The colorful cuisine of Dhaka
Created | Updated Jan 16, 2007
Junk food in Dhaka city is as popular as ever. However, the recent boom in the city's population means that it has taken on some new attributes. It is more available, more cheap and the choices are many. Not a street is without its very own line of stalls or hawkers advertising their wares (admittably by shouting). Although the hygienic qualities of these foods are certainly in question, the variety and textures are certainly interesting. Here is a list of the available shops and their respective wares.
Tea stalls or Tongs
- Tea is a very popular drink in Bangladesh. More so because even teenagers like it. But the dividing line is where the tea is made and drank. Older people prefer their tea at home; youngsters prefer theirs at the more popular outdoor tea stalls known as Tongs. These are usually tiny stalls made of sheets of corrugated iron. They sell a variety of foodstuffs, the most common of which are tea and coffee. However it isn’t a proper tong unless they carry a wide variety of cigarettes too. Originally meant for low-income earners, these stalls are now popular among teenagers as hangout spots. The tea itself is served in something not big enough to be a cup and not quite small enough to be called a thimble. People usually prefer it with a huge drop of condensed milk.Fuchka and Chotpoti
– This is probably the most available fast food in Bangladesh. On almost every street you would find a small carriage on wheels, with a vendor selling a rather complicated looking food. This is Bangladesh’s famous (or infamous) Chotpoti. The food consists mostly of potatoes, eggs, fried chips, onions, spices etc., stewed in gravy. The resulting mix is guaranteed to leave a tingle on the tongue. True enthusiasts should always ask for theirs with extra chili.Also sold at these stalls is Fuchka. Basically these are edible cups of dough filled with dried chotpoti mix. Although the hygienic quality of their production is in question, they are nevertheless another success in the range of culinary delights within the city.
Chaap
– A fairly recent addition, this can easily be summarized as the Bangladeshi version of steak. A slab of mutton, beef or chicken fried in artery clogging oils and served with salad. Also included is chapatti or paratas. (Both pan fried dough, usually the substitute for bread. Paratas are larger and more filling, whereas chapatis are small and disk-like).Shwarma
– Although known to be an Arabic dish, they have nonetheless found popularity here. A scoop of meat in gravy ladled into a taco shaped bun of floury bread served with salad and mayonnaise. Not exactly hot but a savoury mouthful.Badam (Nuts)
– Nuts, while admit ably mundane, have taken convenience of shopping to the next level. The shops are carried on the heads of the hawkers. A big round tin bowl filled with peanuts, always extremely cheap, which are handed out in small bags made from old newspapers.. An additional scrap of paper can be added filled with hot salt, i.e. salt mixed with pepper.Jhal Muri
– A true delicacy among the city's spicy tastes, Jhal muri is the perfect snack for any occasion. Consisting of Chanachur ( Fried dough bits mixed with nuts and miscellaneous other spices, considered to be a separate snack itself ), a little oil, onions and the most important addition, mouth scalding peppers. Soft and hot to taste, these are sold in the same manner as nuts, mentioned above..Puri, Bora, Chop and miscellaneous
– Puri is circular bags of dough filled with spices or potatoes. Bora is chopped onions dipped in Beshon (A salty sauce, very popular for frying or marinating vegetables and suchlike) and fried to a crispy morsel. Chop is exactly what the name suggests, potato mashed and mixed with various other ingredients. These foods are all sold in the same shops along with other items of the shopkeeper’s choice. Very popular amongst people in a hurry.Biriani, Khichuri and Tehari
– And last we come to what is probably the most famous food in this part of the Asian subcontinent, Biriani. An extremely popular dish served in parties and weddings as well as being sold as an ordinary meal. It is made from Polaoerchal, which is basically a more pristine form of rice. Steam cooked with mutton or beef in huge pots called ‘Hari’s. Tehari is considered a separate dish but is really quite similar, except that it contains more chili and the meat is sliced more finely. Khichuri also falls in the same category except that the rice is yellow in colour.A very popular drink always served with Biriani is Borhani. Made from a mixture of water, salt and Doi (A variety of yogurt). Tastes sour and oddly, filling.
These are the main items found all year round in the city. During festive seasons such as the month of Ramadan (Eid), Pohela Baishakhi (Bangla new year) etc. even more diverse dishes become available.
