepper

Gol Morich

গোল মরিচ

Black Salt

Kalo Noone

কালো নুন

Brown Mustard Seed

Choto sarse/ Rai

ছোট সর্ষে/রাই

Caraway Seeds

Shahi Zeera

শাহ জিরা

Carom/Thyme

Joane/ Ajwain

জোয়ান

Celery

Radhuni

রাধুনি

Chili

Lanka

লঙ্কা

Cinnamon

Dalchini

দারচিনি

Cloves

Labango

লবঙ্গ

Coriander

Dhane

ধনে

Cumin

Jeera/ Zeera

জিরা

Dates

Khejur

খেজুর 

Fennel

Mouri

মৌরি

Fenugreek

Methi

মেথি

Fenugreek Leaf

Kasuri Methi

কাসুরি মেথি

Garlic

Rasun

রসুন

Ginger

Aada

আদা

Green Cardamom

Choto Elaich

ছোট এলাচ

Holy Basil

Tulsi

তুলসী

Mace

Joitree

জৈত্রী

Mustard

Sarse

সর্ষে

Nutmeg

Jaiphal

জায়ফল

Pickle

Achar

আচার

Poppy Seeds

Posto

পোস্ত

Saffron

Zafran

জাফরান

Salt

Laban/ Noone

লবন/ নুন

Sour Mango Powder

Aamchur

আমচুর

Spice Mixture

Garam Masala

গরম মসলা

Star Anise

Chakro Phool

চক্র ফুল

Star Anise

Guamouri

গুয়ামৌরি

Tamarind

Tetul

তেতুল

Turmeric

Halud

হলুদ

Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments.

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439 thoughts on “Dictionary”

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  1. sohana says:
    May 27, 2017 at 5:32 PM

    what are oregano called in bangla?

    Reply
  2. Nandini Basu says:
    May 25, 2017 at 9:43 PM

    Yams holo gatikochu, chhoto chhoto alur moto

    Reply
  3. Nandini Basu says:
    May 25, 2017 at 9:42 PM

    Oregano holo jowan er pata.

    Reply
  4. saikat mistry says:
    May 20, 2017 at 8:22 AM

    What is the english term of ‘borma saakh’?

    Reply
    1. Sudeshna Banerjee says:
      May 22, 2017 at 8:11 AM

      If you are talking about Brahmi saag, its called water hyssop in English

      Reply
      1. Debangana Mukherjee says:
        June 16, 2019 at 3:39 AM

        What is hyssop called in Bengali?

        Reply
        1. Sudeshna Banerjee says:
          June 17, 2019 at 12:40 PM

          Sorry, I am not sure what the Bengali name is, even after searching all I could find was sugondhi latabishes

          Reply
  5. Moon says:
    May 14, 2017 at 2:31 PM

    What is the bengali name of Navy bean?

    Reply
    1. Sudeshna Banerjee says:
      May 15, 2017 at 11:38 AM

      Sorry, not sure what the Bengali is for navy bean

      Reply
  6. S.Mukherjee says:
    May 10, 2017 at 1:23 AM

    Thyme is a kind of leaf- so how can that be ‘kind of joan’?

    Reply
  7. Indronil Halder says:
    May 9, 2017 at 5:16 PM

    What about cinnamon ?

    Reply
    1. Sudeshna Banerjee says:
      May 11, 2017 at 12:12 PM

      darchini

      Reply
  8. Pritam Biswas says:
    May 6, 2017 at 10:51 PM

    Please tell me the meaning of Ajinomoto (Msg) in bengali.

    Reply
    1. Sudeshna Banerjee says:
      May 11, 2017 at 12:13 PM

      Pritam,
      what do you mean by meaning? MSG is called Ajinamoto in Bengali

      Reply
    2. Mamun says:
      May 18, 2017 at 7:00 AM

      Testing salt

      Reply
  9. P.Das says:
    May 3, 2017 at 6:05 AM

    What is parsley in bengali, what would i ask for at bazar

    Reply
    1. Sudeshna Banerjee says:
      May 3, 2017 at 11:57 AM

      Parsley doesn’t really have a Bengali name.

