I was pretty much a stranger to Bengali cuisine.
Even though there are a number of Bengali restauranteurs in the U.S., from East Bengal and Bangladesh, their restaurants are often listed and labeled as Indian cuisine.
But, I had the chance to rectify that by taking a food tour of Old Dhaka with @rocky.hasan.official of @cholobangladeshtours
Here are some things I’m happy to now know:
🇧🇩 I love Tehari. Dare I say I prefer Bangladesh’s take on biryani over India and Pakistan’s?? I’ll give those countries a fair shot to convince me otherwise, but I noticed the Bengali version tends to use a lot less heat. I dig spicy food, but toning it down lets those deeper flavors of mutton or goat stand out a bit more.
🇧🇩 Who knew a tea made up of chili peppers and tamarind could be so delicious? Feels on par with my grandma’s ginger salabat as a great cold remedy.
🇧🇩 Eating a betel leaf wrapped around candy, sprinkles, and syrup then lit on fire is just plain fun. It’s apparently illegal in a bunch of places. I should research why, but my first reaction was: this much fun is definitely illegal.