Food of Bangladesh

Bangladeshi cooking centers on rice and the fish of its rivers and delta. Mustard oil, mustard paste, panch phoron, green chilies and fresh coconut give the food its character, and fresh fish from hilsa to prawns appears often. Meals feature rice with dal, a vegetable mash called bhorta, fish or meat curry and sweet yogurt or milk-based desserts. Biryani and rich meat dishes are favorites for gatherings.

Shorshe ilish
National dish

Shorshe ilish

Hilsa fish in a sharp mustard sauce with green chilies, served with steamed rice.

How to make Shorshe ilish

Staples

  • rice
  • hilsa fish
  • lentils
  • potato
  • eggplant
  • mustard
  • coconut

Signature flavors

  • mustard oil
  • panch phoron
  • green chili
  • turmeric
  • cumin
  • ginger
  • cardamom

Main dishes

Shorshe ilish
Shorshe ilish

Hilsa fish in a sharp mustard sauce with green chilies, served with steamed rice.

Key ingredients: hilsa fish, mustard paste, mustard oil, green chili, turmericFull guide →
Kacchi biryani
Kacchi biryani

Dhaka's marinated mutton biryani cooked with raw meat and rice layered together.

Key ingredients: basmati rice, mutton, yogurt, potato, fried onion, gheeFull guide →
Bhuna khichuri
Bhuna khichuri

Rice and lentils cooked with ghee, spices and caramelized onions.

Key ingredients: rice, moong dal, ghee, onion, cumin
Chingri malai curry
Chingri malai curry

Prawns in a creamy coconut-milk sauce.

Key ingredients: prawns, coconut milk, onion, ginger, cardamom
Dal
Dal

Simple spiced lentils with fried garlic and chili.

Key ingredients: red lentils, turmeric, garlic, dried chiliFull guide →

Breakfast

Paratha with bhaji
Paratha with bhaji

Flaky paratha with mixed vegetable curry.

Key ingredients: wheat flour, vegetable curry, dalFull guide →
Luchi
Luchi

Small puffy fried bread eaten with potato curry.

Key ingredients: refined flour, ghee, potato curry
Panta bhat
Panta bhat

Fermented rice with onion and chili, popular for new-year morning.

Key ingredients: rice, water, onion, green chili, fried fish
Halwa roti
Halwa roti

Sweet semolina with bread.

Key ingredients: semolina, sugar, ghee, roti

Street food

Fuchka
Fuchka

Crisp shells with tamarind water and spiced potato.

Key ingredients: puri, potato, tamarind, chickpeasFull guide →
Chotpoti
Chotpoti

Tangy spiced chickpea snack with egg and tamarind.

Key ingredients: chickpeas, potato, egg, tamarind, onion
Jhalmuri
Jhalmuri

Spicy puffed-rice mix.

Key ingredients: puffed rice, mustard oil, onion, chili
Singara
Singara

Triangular pastry with potato filling.

Key ingredients: flour, potato, peas, spicesFull guide →
Haji biryani
Haji biryani

Pilaf-style biryani served in a small pot.

Key ingredients: mutton, rice, spices

Soups

Chicken soup
Chicken soup

Ginger chicken broth with vegetables.

Key ingredients: chicken, ginger, carrot, pepper

Salads

Shosha salad

Cucumber, onion and chili salad with lemon.

Key ingredients: cucumber, onion, green chili, lemon
Borhani
Borhani

Spiced yogurt drink served with biryani.

Key ingredients: yogurt, mint, black salt, green chili

Desserts and sweets

Rasgulla
Rasgulla

Spongy cheese balls in syrup.

Key ingredients: chhena, sugarFull guide →
Mishti doi
Mishti doi

Sweet set yogurt in clay pots.

Key ingredients: milk, sugar
Roshomalai
Roshomalai

Cheese patties in sweet cream.

Key ingredients: chhena, milk, sugar, cardamom
Chomchom
Chomchom

Oblong cheese sweets from Tangail.