      Reply
      1. Mampi Banik says:
        March 6, 2019 at 9:15 PM

        bakar pata or solfa pata

        Reply
  10. ML Ali says:
    April 29, 2017 at 11:18 AM

    I think Water Spinach should be Kolmi Shak, not Palang

    Reply
    1. Sudeshna Banerjee says:
      April 29, 2017 at 10:31 PM

      Yes, you are correct. I missed that one. Thanks for correcting

      Reply
  11. Cynthia says:
    April 21, 2017 at 2:50 PM

    What’s the Bangla of Kale?

    Reply
    1. Sudeshna Banerjee says:
      April 23, 2017 at 10:21 AM

      I am not sure if there is any particular name for kale in Bengali.

      Reply
  12. Supriti Ghosh says:
    April 6, 2017 at 11:35 PM

    I want to see the meaning of hinge.

    Reply
    1. Sudeshna Banerjee says:
      April 7, 2017 at 7:48 PM

      Hing is asafoetida

      Reply
  13. Rini says:
    April 4, 2017 at 7:59 AM

    Taro is not Kochchur loti. Loti means stalk.

    Reply
  14. Mohammed Mohsin Bakar says:
    April 2, 2017 at 10:53 PM

    There is a bit of confusion regarding “Coriander” and “Parsley” as both are referred to as “Dhona pata” in Bangla .. Is this correct ?!

    Reply
    1. Sonali saha says:
      June 27, 2019 at 2:30 AM

      Dhonia powder is the coriander powder and pata is the leaf OK…..

      Reply
  15. Julius Chohan says:
    April 1, 2017 at 11:56 AM

    What is rosemary called in Bengali?

    Reply
  16. Saikat DasGupta says:
    March 24, 2017 at 12:28 PM

    Spring Onions in Bengali is বসন্ত পেঁয়াজ
    Scallions/Green Onions are পেয়াজকলি which do not have the actual Onion protruding at the end. 🙂
    Cheers!

    Reply
  17. Upasana says:
    March 24, 2017 at 8:56 AM

    What is bean sprouts?

    Reply
  18. Sanjib Chowdhury says:
    March 23, 2017 at 4:27 AM

    What is the Bengali name of oregano

    Reply
  19. Sukalyan naskar says:
    March 21, 2017 at 10:29 AM

    What is Ramdana?

    Reply
  20. D Biswas says:
    March 16, 2017 at 1:35 AM

    What would you call Apricot, Kale and Bok-choy in Bengali. I only get them at New Market, Kolkata.That too it has lots of pesticides in tgem

    Reply
    1. Sudeshna Banerjee says:
      March 24, 2017 at 9:05 AM

      Apricot is called khubani, kale I’m not sure, bok choy is caled bok choy in Bengali

      Reply
  21. chanakya chowdhury says:
    March 8, 2017 at 11:06 PM

    What is cumin,, thyme and fanal in bengali??

    Reply
    1. Sudeshna Banerjee says:
      March 10, 2017 at 10:51 AM

      Cumin – jeera
      Thyme – Its kind of joan
      Fennel – mouri

      Reply
  22. Nirmalendu Bose says:
    February 19, 2017 at 8:51 AM

    What is thyme leaves?
    What is Horseradish?

    Reply
  23. Sanjoy says:
    February 14, 2017 at 6:37 AM

    What is TOPAKUL in english ?

    Reply
  24. Sagar says:
    February 11, 2017 at 2:19 AM

    ANYBODY knows about Celery Sticks?

    Reply
  25. shoaib says:
    February 3, 2017 at 2:56 AM

    what is parsley leave in bengali

    Reply
  26. Saikat Kundu says:
    January 20, 2017 at 9:45 AM

    I am curious about Thyme. Also is Rosemary available in Kolkata anywhere?

    Reply
    1. Laboni V says:
      February 15, 2017 at 4:28 AM

      U can find dried rosemary and thyme in the herbs n spices section of Spencer or big bazar as u get dried oregano…bt no idea about where to find the fresh herbs in kolkata

      Reply
  27. suman Roy says:
    January 19, 2017 at 8:51 PM

    What is Kale called in Bengali?

