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A large structure of an old Mughal palace has replaced the usual entrance to the Latitude and as you enter, the sweet aroma of spices dances in the air while the long spread of dishes laid out provide a feast for the eyes. Little flags are placed on each table and traditional oriental music fills the room.
Launched on Wednesday (2 April), the festival was officiated by Bangladesh High Commissioner Sufiur Rahman and Taj Group of Hotels Area Director Rohit Khosla along with high profile diplomatic officials, ambassadors and local politicians.
From Dhaka to Sri Lanka
Its first food festival for the year, the Taj Samudra has brought in three specialised chefs from Pan Pacific Dhaka to infuse traditional flavours and colour to host an incomparable gourmet experience. Held in conjunction with the Bangladesh High Commission Sri Lanka, what you get here is the best of traditional cuisine – prepared to recipes that have been passed down through generations.
Bangladesh High Commissioner Sufiur Rahman briefly addressing the gathering at the launch noted that this was an opportunity for friends of Bangladesh to enjoy and experience the true taste of the country. “Our countries have many things in common. The spices we use in our cuisine are very similar to what you use here. The difference lies in its application,” he said.
Bangladeshi food has also been influenced by South East Asia and has a distinct taste that is North Indian; however, the cuisine has an identity of its own and is “light and not as strong as Sri Lankan food”.
Special dishes for dignitaries
Pan Pacific Dhaka Assistant Director RB & E Mohd. Oliullah, who accompanied the chefs to Sri Lanka, noted that among the dishes prepared, there are three key items to keep an eye out for – Hilsa (or Ilsa) fish appetiser, kachi biriyani and traditional patishapta.
The first two are specially prepared for visits by heads of state and dignitaries while the third is a famous sweetmeat loved by all.
“Hilsha fish is a famous dish in Bangladesh. It is juicy and has a lot of flavour. However, there are lot of bones, and it takes approximately two days to rid the bones from the meat,” Oliullah said. What is presented at Taj is the smoked Hilsha without bones, on toast. And this is delicious indeed – saltier than smoked tuna, one little appetiser gives a burst of flavour all at once and is guaranteed to leave you wanting more.
The kachi biriyani, another special dish, is a must-have for a Bangladesh wedding. “If this isn’t served, it is like the wedding didn’t take place.” The dish is a traditional saffron-flavoured mutton biriyani with the rice to mutton ration being 1:3 (1 kg basmati rice: 3 kg mutton).
The patishapta has been cited by Hillary Clinton as “one of the finest sweets I have tasted in my life,” according to Oliullah. This is a pancake filled with milk cream with a little bit of spice used for flavour. A personal favourite, this is the ideal dessert to finish off a good hearty meal.
What more to expect
Other than the above mentioned special three, a range of samosas, vegetable and chicken pakoras are served on arrival. The mains consists of the traditional kachi biriyani, mixed vegetable curry, thick dhal, fish masala, prawn masala, mutton curry and flavoured roast chicken, among others.
At the dessert corner, a few key items to look forward are creamy shemai and saffron jorda.
With Latitude being the main dining restaurant, there is also a range of international and Sri Lankan cuisine as well, giving diners the opportunity to truly enjoy the flavours of the world.
The food festival will be held till 12 April and is priced at Rs. 2,500 nett. For reservations contact 011 2446622.