Key ingredients: chhena, sugar, cream
Jilapi
Jilapi

Fried spirals in syrup.

Key ingredients: flour, sugarFull guide →

Drinks

Cha
Cha

Milk tea with sugar, served in every shop.

Key ingredients: tea, milk, sugar
Lassi
Lassi

Yogurt drink.

Key ingredients: yogurt, sugarFull guide →
Daber pani
Daber pani

Fresh green coconut water.

Key ingredients: young coconut
Akher rosh
Akher rosh

Fresh sugarcane juice.

Key ingredients: sugarcane, ginger
Lebur shorbot
Lebur shorbot

Sweet lemon drink.

Key ingredients: lemon, sugar, water

Fruits and produce

Jackfruit
Jackfruit

National fruit, eaten ripe or as a vegetable.

Key ingredients: ripe, curry, seedsFull guide →
Mango
Mango

Himsagar and Langra varieties.

Key ingredients: fresh, pickle, juiceFull guide →
Lychee
Lychee

Summer treat from Dinajpur.

Key ingredients: fresh, juice
Banana
Banana

Eaten fresh and cooked.

Key ingredients: fresh, fried, curry
Guava
Guava

Crisp guava with salt.

Key ingredients: fresh, chili salt

Dish guides from Bangladesh

Biryani
BiryaniMain dishes
Dal
DalMain dishes
Jackfruit
JackfruitFruits
Jalebi
JalebiDesserts and sweets
Lassi
LassiDrinks
Mango
MangoFruits
Pani puri
Pani puriStreet food
Paratha
ParathaBreakfast
Rasgulla
RasgullaDesserts and sweets
Samosa
SamosaStreet food
Shorshe ilish
Shorshe ilishMain dishes
Explore Bangladesh on Geographical EffectMaps, capital and cities, population, climate, landscapes and landmarks.

More cuisines of Southern Asia

About this page

Descriptions written by Intercontinental Chef. Dishes are listed as commonly eaten today; many are shared across neighbouring countries.

Photo credits
  • ঐতিহ্যবাহী সর্ষে ইলিশ: রিজওয়ান আহমেদ, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • "Hyderabadi Dum Biryani": Mahi Tatavarty, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Dall Khichdi: Rpande, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Grøntsager og tigerrejer i rød karry (4477230448): cyclonebill from Copenhagen, Denmark, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • 3 types of lentil: User:Justinc, CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Triangle paratha (cropped): Nithyasrm, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Puri - Digha - East Midnapore - 2015-05-03 9778: Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Panta Ilish: Tahmid Munaz from Dhaka, Bangladesh, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Orient sweets (special halva) Samarkand, Siyab: Shuhrenataxmedov, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Pani Puri1: Sruthi612, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Chotpoti (cropped): Ferdous, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • ঢাকার ফুটপাতের ঝালমুড়ি: Johirpro, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Samosas, snack food at Wikipedia's 16th Birthday celebration in Chittagong (01): Moheen Reeyad, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Chicken Noodle Soup: Hoyabird8, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • A Glass of Borhani: DarkSpartan, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Rasgulla: HrichikHv, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Mishti Doi: Kirti Poddar, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Ras Malai 2: Shaharbano, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • BD Porabarir Chamcham: P.K.Niyogi, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Basavanagudi Kadalekai Parishe (2025) Bangalore (86): Gpkp, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Longjing tea steeping in gaiwan: Difference engine, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Salt lassi: Raksanand, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Young Coconut Drink: Shameelnurani313, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Sugarcanejuice: Food Trails, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Lemonade - 27682817724: HarshLight, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • The jackfruit is holding on to the tree: This work was made by Tushar Hossain and released under the license(s) stated below. Please feel free to use it for any, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Mangos - single and halved: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Litchi chinensis fruits: B.navez, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • 14-QWSTION-BANANATEX-STRIPPING-LAUSCHSICHT: BANANATEX, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Guava pink fruit: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)