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Bangladesh
covers an area of roughly 144 000 square kilometres. This area can be
divided into two distinct areas - a broad deltaic plain and a small
hilly region. The deltaic plain is the larger of the two and has
wonderfully fertile soil. It is also subject to frequent flooding.
The hilly area is found in the southeast of the country and is made
up of the Chittagong Hills. The country shares its borders with India
and Burma (aka Myanmar) and has roughly 600 kilometres of beautiful
coastline. The country is also dotted by rivers and streams - many of
which culminate in the picturesque Bay of Bengal. Roughly 16% of
Bangladesh is covered with forest and woodland and as a result, the
country is able to harvest large quantities of timber, bamboo and
sugarcane. The Sundarbans on the southwest coast serve as a popular
tourist destination due to their housing the world-renowned Royal
Bengal Tiger.
Climate
Bangladesh has
a tropical monsoon climate characterized by rain bearing winds,
moderately warm temperatures and high humidity. Winter is mild, dry
and sunny with average daily temperatures ranging between 50-80
degree F (10-27 degree C). January is the coolest month in the winter
season which lasts from November to February. During winter, the
eastern half of the country receives an average of less than 7 inches
(180 mm)of rain, and the northwest receives less than 3 inches (75
mm).
April and May,
the season of little rains, that are important to farmers waiting to
plow their fields for an early crop, bring more than 150 inches (380
mm) of rain to the eastern half of the country. This is the hottest
season of the country with an average daily maximum temperature of
around 90 degree F(32 degree C) and a minimum temperature of 70
degree F (21 degree C). The rainy season properly extends from June
to October when the monsoon air stream sweeps in from the Bay of
Bengal. During this time, Bangladesh receives heavy rainfall. Except
for some parts in the west, it generally exceeds 60 inches (1500 mm)
annually. Large area of the south, southeast, north and northeast
receive 80-100 inches, and northern and northwestern part of Sylhet
area receive 150-200 inches. Although temperature do not exceed the
high 80's on most days during the season, they vary only slightly and
may fall by only 10 degree F at night. The rainfall in April,
September and October is crucial to the farmers. Without April
showers to soften the ground, farmers may have to delay sowing the
early rice crop - Aus, and major cash crop - jute. The little rains
are erratic in an incidence and variable in quantity with concequent
uncertainity for agricultural production. Failure of the late rains
can seriously reduce the main crop - rice.
Cuisine
Bangladesh,
land of poets and artists, is also known for its delicious food.
Cooking is considered an art, and as a guest in a Bengali home, one
never lacks for delicious foods. Bengali curries, pulaos, and sweets
are loved the world over.
Boiled rice is
the staple diet of the Bangladeshi's. Mustard and soyabin oils are
used as the cooking medium. Fish is a must for all meals. Hilsa, very
tasty but full of small bones, is ihe most popular of all fish is
available in the rainy season. Many types of fresh water fish are
also available and widely used.
In an average
Bengali home, the main meal would consist of boiled rice served with
some sort of fried vegetables. This forms the first course of the
meal. It is followed by rice and soupy lentils (dal). The third
course is rice which is eaten with fish curry or on special occasions
meat curry. For the most special occasions chicken curry is
preferred. Very rich families also eat similarly, but eat more mutton
and chicken.
Two types of
sweets are favourite in Bangladesh - sweetened yoghurt and
sweetmeats. Bengali sweets are well known all over the sub-continent
and are very popular. They are mostly milk sweets such as sandesh,
roshagulla, rosmalai, gulab jamun, chom chom, and kalo jam. The
yoghurt is pink in color and very sweet like custard. Foreigners
usually find these too sweet at first, but most people soon learn to
enjoy them
Regional
Variations
*
South
- Barisal Division, Chittagong Division and Khulna Division, being
close to sea, tend to have a larger use of sea fish in their cuisines
as well as lots of coconut milk. Shutki, which is an especially
treated dry fish, is extremely popular in these areas. Chittagong
also exports shutki.
* Dhaka
- As a cosmopolitan city that has historically been the capital under
various rulers, Dhaka has a very high level of Western influence in
its cuisine. Dishes involving fried rice and a lot of meat are
usually legacies of Dhaka's past as the capital of Bengali empires.
Much of this is still visible in the old city, where dishes like
birani, Mughlai porota and bakorkhani are made by speciality stores,
many of which have existed for over a century.
* West
and North-west - The West and North-west have, until
recently, been untouched by the fashions and trends in the capital,
Dhaka. As a result, the high level of Persio-Arabic influence in the
cuisine in and around Dhaka area is absent, or less pervasive, here.
Vegetable curries heavily occupy the main eating in these areas.
Also, higher level of use of spices is common. River fish (sweet
water fish) are common in the dishes.
* North-east
- Large number of lakes around the Sylhet Division (where many
of the UK Bangladeshus come from) encourages greater use of lake fish
in the cuisine. Because of proximity to the hills in Assam, several
fruits and pickles that are otherwise absent in rest of the country,
such as satkorhai, are used in cooking and serving, producing a
distinct nature to the dining menu here.
The staples of
Bangladeshi cuisine are rice, atta (a special type of whole wheat
flour), and at least five dozen varieties of pulses, the most
important of which are chana, toor urad and mung. Pulses are used
almost exclusively in the form of dal, except chana, which is often
cooked whole for breakfast and is processed into flour (besan).
The most
important spices in Bangladeshi cuisine are garlic, ginger,
coriander, cumin, turmeric and chilli. In sweet dishes, cardamom and
cinnamon are amongst the natural flavours.
Staple across
the country however is rice and dhal. As a large percentage of the
land (over 80% on some occasions) can be under water, either
intentionally because of farming practices or due to severe
climatological, topographical or geographical conditions, not
surprisingly fish features as the major source of protein in the
Bangladeshi diet. There is also a saying which goes, "Mach-e
Batth-e Bangali" (Fish and rice make a Bangladeshi).
In the UK it
is largely accepted that the Bangladeshi community has been
responsible for the huge popularity of 'Indian' cuisine both here and
elsewhere in the world. They have been very market aware and
adaptable, creating dishes suitable to local consumption that have
sometimes ended up in being imported back into Bangladesh such as the
famous 'Chicken Tikka Masala'.
Over two
thirds of the so-called Indian restaurants in UK are owned or
operated by Bangladeshis and the industry continues to grow and
develop.
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