MasterChef Australia star Kishwar Chowdhury is bringing the flavours of Bengal to Australian kitchens with a recipe that transforms the classic sausage roll into a rich, spice-filled family favourite. The acclaimed cook, author and television personality appeared on The Morning Show on Tuesday to demonstrate her Bengali beef patties – flaky pastries packed with slow-cooked beef shoulder, aromatic spices and a touch of chilli heat.
New cookbook celebrates Bengali cuisine
The recipe features in Chowdhury's new cookbook Smoke Rice Water, a celebration of Bengali food, culture and storytelling. Through 100 recipes, the book explores the vibrant culinary traditions of the Bay of Bengal while drawing on Chowdhury's experience as a second-generation migrant growing up in Melbourne. Best known for finishing third on MasterChef Australia in 2021, Chowdhury has become one of the country's most respected voices in food, championing Bengali cuisine and introducing home cooks to the flavours and traditions of a region often overlooked in mainstream cookbooks.
Recipe: Bengali beef patties (makes 12)
Ingredients:
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) vegetable oil
- 4 onions, diced and divided
- 3 tablespoons garlic and ginger paste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, lightly crushed
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 5 cardamom pods
- 1 black cardamom pod
- 6 cloves
- 1 tablespoon Gorom moshla
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) piece beef shoulder
- 3–4 green chillies, finely chopped
- 6 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- Salt, to taste
- Nigella seeds, to garnish
Method:
1. Heat a large, heavy-based pot over medium heat and add the vegetable oil. Once hot, add three-quarters of the onion (reserving the rest for later), along with the garlic and ginger paste, tomato paste and dry spices. Stir well, then add the beef shoulder and season with salt. Sear the meat until it develops a crust.
2. Pour in a little water, just enough to create steam, and cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, allowing the beef to braise over low heat for 2–3 hours, or until it becomes tender and falls off the bone. Once the meat is fully cooked, remove the lid and continue cooking for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the beef takes on a dark, roasted consistency. Set aside to cool.
3. Once cool, use a fork to pull the beef into fine shreds, discarding any bones and whole spices. Stir in the remaining onion and the green chilli, mixing well to incorporate crunch and heat.
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F). Prepare the puff pastry by cutting each sheet in half and brushing the edges with the egg wash. Spoon a small portion of the beef mixture along one side of the pastry, then fold it over, pressing down with a fork to seal the edges. Cut each pastry into three or four sausage roll-shaped pieces. Arrange the patties on a tray lined with baking paper, brush with more egg wash, and sprinkle with nigella seeds.
5. Bake the patties for 22 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. Serve warm with tetult'er chutney (page 314) or your favourite dipping sauce.
Gorom moshla recipe
Gorom moshla is the final flourish that gives many Bengali dishes their warm aroma. It's always added at the end of cooking so that the fragrance stays fresh and bright. To make gorom moshla: combine 3–4 green cardamom pods, 5 cloves, 2 small cinnamon sticks, 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, 1 dried red chili, 1 bay leaf, 6 tablespoons cumin seeds, 4 tablespoons coriander seeds, ½ teaspoon nutmeg (toasted and grated), ½ teaspoon blade mace (optional, for extra floral notes), and 1 star anise (optional, adds a subtle liquorice aroma) in a heavy-based flat pan. Place on low heat and let the spices warm through, tossing occasionally; they will darken slightly as they release their oils and become fragrant. Remove from the heat, leave to cool, then grind to a fine powder using a spice or coffee grinder. Store in a dry jar.
