Foods in Bangladesh

Foods in Bangladesh

1. Traditional Foods in Bangladesh

2. Food Habit in Bangladesh Rice and fish are the main staple food of Bangladeshi people. The famous proverb " mache bhate bangali " translates as " Bangali by fish and rice. " Since rice is the main food for both rich and poor Bengalis alike, a trademark food item of Bangladesh is " pitha " (rice cakes) Bangalis eat rice every day and at every meal. At daybreak a farm labourer or a fisherman starts his long day with a meal of panta , plain boiled rice soaked overnight in water and allowed to ferment a little. This watery rice, mixed with salt and  chilli , makes a filling breakfast for the poor. Moodi or hudoom (puffed rice), cheera (flattened rice) and khoi (popped rice) are some other items of a traditional breakfast in most Bengali homes in rural areas. 

3. Hilsa / Ilish curry Hilsa (or ilish ) curry is the national dish of Bangladesh, made from the Hilsa fish, and is one of the most popular traditional Bangladeshi dishes. Biryani, whilst not unique to Bangladesh, is a spicy rice dish made with meat or fish, rice, potatoes and spices . In the Bengali region, popular meats include mutton, goat, chicken and beef, but there is such a wide variety of biryani dishes available that anyone can try. Biryani Chingri /Shrimp malai curry is the most famous Bangladesh curry dish based on coconut milk, and is revered throughout the region, including India. Chingri / Shrimp Malai Curry

4. Dal / Daal / Dhal Dal isn’t unique to Bangladesh but it is so commonly eaten by Bangladeshi’s that it is unequivocally worth mentioning. Dal refers to lentils, peas and beans that are dried and split, and then often boiled, seasoned and served in various different forms, most commonly as a thick soup . Panta bhat Paratha Panta bhat is a wonderful example of Bangladeshi food, also enjoyed throughout the Bengal region. Panta bhat generally uses leftover rice that is soaked in water overnight to ferment, and then served as breakfast the following morning after being seasoned by salt, chili and onion. Paratha is a flatbread that is widely eaten throughout Bangladesh, either as a side to other meals or stuffed and served on its own, often for breakfast or as a snack.

5. Dhokar dalna Shami kababs Chorchori Dhokor Dalna is considered one of the famous signature dishes of Bangladeshi cuisine. The dish uses lentils or dal to make a fried cake, slightly simmered in a tomato-based gravy and seasoned with spices such as ginger, cumin and coriander. Chachchari is a very unique style of cooking spiced vegetables that is unique to Bengali cooking and a traditional Bangladeshi dish. Shami kababs are hugely popular in Bangladesh and throughout the Indian subcontinent. Whilst there are a wide range of different kababs available in Bangladesh, Shami kababs are unreservedly the most popular. They are often served on special occasions which shows just how popular they are. Beef is most commonly used but can sometimes be replaced with lamb or mutton.

6. Rice with Curry, Vorta , Vaji , and Daal – Everyday Bangladeshi food Plain rice is the main food in Bangladesh. It is served with different fish and meat curry, vorta (mash) of different vegetables and fish, bhaji (fried) of different vegetables, and patla daal (lentil soup). There is a proverb in Bangladesh – “rice and fish makes the Bengali people”. From this, you can understand that fish and rice is the most popular food in Bangladesh. Morog Polao (Chicken Pilaf) Morog Polao is a very rich flavorful full dish where chicken and rice is cooked with spices, yogurt and clarified butter (ghee). Nowadays to make it little less rich, oil and ghee are used together. Kachchi Biryani Kachchi biryani is usually a featured dish for weddings and social gatherings and celebrations. Layers of meat, rice, and potatoes are infused with warm and delectable blends of aromatic spices to prepare Kachchi biryani.