    Reply
  28. Durjoy saha says:
    January 19, 2017 at 1:03 PM

    Tomato bengoli meaning belati begun

    Reply
  29. Durjoy saha says:
    January 19, 2017 at 12:56 PM

    Tomato bengoli mean bilati begun

    Reply
    1. Sudeshna Banerjee says:
      January 19, 2017 at 7:25 PM

      Eta jantam na 🙂

      Reply
  30. Swastika says:
    January 14, 2017 at 8:39 AM

    What is aspharagus called in Bengali

    Reply
  31. Pingback: Patishapta | Cook like a Bong
  32. Debasmita says:
    January 7, 2017 at 2:58 AM

    What is chichinge called in English?

    Reply
    1. Sudeshna Banerjee says:
      January 19, 2017 at 10:24 AM

      Its called snake gourd

      Reply
  33. Tanima pal says:
    January 6, 2017 at 5:29 AM

    What is rosemarry meaning in bengali?

    Reply
  34. Tamal Bose says:
    January 2, 2017 at 11:45 PM

    what exactly is black kidney bean?

    Reply
    1. Saikat Kundu says:
      January 20, 2017 at 9:43 AM

      Kalo Rajma dal

      Reply
  35. Jayati says:
    December 30, 2016 at 1:18 AM

    Wht do u call parseley in bengali?

    Reply
  36. Panna says:
    December 17, 2016 at 11:52 PM

    Keraiya pata??

    Reply
  37. Panna says:
    December 17, 2016 at 11:51 PM

    Keriya pata??

    Reply
  38. Kaushik Das says:
    December 8, 2016 at 7:37 AM

    What is khamalu in English / Hindi

    Reply
  39. bhola says:
    November 21, 2016 at 7:30 AM

    What should KAMARI in bengali ??

    Reply
  40. Ziku says:
    November 2, 2016 at 1:54 AM

    Dhoniyapata..??

    Reply
    1. s.s.adhikari says:
      November 28, 2016 at 9:10 AM

      Coriander leaves

      Reply
  41. MANIMOY SENGUPTA says:
    October 30, 2016 at 11:13 AM

    ‘Oregano’ is left out.

    Reply
  42. Jerry says:
    October 29, 2016 at 12:20 PM

    What is Rosemary in bengali/hindi?

    Reply
  43. payel das says:
    October 28, 2016 at 4:10 AM

    What should rosemary be called in Bengali?

    Reply
  44. payel das says:
    October 28, 2016 at 4:07 AM

    What should rosemary be called in Bengali

    Reply
  45. kedar says:
    October 27, 2016 at 9:51 AM

    “kale” mane ki?

    Reply
    1. Mashrura says:
      November 17, 2016 at 12:10 AM

      patakopi

      Reply
      1. Noya Radhuni says:
        January 4, 2017 at 12:02 AM

        Cabbage

        Reply
  46. suman sengupta says:
    October 25, 2016 at 3:21 AM

    what is thyme?

    Reply
  47. Hafiz says:
    October 20, 2016 at 5:57 AM

    Hi,
    What’s meaning of Hing in bengali ?

    Reply
    1. Sudeshna Banerjee says:
      October 24, 2016 at 2:46 PM

      Hafiz,
      Hing is called asafoetida in English and Hing in Bengali

      Reply
    2. prasenjit says:
      October 26, 2016 at 10:35 AM

      asaefotida

      Reply
  48. Taslimul Haque says:
    October 16, 2016 at 11:45 AM

    Whats the meaning of ankher gur

    Reply
    1. prasenjit says:
      October 26, 2016 at 10:40 AM

      sugarcane jaggery

      Reply
    2. Ahnaf Atif says:
      January 9, 2017 at 9:56 AM

      It means sugarcane molasses.

      Reply
  49. Ishani says:
    October 13, 2016 at 2:16 AM

    What’s oregano called in bengali ?

    Reply
  50. Dona says:
    October 7, 2016 at 8:57 AM

    Thanks for the list.. but are Yams same as Kochu?? Bit of confusion there, but otherwise,its apt !

    Reply
    1. prasenjit says:
      October 26, 2016 at 10:37 AM

      yes

      Reply

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