Top 8 Traditional Bangali Dishes
Bangladesh, the country of Bengal, is a culturally rich country with diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds. The cuisine of Bangladesh consists of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes and shares many similarities with Indian cuisine due to the common ancestry and geographical proximity between the two countries. Here are ten traditional Bangali dishes that you should try when you visit Bangladesh!
Shorshe Ilish
Shorshe ilish is a very popular dish of Hilsa fish in Bangladesh. It is prepared with freshly cut onions, tomatoes, chillies and lemon juice that gives it a tangy taste. Shorshe ilish is one of my favorite dish among all other traditional Bengali food items. It goes well with steamed rice or breads. . This traditional Bengali dish can be prepared within 20 minutes easily.
Mishti Doi
Made with yogurt, milk, sugar, and saffron, mishti doi is a sweetened yogurt that’s traditional in Bangladesh. This slightly sour-sweet treat makes for a great breakfast or snack.
Cholar Dal
Cholar Dal is a popular Bangladeshi dish consisting of red lentils (also known as Bengal gram or Chana Dal) slow-cooked in spicy water with aromatics. Cholar Dal is usually served over steamed rice or flatbreads and is one of my all-time favorite foods. You can find it at many local eateries and street stalls often served with green chili peppers and raw onions on top.
Chaat
Chaat, sometimes spelled chat, refers to a popular Indian street food made with various ingredients and served on small plates. Chaat may look like it’s been plucked right off a local street corner—and that’s probably because it has. Chaat (or chat) is a simple food that almost anyone can make at home using readily available ingredients. While its origins are not clearly known, it is believed to have come from Uttar Pradesh in Northern India where most of its popularity still lies.
Khichuri
Khichuri is comfort food of sorts, but it’s much more than that. Though Khichuri is always served for breakfast in Bangladesh and India (where it comes from), its popularity extends to dinner time, too. And Bangladeshis make Khichuri in hundreds of different ways—with every combination of ingredients. Mixed vegetables, such as cauliflower, green peas, potatoes, carrots, and other vegetables, are added to Bengali khichuri. Because I had potatoes, cauliflower, and peas on hand, I decided to use them in the khichdi. The addition of veggies to this rice and lentil dish transforms it into a filling one-pot supper. If you like, you may even leave out the veggies.
Panta Bhaat
Panta Bhat is a traditional Bengali dish that has a unique combination of mashed rice, dal, and vegetables. For those who haven’t tasted it before, panta bhaat can seem like an odd combination but one bite into it and you will realize how delicious (and healthy) it really is. -Panta Bhaat is a type of rice dish in which cooked rice grains are mixed with different types of lentils, spices and vegetables. It's easy to make at home if you have leftover cooked rice or broken rice.
Lucchi/Luchi Bhaja
Lucchi is a popular traditional Bangladeshi flatbread. This delicious bread is eaten throughout Bangladesh and India and has been made since at least 600 AD. Although lucchi can be eaten with many different curries, it is most commonly enjoyed as Luchi Bhaja, which is lucchi dipped in ghee and then toasted on a skillet until crisp.
Conclusion
Bengali dishes are a delightful culinary pleasure with many different varieties of food. The following Bengali dishes are listed in no particular order, as they are all delicious and have interesting stories behind them. If you have had any of these, give them another try because there is always more to learn! It would be great if you could share with us your experience with these traditional Bangali dishes as well!