7. Bhuna Khichuri The Bengali word “ Bhuna Khichuri” means browning, mixing or deep frying spices with rice and lentil. It is the richer version of the plain old Khichuri. Bhuna means braised, so this dish is kind of slow-cooked to infuse the flavors and the spices as opposed to the simple process of cooking everything together during the other times. You cannot ignore the beautiful aroma while it is braising and cooking! Patla Khichuri – Romantic Bangladeshi Food Patla Khichuri is the actual traditional Khichuri of Bangladesh cooked plainly with rice and lentil. It is semi-liquid. Usually different seasonal vegetables, spinach, and potatoes are added with it. It is eaten with any meat curry – beef, mutton, or chicken. Also eaten with a fried egg or begun bhaja (fried eggplants). Just a teaspoon of ghee brings out the actual essence of this yummy dish. Patla Khichuri is a romantic food of Bangladesh. During the heavy rain of a monsoon day, a hot plate of patla khichuri with meat is what any traditional Bengali people want!

8. Street Food of Bangladesh

9. Fuchka Fuchka is the most popular street food in Bangladesh, served mainly in the evening. It has a unique spicy, sour, crispy taste. It consists of a round, hollow puri , fried crisp and filled with a mixture of flavored water, tamarind chutney, chili, chaat masala, potato, onion, and chickpeas. Falooda Falooda is a cold dessert very popular in Bangladesh. Traditionally it is made from mixing rose syrup, vermicelli, sweet basil ( sabza / takmaria ) seeds, and pieces of jelly with milk often topped off with a scoop of ice cream, lastly garnished with chopped fruits. The vermicelli used for preparing Falooda is made from wheat, arrowroot, cornstarch , or sago pearls. Misti Doi (Sweet Yogurt ) Sweet Yogurt is a traditional Bengali dessert item which is locally known as Mishti Doi . It is a healthy low-fat dessert. No Bengali occasion is complete without Sweet Yogurt and Sweets. It is not your regular yogurt. Also, it is not at all runny as curd. It is thick, dense and more like creamy cheesecake.

10. Haleem Haleem is basically spicy lentil soup very popular in Bangladesh. Haleem is made of wheat, barley, meat (usually minced meat of beef or mutton), different types of lentils, spices, and sometimes rice is also used. This dish is slow-cooked for seven to eight hours, which results in a paste-like consistency, blending the flavors of spices, meat, barley, and wheat. Grilled Chicken with Naan Roti Grilled Chicken has become very popular in Bangladesh recently. You can find mouth-watering grilled chicken almost every street. Chicken is marinated with spices and later grilled on the griller. The chicken is super moist inside but crunchy bits of chars outside makes them taste heavenly. Grilled chickens are normally served with Naan Rooti (an oven-baked flatbread), mayonnaise, and simple salads. This is an evening snack, mostly available after 5.00 pm on the restaurants.

11. Bangladeshi Pitha’s Pati Sapta Pitha Muger Pitha Chitoi Pitha Bhapa Pitha Pitha is a Bangla word which means the indigenous and traditional food of Bangladesh. There is no similar word in English for Pitha . But Pitha is similar to the word Cake. Pitha are made of rice flour, molasses, sugar, coconut, oil etc. Some Pitha are made of different kinds of vegetables. Dudh Chitoi Pitha

12. Sweet Lassi Borhani This is a spicy yogurt drink served on weddings or big parties with Biryani, Tehari , Bhuna Khichuri, or Morog Polao. It is a traditional drink and is very easy to make. Borhani balances the spiciness of the main food and it has ingredients like mint, cumin, and yogurt. It also helps digestion. Lassi is a popular traditional yogurt-based drink from Bangladesh. Lassi is a blend of yogurt, water, spices and sometimes fruit. Lassis are enjoyed chilled as a hot-weather refreshment, mostly taken with lunch. It is a very popular drink in Bangladesh which you must try at least once while visiting Bangladesh. Rasmalai is a unique Bangladeshi delicacy. This Bangladeshi dessert is flattened cheese ball soaked in malai (clotted cream) flavored with cardamom. Malai or clotted cream itself has a unique texture. Malai is made by heating non-homogenized whole milk to about 80 °C for about one hour and then allowing to cool. A thick yellowish layer of fat and coagulated proteins forms on the surface, which is skimmed off. The process is usually repeated to remove most of the fat. Rasmalai

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