Savoury delicacies of old Dhaka

Although the quality is going down every day, the once famous delicacies of old Dhaka still today attract the food connoisseurs and gluttons.

Biriyani, borhani, bhuna khichuri, korma, mutton curry, different types of kebabs and drinks are among the mouth-watering items. The alleys of the old city are famous for different kinds of such delectable foods.

"The flavour and taste of biriyani in old Dhaka is still unique and this is the reason people come to old Dhaka to eat biriyani," said Tauhid, a service holder.

"Maybe because of the ingredients they use in the biriyani it tastes different from shops in other areas," he said.

However, another veteran chef in the area lamented that because of price hike and non-availability of many essential spices and ingredients the flavour and quality of the food items are not as it was before.

"The prices of the items have also gone up," he remarked.

Kazi Alauddin Road, Aga Sadeq Road, Bangshal and many other areas in old Dhaka are famous for their biriyani outlets.

"Once in a while I go to old Dhaka and eat Hajir biriyani. It's speciality is that I can eat more than when I eat biriyani from other shops because of its preparations and taste," said Samin, a service holder.

"In old times when I was a student we used to dine in old Dhaka. My favourite items were lassi, paratha and bhaji. But nowadays the taste is not like the old days," said Salam, an elderly person from Dhanmondi.

The foods of old Dhaka are a mixture of Sultani, Mughal, Portuguese, British, French, Dutch, Greek and Armenian traditions. The added ingredients are the styles of the cooks and women of old Dhaka.

Bakorkhani is one rare item that exists from the Mughal period. It is served with sweetmeat and hot dishes. There were three types of Bakorkhani -- gao joban, shuki and nimshuki.

In many parts of old Dhaka the narrow lanes are flanked by bakorkhani shops. All the shops have big ovens in the middle with lots of people engaged to make bakorkhani. They are busy kneading flour, making small balls and then making two straight cuts in the middle of the tiny disk-like pieces.

Bakorkhani is made of oil, flour, water, salt, dalda, ghee and cheese. After making small disk-like pieces those are put inside the oven for 10 minutes. Then they are yanked out of the oven with a metal stick and packed for sale.

"Around 6,000 pieces can be made in a day with the help of two apprentices," said owner and baker of a bakorkhani shop at Alauddin Road. The demand of bakorkhani is very high during the two Eids.

In the past there were many popular drinks in old Dhaka. Sheerberenj and Sheer-e-faluda were two of them.

Sheerberenj was made of half ground fine rice, milk, sugar, raisin, pistachio, rosewater, cinnamon, cardamom and saffron. Sher-e-faluda was made of vermicelli of fine rice, sugar, honey, pistachio, raisin, banana, mango, papaw, saffron, rosewater and ice.

"The faluda that are now available in New Market and Gausia are no match with the original faluda," said Nasima, an elderly woman from old Dhaka.

Hajir biriyani, Nanna Miar biriyani and Hanif biriyani are among the famous biriyani houses in old Dhaka. Many biriyani outlets are open even the whole night. more..