The Battle of the Flavorful: Pakistani vs. Bengali Food

Did you know that Pakistan and Bangladesh were once part of the same country? In this case, the majority of the people living in Pakistan and Bangladesh follow the same religion.

Bengal consists of India’s of West Bengal, Tripura and Barak Valley of Assam, which is close to its neighboring country, Bangladesh. It is located in the eastern portion of the Indian subcontinent. So you see, this is why these three countries share a diverse and rich history that unified and shaped their region’s culinary plate despite their differences in ethnicities and culture.

With a blend of the influence of the Mughals and masterful cooking techniques from the Indian Subcontinent and Central Asia, Pakistani cuisine remains flavorful and top-notch. People coming from every village or city have their own unique dish, which makes Pakistani’s cuisine very famous worldwide.

You’re in for a treat because we will share with you the colorful background of the Pakistani and Bengali cuisines and what sets them apart from each other.

Bengali Cuisine: A Mix of Savory and Spicy

Bengali cuisine is greatly inspired not just by their rich culture but also by their religion. Fish and seafood play a major role in the non-vegetarian diet of Bengalis, together with goat and mutton.  Bangladesh, on the other hand, has a huge demand for beef and non-vegetarian dishes. This is because people in West Bengal are mostly Hindus, while the people in Bangladesh are mostly Muslims.

Bangladeshis also consume a lot of fish. However, they prefer river fishes as they offer more flavor than fishes coming from the seas. Their national fish is called Iilish or Hilsha, which the Bengalis refer to as the “queen of the fishes.” Usually, people coming from West Bengal buy IIlish as an offering to Lakshmi, one of the principal goddesses of Hinduism and the goddess of prosperity, wealth, power, fortune and beauty.

Bangladeshi cuisine usually comes from a combination of three cuisines: Persian, Mughal and Arabic. Their food is often very spicy because of one powerful ingredient: green chilies. Fun fact: East Bengali cuisine is named the spiciest cuisine in the world!

If you think they only eat non-vegetarian food, think again. Vegetarian dishes are quite popular throughout Bengal. They also use a wide variety of roots, herbs, and spices, which are essential in Bengali cooking. Usually, they ground these ingredients together and create an aromatic and flavorful paste which they use in most of their dishes.

Pakistani Cuisine: The Meat Empire

Pakistani cuisine is known for meat dishes. Mostly, they use lamb, mutton, goat, beef and chicken. In the Sindh and Punjab regions, dishes are usually more spicy and seasoned than dishes in the Northern provinces of Pakistan, where food usually has mild flavors.

Some of the popular meat dishes of Pakistanis include Biryani, Haleem, mutton or chicken korma and Nihari. Kebabs are a well-known staple in Pakistani dishes. There is a wide variety of kebabs that you can choose from, from Chicken Tikka, Shami Kebab, Seekh Kebab to Chapli or Peshawari Kebab.

Pakistani cuisine usually uses a spice mix known as karri, which is a blend of dried ground turmeric, dried ground coriander seeds, red chili pepper or cayenne pepper, and fenugreek seeds. Some of the frequently used spices are black pepper, ginger, garlic, saffron and jeera, an Indian caraway seed. In addition to these, they use cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.

If you’re looking for vegetarian options, Pakistani dishes also offer a wide range of options, such as Aloo Matar, Sarson Ka Saag, Baighan ka Bharta (mashes brinjal) and seasonal vegetables paired with chapati and rice (and lots of dals!).

Conclusion

There are so many dishes and flavors in both Pakistani and Bengali dishes. They may have different sets of spices, different ways of cooking dishes, their own preferred set of ingredients and unique cultures, but one thing’s for sure—new delightful experiences are found in each bite of their dishes!

And if you think Pakistani dishes are nowhere near you, well, you’ll be surprised as there are a lot of Pakistani restaurants in Vancouver, Canada. Karakoram Restaurant is a traditional Pakistani Restaurant that offers fine dining and a chance to experience Pakistan’s rich and flavorful history. Contact us today so you can make a reservation now.