When Dina Begum departed Bangladesh as a young child, her most enduring possessions were sensory memories: the aromatic whispers of her family’s kitchen and the rhythmic sounds of home-cooked meals. Settling in England at just four years old, she was part of the Sylheti community that now forms the backbone of the British Bangladeshi diaspora.
In the UK, the “curry house” became the dominant symbol of this community’s culinary heritage. An estimated 80-90 percent of these restaurants are run by Bangladeshis, a enterprise that, while successful, condensed the vast and varied tapestry of Bangladeshi cuisine into the single, oversimplified label of “curry.”
“For a long time, these restaurants haven’t showcased the true depth of our food. Bangladeshi cuisine is incredibly diverse, and my mission is to highlight that,” Begum explains. Now a celebrated food writer and chef, she has dedicated her career to challenging this monolithic perception. Her latest cookbook, Made in Bangladesh, is a heartfelt endeavor to transport the authentic flavors of her homeland to a global audience.
While her first publication, The Brick Lane Cookbook, captured the vibrant energy of London’s Bangladeshi community, Made in Bangladesh is a visual and culinary homage to its source. The book is richly illustrated with serene landscapes, bustling local markets, and stunning produce, all serving as a backdrop to meticulously photographed dishes that invite the reader to explore.
From Family Kitchen to Written Recipe
Begum’s culinary foundation was laid not in a formal classroom, but at the elbows of her mother and grandmother. She learned through patient observation, absorbing techniques and flavors over years of shared cooking.
“The real challenge was translating a lifetime of intuitive cooking into precise recipes,” she reflects. The dishes passed down through her family were guided by instinct and handfuls, not cups and timers. “To make these cherished recipes accessible, I had to almost unlearn my own process. Capturing the ‘feel’ of Bangladeshi cooking in measured steps was initially a foreign concept.”
This meticulous effort to codify an oral tradition resulted in a curated collection of 76 recipes in Made in Bangladesh. Each dish was carefully selected to represent not just her Sylheti roots but the distinct culinary identities of all eight administrative divisions of Bangladesh, offering a true taste of the nation’s rich regional diversity.