Sylheti cuisine

Akhni is a mixed rice dish made of ghee, meat, vegetables etc. It is known as Akhni Birani and Akhni Fulaw as it is considered to be a particular variation of biryani or polao. It is a popular dish in the month of Ramadan, and any special occasion.

Biroin Bhat is one type of glutinous rice popular in Sylhet region. There is a special type of red-and-white sticky aromatic Biroin Rice is found only in the Sylhet region.[29] This aromatic biroin chaul is cooked and eaten with fried fish, meat or kebab, khirshah rasmalai, date molasses etc.[22][30] Biroin Chal is an organic rice cultivated in the highland of Sylhet and Chottogram.[31] It is the main ingredients for Chunga Pitha, a traditional rice cake in the Sylhet region.[32]

Soft Kisuri or simply Kisuri is one kind of rice-based meal which is similar in consistency to porridge. It is a traditional food in Sylheti cuisine. During the holy month of Ramadan, it is served most dinner tables as a staple food for iftar. To cook Kisuri aromatic rice mixing with various spices including ghee, kalozira and fenugreek is used. There are two types of Soft Khichuri; white soft khichuri (jau/zau) and yellow soft khichuri (kisuri).

Beef Hatkora is curry cooking by Hatkora, a special citrus fruit with beef. It is a very famous dish at the time of Eid-ul-Adha festival. The cooking style of Sylheti Hatkora is not same the cooking system of Bangladeshis at all. Both of its taste and aroma are different from all other Bangladeshi cuisine. This fruit is commonly used in Sylheti curries. Not only a popular khatta or Tenga curry is made with the bones of cow feet and Hatkora but also different kinds of meat is used as well.

Chicken tikka masala is composed of chicken tikka, boneless chunks of chicken marinated in spices and yogurt. A sauce is usually creamy and orange-coloured is used to cook this curry. The Multicultural Handbook of Food, Nutrition and Dietetics credits its creation to Bangladeshi migrant chefs in the 1960s. Chicken tikka masala is served in restaurants around the world.

Aash Bash is one kind of curry made of duck and bamboo shoot. Though it is not as common in all areas as a curry, it is one of the traditional and delicious dishes in Sylheti cuisine. This dish is eaten with rice or Tandoor bread. Aash Bash curry is less spicy in taste.

Phall is a British Asian curry which was originated in the British Bangladeshi-owned curry-houses. It is hotter than vindaloo. This dish is a tomato-based thick curry which includes ginger and fennel seeds optionally.

Hutki Shira is a fermented fish curry made of vegetables, leafy greens and fish or prawns. It is curry without oil or fat. This dish varies on the availability of seasonal vegetables. Traditionally, hidol is used to cook the curry.

Thoikor Tenga is a curry dish and very popular in Sylhet. Thoikor is an citrus fruit, it is found almost all over the year in the Sylhet region like Hatkora. It is cooked with small fish.

Sylhety Bakarkhani is completely different from the variants of Dhaka.[37] Dhakai Bakarkhani is a somewhat cookie type snack, where the Sylheti bakarkhani resembles porota a lot.[38] Bakarkhani is an Iftar item in Sylhet. It is also eaten with tea at night during the month of ramadan.[39] Sylheti Bakharkhani can be tasted as savoury or slightly sweet, leavened or unleavened, soft or crisp.[40]

According to a hearsay, Bakarkhani was invented in the middle of the 18th century. It is believed that Bakarkhani was first made by the people of Sylhet.[41][42] Sylhetis learnt making Bakarkhani from the Afghans who stayed in Sylhet after defeated by the Mughals in 1612. Later many Sylhetis came to Dhaka and started making Bakarkhani commercially.[43] At present most of Dhaka's bakarkhani sellers are from the Sylhet Division.[44][45]

From the second half of the 19th century, Europeans and Muslims introduced biscuits and loaves in the Sylhet region that attracted the Muslim community highly.[46] It gained popularity by the Hindus much more later.[47]

Handesh is a sweet and puffy deep-fried snack made of molasses or sugar and flour. It is also known as teler pitha. It is often eaten with tea as a snack. It is very famous on special occasions such as naming ceremonies and wedding festivities and at the time of Eid festival of the Sylhetis.

Nunor Bora also known as Nungora is a savoury rice flour snack. It is made of onion, ginger and turmeric that gives the snack its golden appearance. It is eaten with tea as a snack and is very popular at the time of Eid festival to the Sylhetis. Nunor Bora can be stored in a fridge for a later usage without frying.

Sunga Fita is a traditional rice cake (pitha). This unique delicacy is prepared by stuffing the sticky rice inside young bamboo and smoke slowly. Once the delicacy is prepared, the rice cake is separated from the tube as a candle. It is also made with binni rice, milk, sugar, coconut, and rice powder.

Tusha Shinni is a type of flour halwa and a popular desert. This dish is lightly spicy, soft and sweet. It is very famous in different religious occasions. Frying flour and adding it to sugary syrup, Tusha Shinni is prepared. Garnish with raisins, almonds etc. it is served.