Bangladesh

Afternoons in Bengal Days in Bangladesh means a filling lunch and some quick snacks. The country located in southeast Asia is known for its cuisine shaped by the diverse history and river-line geography of the country. Bangladeshi cuisine has over time been largely influenced by the Mughal cuisine left behind by the Persian rulers.

Syeada Gul E Arzoo remembers these fond memories of weddings and feasts in her hometown of Dhaka. The wife of the Bangladeshi Ambassador to Saudi Arabia HE Golam Moshi. Syeada is a homemaker and an avid cook who enjoyed helping her mother in the kitchen from a very young age. It was her mother who inspired her to cook. Syeada moved to Saudi Arabia with her husband in 2015.

Chicken Tikiya Kabab

A staple at Bengali weddings and festivals, the tikiya kabab is widely enjoyed by Bangladeshis as a snack or an accompaniment to other dishes. They are usually served alongside rice pilaf or biryani and can also be eaten with paratha.

SERVINGS

4

TIME

1 HOUR

16 METHOD DIFFICULTY

FRIED EASY

pound chicken breast cup yellow lentils/chickpeas tablespoon finely chopped ginger tablespoon finely chopped garlic tablespoon finely chopped onion finely chopped green chilli tablespoon lemon juice cup finely chopped fresh coriander leaves cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves cup fried onions eggs stick whole cinnamon sticks whole cardamom pods bay leaves cloves dried red chili teaspoon whole black peppercorns teaspoon sugar Salt to taste Oil for frying 1 ⅓ 1 ½ 3 1-2 2 ½ ½ ½ 2 3 5-6 3 5-6 1 1 ½

Preparation

In a large pot, place the chicken, lentils, ginger, garlic, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, bay leaf, cloves, dried red chili, peppercorns, salt and cover with twice the volume of water and boil. Boil until almost all the water dries up and the meat and lentils are tender.

Remove from heat and let it cool down. Discard bay leaves and cinnamon sticks.

Once it’s cool, use a meat grinder and mince mixture of chicken, lentils and the remaining spices.

Add the freshly chopped coriander, mint, green chili, fried onion, lemon juice, sugar, salt (if needed) and eggs to the minced mixture and mix well.

Using your hand, form the minced mixture into small balls and flatten it down with the palm of your hands.

Heat a saucepan with oil and shallow fry the tikiyas. When the outer surface turns a golden color, remove them and place them on a bed of paper towel to soak the oil.

Transfer to a dish and serve with a choice of your favorite sauce or chutney.

Tips

These tikiyas can be made ahead and frozen for up to 1 month. After step 5, skip the frying process and place in an air-tight container or a food safe ziplock bag and freeze.

In Bangladesh, people take their tea time very seriously. Every afternoon, families gather in the kitchen and prepare different snacks and pastries to serve alongside tea. The goja is one of many popular snacks at tea time. The sweet, crispy pastry is enjoyed by both adults and children alike.

SERVINGS

5

Ingredients

TIME

1 HOUR

FOR THE DOUGH 1 cup flour 5-6 stick softened butter 1 cup milk ¼ teaspoon salt

Preparation

METHOD

FRIED

DIFFICULTY

EASY

FOR SYRUP 1 cup sugar ½ cloves ½ cup water ¼ cup ghee Oil for frying

In a large bowl, place flour and butter and mix well.

Add half of the milk to the flour mixture and start kneading. Add milk little by little as you knead until you form a nice elastic dough which isn’t too sticky.

Form the dough into a large ball, cover it and let it rest for 15 mins.

Divide the dough into equal portions and roll out each dough into 1mm thick ovals. Cut the strips vertically on the dough using a knife or a pizza cutter and pinch the two sides of the strips to close.

Heat sufficient oil in a pan and deep-fry the gojas until golden brown and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on absorbent paper to remove excess oil.

Prepare the sugar syrup by placing the sugar, water and cloves in a pot and bringing them to a boil. Once the mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat

Dip the fried gojas in sugar syrup, coat, and remove quickly. Once the sugar coating is set, brush a little ghee on top.

Tips

These Gojas can be stored for a week in an air-tight container at room temperature and can be enjoyed anytime. They are best eaten warm and crispy alongside a cup of milky tea.