Anastasia Smith
Beside the verdant lush greenery and abounding waterways that characterise the South Asian nation, adding to the nation’s appeal is the mouth-watering delicacies of authentic Bangladeshi cuisine. Indulge in delectable traditional dishes galore and savour a dose of quintessential Bangladesh.
The rather funny-named deep-fried breaded sphere of Bangladesh is, in fact, nothing different to India’s popular Panipuri and is a delicacy relished across most parts of South Asia, including India’s neighbour to the east, south and west, destination Bangladesh. Strolling the atmospheric streets of metropolitan Bangladesh, the crispy ball of savoury goodness makes the perfect snack for your city saunter. Bangladesh’s twist on the Indian classic is the addition of spiced mashed potatoes and dal or ghugni to the common ingredients of the savoury filling.
Sometimes a porridge, other times a gruel or at times even served as something with a consistency that varies between the two, Haleem or Harees is a wonderfully versatile dish that is a staple, especially during the festive season of Ramadan. While the boiled, cracked or coarsely ground cracked wheat may not be the most Bangladeshi dish to savour on your getaway, for the dish is better known for its association with the Middle East than South Asia, a bowl of comforting Haleem still is a delightfully unmissable treat for all travellers to Bangladesh.
As nutritious as it is delicious, Panta bhat is a wonderfully simple rice dish, where the rice is first cooked and then soaked and fermented in water. The sombre white hue of the rice contrasted by the purpleness of the onion and dried chilli peppers also makes for a treat for the eyes as it is for the taste buds. You can find Panta bhat being served at any cafe, eatery, or any other establishment that is hailed as the best restaurant in Dhaka offered by the likes of Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka.
A traditional Bangladeshi dessert to top off your traditional Bangladeshi meal, a spoonful of sweet, creamy and rich Roshmalai will transport you to heaven. Roshmalai in Bengali, ras malai in Hindi, and rasa malei in Odia, the Bangladeshi aren’t alone in craving the cheesecake-like dessert and have almost all of South Asia joining them. A combination of white cream, sugar, milk, almonds, cashews, saffron and the mouth-watering chhana paneer cheese — all come together to make a bowl of scrumptious Roshmalai.
“Jhal” for spicy and “muri” for puffed rice, Bangladesh’s Jhalmuri is a popular street snack among locals and travellers to the country alike. The spicy puffed rice dish is one of the simplest of Bangladeshi cuisine, where all the ingredients of the dish are tossed together for preparation. As the name clearly indicates, thick and puffed rice is the primary ingredient, which is subjected to the addition of roasted peanuts, tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, sliced onions, and a variety of locally grown spices.
