South Asia is a region that is both wellrepresented in the British foodscape but also in need of further delving.
While India has been a mainstay in both restaurants and cookbooks, the food of Pakistan and Bangladesh has often been misrepresented; swallowed up under the banner of ‘Indian food’.
In Made in Bangladesh, author Dina Begum showcases the country’s food in a beautiful celebration of its history and flavours. It details the nuances that separate it from its neighbours in both ingredients and the manner in which it is eaten. For instance, Bangladeshi food is eaten in courses similar to parts of Europe, rather than in unison like in the rest of the subcontinent.
Food writer and author Dina, who was born in Bangladesh and lives in the UK, writes of her early memories in the kitchen watching her mum recreate dishes she had perfected in the wood-fired stoves of Bangladesh in a British kitchen with an electric hob. How she spent hours observing her mother and eating the incredible foods created by ‘antaaz’ – estimated quantities rather than prescriptive measurements of teaspoons and grams – and was struck by the alchemy. Those early experiences set Dina on a lifelong mission to cook and share the food of her birthplace.
That deep-rooted love of the cuisine shines through Made in Bangladesh. The book showcases everything from the humble to the extravagant. Dina offers menus of dishes that are naturally complementary, and splits the book according to the seasons.