Coastal Cuisines of Bangladesh- Chittagong Delicacies

Ziauddin Choudhury

My appreciation of coastal food reached new heights with my tenure in Chittagong that
followed my Noakhali stretch. The abundance of sea fish variety in Chittagong and the
wealth of ways people in the area prepared and cooked this wonderful food simply
overwhelmed me. The other source of protein in Chittagong was the marvelous beef that
came from quality animals that were raised only for food. The major difference between
the cuisines of Chittagong and Noakhali was the preponderance of marine fish in
Chittagong, processed and unprocessed, and the dominance of beef. Equally important
was the variation in cooking in the two regions. Unlike Noakhali Chittagong cuisine was
also marked by lot more spices including some of the most mouth scalding chilies that I
had ever tasted.

In my three and a half year’s of work in Chittagong I had several privileges to eat most
authentic Chittagong cuisine that included all types of fish preparation, both fresh and
dry, game birds, and of course beef. Unfortunately I cannot recall in a short span of time
all of my culinary experiences that I had in my official trips in the nooks and crannies of
the district. I will recall here one my most memorable trips in my initial year in
Chittagong that was planned and intended to introduce me to Chittagong coastal cuisine.

The invitation came from Rasul Nizam, a scion of the celebrated Nizam family of
Anwara Thana. Rasul Nizam, himself a leader in tea trade in Chittagong, was the eldest
son of late O.R. Nizam, a business man and a former Mayor of Chittagong city. I had
known Rasul Bhai, as I used to call him, much before I had landed in Chittagong, and I
was much attached to his family. The occasion was dedication of a local High School
building which had been established in the memory of O.R. Nizam, and formal opening
of a District Council funded local road.

Although Anwara is located in the estuary of Karnaphuli River, almost opposite

Chittagong port, the access to the area is by a circuitous road. It takes about two hours to
reach Anwara, and on a normal official trip to the area I would return to Chittagong the
same day after a visit was over. On this occasion, however, Rasul Bhai asked that I stay
over one night in Anwara in my next visit so that he could introduce me to the variety of
Chittagong cuisine that he had been telling me about.

We reached Anwara late in the morning to be greeted by local officials. My residence

for the night would be the District Council dak bungalow, while Rasul Bhai would stay at
his village family home. We agreed that I would turn up at his village home for lunch
after my official work for the morning was over.

I had asked Rasul Bhai that at lunch I would like to taste shutki, dried marine and
freshwater fish that Chittagong is famous for. I did not know what my request would
lead me to until I arrived at the Nizam family home for lunch. It was not only dry fish
galore; it was truly a culinary exhibition of all kinds of fish—both dry and fresh that the
coastal area yielded.

After initial salutations and exchange of greetings with other guests, we were led to a
large room where a huge table in the corner featured with numerous dishes. Obviously, I
needed guidance to explore the dishes and accord appropriate justice to the cook or cooks
of these marvelous culinary delights. Rasul Bhai was not only a generous host, but also a
consummate guide in this exploration.

The first was an appetizer, a small but longish fish, fried crispy. The fish locally called
Loittya is known in the outside world, especially the Anglicized world as Bombay Duck.
The fish is marketed after being cleaned, salted, and dried in the sun. This delicious
appetizer was followed by Rupchanda (Pomfret) prepared in a sauce rich with red chilly,
a fish to die for. Immediately thereafter we had a concoction of curry made with Koi fish
(Perch family) and Loittya shutki, and white rice. Before I could say I had enough Rasul
Bhai signaled to the waiting staff, and more dishes started to emerge and my eyes started
to bulge.

The next dish was another Chittagong favorite, dried Churri fish (a long ribbon like fish)
fried with onion and green chilly, an extremely tasty local preparation. This would be
followed by a large Koral fish (Grouper family) roasted in heavy spice, and presented in a
large platter. When I was about to cry uncle, a curry made of giant black tiger shrimp
swimming in a bed of red sauce made with red chilly descended on the table. I enjoyed
the dishes thoroughly even though my inside was burning like hot coals. Mercifully, the
dishes stopped appearing after I told Rasul Bhai that I would not be able to present
myself for Mezban that night if I had to eat any more at lunch. We concluded the lunch
with locally made doi (yogurt) topped with cane sugar. This helped to put down the fire
inside my stomach caused by so much hot food.

The piece de resistance in the evening to which I was looking forward was the traditional
Mezban—a Persian word literally meaning a host. The word now means 'community
feasting', a tradition that originated in Chittagong region. It is usually hosted by rich
people and the occasions include the death anniversary of an individual, the birth of a
child, any special achievement by someone, inauguration of a new business, or
celebration of the entrance to a new residence. Organizing a Mezban symbolizes a high
profile of the host. Mezban organizers take pride in the number of people joining the
feast, which sometimes may go up to a few thousands.

The notable feature of the Mezban is its simple menu: just rice and beef curry. But it is
not just a simple curry. Its preparation takes a whole day and night, and the spices that go
inside the curry make it unique. The number of beef cows used at a Mezban depends on
the number of invitees as well as financial wealth of the host. For the Anwara event that
night two cows had been slaughtered the day before our arrival.
The cooking is entirely done by men, in the open, in large brass pots over a freshly made
hearth using firewood as fuel. The meat along with bones, and other body parts of the
cow (head, liver, and trotters included) are mixed in the huge pots (two or three,
depending on the quantity) with onions, garlic, powdered red chilly, cumin, coriander, a
specially fragrant herb (I cannot recall), and oil. Then it is cooked over slow fire,
covered, for several hours (about six to seven) until the meat becomes very tender.
Usually no water is added, the beef generates enough juice to make a stew. This
delectable curry is then served with steaming parboiled rice accompanied by a salad of
onions, green chilly, and tomatoes.

Needless to say I was hungry for this mouth-watering dish as soon as I entered Rasul
Bhai’s ancestral home once again in the evening. The fragrance of cooking wafted across
the rather chilly evening air making me giddy with expectations. We were seated this
time in a canopied meeting and greeting place where a dozen tables were set up to
accommodate a large number of guests. The evening formalities over we sat down to our
tables, first to be entertained with fresh lemonades, and then straight on to the main
course. There were no varieties; it was the one and only Mezban beef, bowls of them
accompanied by hot, steaming rice. I swooped down into my plate, and immediately
went to a heavenly sensation with my taste buds that only Mezban can produce. That is
one tasty creation that only Chittagong can provide.

I returned to the Dak Bungalow with a full belly but a completed sated mind. I would
carry that remarkable culinary experience of Anwara for the rest of my Chittagong days.

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