Soumi Goswami
Bengali and gluttony are like made for each other. As we go on posting about Bengali cuisine, irresistible delicacies, and about a usual Bengali meal, the post-meal digestives are part and parcel of Bengali culture. Bengalis are health conscious as much as they love food and the glut of rich (rich jhol) curries. As much as you will find much, mishti, and more in a Bengali household, so will you see the presence of carbo veg, rantac, zinetac, and so on.
So, here’s the aftermath of gluttony in short! Presenting Bengali’s favorite digestive doses-
When bod hojom, chora dhekur, ambol, the most fearsome foes of Bengali tummy show up, (and they will mostly) after a meal of kosha mangsho or daab chingri, a Bengali has digene or gelusil. Mostly, Bengalis don’t even wait for the acidity to show its presence. Don’t be amazed if your bong friend’s maa gives you a spoonful of gelusil just after the meal instead of a mouth freshener. That’s a Bengali normal.
Various flavored hajmolas are not only the most loved digestives but the most stolen ones by kids from their dadur ‘after meal kit’. This kit usually has a little stock of hajmola, jowan, pan, lassi, and some diabetes medicines.
To combat indigestion and have a peaceful night’s sleep followed by a motion smooth as silk, Rantac or zinetac are the options to choose from.
These are the herbal remedies to have a good start to the day. Just a glass full of ghol or isabgol or kayam churna at night and morning will be yours to conquer.
Skipping a meal is never a deal among Bengalis. Even if you have lost appetite or have pet bhar, fasting is never a solution here. Instead, a home full of homeopathic remedies is what we tend to.
In the end, of course, if a Sunday meal is all about heavy, delicious, non-veg delicacies, the day after is the day of singi macher jhol, kach kola sheddo, papaya curry. Because balance matters!
