Food: A Bengali Perspective

 

Bhapa Pitha - Bangladeshi Winter Delicacy

As an international student, living in a foreign country, the food that I have an appetite for, and cook is an accumulation of my convenience and experience instead of my taste buds. Coming from a Bangladeshi heritage, food is not only a means of survival or nutrients but also a means of cultural celebration, community engagement, building and sharing social bonds.

The opportunity, to work on this write-up made me reflect on the idea of how food is beyond nutritional value. My impression is that food is not limited to nutrients and taste. Food can also be an advocate for more insightful and purposeful causes. After examining food through the lens of a critical perspective, my narrative about food has extended toward building strong community ties. The warmth of food serves as a catalyst for spreading harmony in society.

In Bangla, the language spoken by the Bengali people, there is a common saying “Machh-e-Bhat-e-Bangali” which translates in English as “Fish and rice make a Bengali”. Bangladeshi cuisine has been shaped by the local landscape and river line geography. Rice and fish are the staples of Bangladesh. People eat rice in different forms: steamed or puffed. Bangladeshi curry is famed for its use of a wide range of freshwater fish and seafood. Hilsa fish is the most popular one, but other common fish include rohu, punti, catfish, bata, clown Knifefish, and Tilapia.

Fish Market - Dhaka Bangladesh

Sharing Food with other people in the community plays a significant social role in Bangladeshi culture. During Ramadan, families share home-cooked iftar (meal after breaking the day-long fast) with their neighbors and underprivileged people. This social experience of sharing food with other fellow citizens regardless of religious faith creates a sense of inclusivity in the community. Thus, people from diverse faiths and backgrounds celebrate the social value of harmony.

In the fast-paced world, where doing is more valuable than being, sharing food with neighbours gives us the opportunity to begin a beautiful relationship with our neighbours. My parents have moved houses several times and each time we had kind neighbours who would prepare freshly cooked homemade meals, pickles, herbs, or vegetables so that my parents wouldn't have to cook or eat out at a restaurant while they were still in the process of moving. It is only now that I am living in a foreign country far away from home, I can relate and realize how valuable human connection is. This beautiful gesture of sharing blessings with other fellow human beings, can open the doors of communication and social bonding. It’s hard to say no to free food.

Nature has adorned the land of the river with her six shades of green: summer, monsoon, autumn, late autumn, winter, and spring. Bengali people enjoy the mild cold of Winter with delicious Pitha (or pies). Pitha is a traditional homemade cake with local ingredients such as rice flour, molasses, milk, date juice and coconut. During this time, varieties of Pithas are prepared: Bhapa Pitha (Steamed rice cakes made with ground rice flour, molasses, and grated coconut), Chioti Pitha (steamed flat pancakes made with rice flour), Patishapta (sweet crepes filled with coconut and molasses), Puli Pitha (steamed dumplings stuffed with coconut and jaggery), Nakshi Pitha (deep-fried crispy rice cake made with rice flour, Jaggery syrup). Celebrating winter may remain incomplete without the aroma of this winter delicacy. Each person can choose something they really like from sweet to savory, from steamed to fried, from golden to white. Pitha has no strict formulaic preparation. Apart from the winter season, Bengalis express their love for this local delicacy in other special occasions like celebrating Bengali new year, Eid, Puja, weddings etc.

Pitha is more than just an expression of a festival. It is a glorious demonstration of locally grown food ingredients and agriculture. I can vividly feel the mouth-watering taste of Bhapa Pitha when I read the recipe which is a steamed rice cake made with rice flour, molasses, and grated coconut. Embracing the practice of eating local food can be a support for local small businesses. Elora Begum, a local vendor in Dhaka city, sells Pithas in roadside carts during the winter. She has been preparing this delicious goodness for years with easily accessible local ingredients. This small business is generating income for her. Therefore, buying local food can contribute to strengthening the local economy.

Misty - Bangladeshi Sweets

Sharing happiness with loved ones makes the experience more joyful. In Bangladesh, no celebration is complete without having “Misty”. Misty is a common name for Bangladeshi sweets. Misty is prepared with whole milk, cream, sugar, flour, and different flavoring agents: cardamom, and saffron. People here love to share any good news with sweets. For instance, if a family welcomes a newborn baby, they tend to send sweets to relatives, and neighbours. Sharing the light of joy and happiness with community members expresses the gesture of belongingness. This practice spreads the sweetness of connectivity among residents in a community. The feeling of being connected with the "tribe" makes us feel safe.

Mahbuba Airin

Graduate Student, CDE | ECVOntario

SEDRD, University of Guelph