As in the rest of India, Bengali cuisine is influenced by the different religions
-Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Christianity and Islam- practised by the different ethnic groups of the area. The Hindus are the largest group and do not eat beef; the Muslims do not eat pork or drink alcohol and the small Jewish community still living in Calcutta still follow the traditional rites and do not eat pork or mix certain ingredients.

The river Ganges flows from the north of the region down to the Gulf of Bengal. The coast and rivers provide the wide variety of fish that are appreciated by the more important casts, such as the Brahman, which in the rest of the India are strict vegetarians. The climate, hot and humid, is ideal for the cultivation of rice, the world's most popular Indian-derived produce. Basmati and patna varieties are grown. Rice flour is also used to prepare the popular rice cakes, which are often flavoured with coconut, picked by the many coconut pickers found in the Bengal area.

Dairy specialities
In what is a basically vegetarian society, dairy products stand out. These include dahi, a thick and creamy yoghurt used in nearly all Indian food. Cheese is also made by draining the dahi until the serum is removed. This is then used to prepare drinks such as chach or lassi. Makkhan is the name given to Indian butter made from cheese and yoghurt and very popular in the Bengal region. The curdled milk cream called malai, made of milk or yoghurt mixed with fruit, makes up the most famous Bengali dessert: ras malai.

The most popular spice in the area is panch phoron,  a mixture of cumin, aniseed, fennel and nigella (regional spice), as well as mustard. The most common fat is mustard oil, hot and spicy, used to make the popular fried dishes of Calcutta.
Different cuisines
Different communities have influenced Bengali food over the years: the Chinese hakka, who came to Calcutta a century ago, the Armenian Christians from Persia who settled in the 17th century and the Portuguese who colonised this area in the 16th century.

Chinese hakka cuisine is rich in stir fries, steam-cooked dishes and soya, ginger and coriander-flavoured soups. Although Buddhist and traditionally vegetarian, their Chinese culture means that chicken, pork, duck and seafood form part of their daily diet. Armenian specialities include mis and khasho, lamb and vegetables soups, as well as kookoo, green omelettes of Persian origin.

Last but not least is the local tea, which makes up a third of the world's total and is still hand picked. Chah, the Indian word for tea still used in Portugal, is served very hot and spicy to combat the heat.