Last month, I had the fantastic chance to go back to Bangladesh, where I am from, on my spring festival holidays. From February 5th to February 17th, I went on a trip that was full of exciting new experiences as always; each time I went back, touching reunions and a deep dive into the touchy feeling of my native country, my village home in the rural village of Bangladesh. The trip started with a flight from China, where I live now, to Dhaka, the busiest city in Bangladesh. The city was buzzing with life, and the sights, sounds, and smells of home took me right back to my childhood. Still, I knew that the most essential part of my trip would be outside of the city, in the peaceful comfort of my village.
As the evergreen natural beauty of Bangladesh, when I went farther out into the countryside, the scenery changed into a mix of lush green fields and twisting rivers. The soft sounds of birds singing and the engine sound from the bus were my continuous companions on the journey to my village. The people in my family received me with open arms and hearts full of love. Our days were full of simple pleasures like laughing together and smelling the soothing smells of home-cooked Bangladeshi food. As a foodie I always love foods, and desi foods are like heavenly feelings for me.
Each dish was a tribute to the culinary talent of my home country. And of course, there were the sweet, melt-in-your-mouth balish pitha, which are pancakes made of rice flour and sweet coconut. They were the perfect treat for my sweet taste. The restaurent foods like Kacchi Biriyani which is the most traditional and delicious combo of Basmati rice with goat meat with tons of Masala flavours in it. The winter special Chitoi Pitha is also a popular homemade sweet item that is prepared with delicious jaggery from the date tree juice.
Most of the time I forgot to take photos as I was extremely excited and craving for these foods. What a collection of delicious foods everywhere here! The spicy flavours of chui jhal (beef cooked with a special kind of pepper) was my targeted destination in this journey which was in a different division of our country known as Khulna City which is almost 250 km from Dhaka. Also, the desi duck meat, which is soft and juicy, and the wealth of fresh desi fish made my taste buds dance with joy.
Each of the food items has a different taste which I can't get by preparing here in China and feel that the native flavor of the ingredients is unique. So I always bring a lot of spices from my country to cook here in my spare time. But I am unable to get the same taste which is found there in Bangladesh.
There was more to my trip to Bangladesh than just getting in touch with my past. It was a journey of self-discovery. As of now, I live in China again, but a part of my heart will always be in the lively villages and busy cities of Bangladesh, which I am happy to call home.
Thanks a lot for your time and attention, I will catch you at the next one.
Wish you a great day!