Sylheti cuisine represents the food culture of Sylhetis. It has grown up depending on the availability of plants and animals in the region. It can vary from tangy and sour ingredients such as Hatkora to spicyfermented fish dishes like Hutki Shira. Snacks and confectionary include Tusha Shinni and Nunor Bora. Mainly indigenous with some variety, food culture is performed among the Sylhetis that received some external influences as well. The culinary system of nearby tribal people such as the Khasi, Kuki and others have influenced the Sylheti cuisine. The cuisine also includes many meat dishes using chicken, beef and goat influenced by Mughlai, Middle Eastern and Northern Indian cuisines.
Rice
Most of the Bangladeshi people are accustomed to eating Una Bhat, except the Chitagonian and Sylhetis. In Sylhet region, the notable rices are Aush, Aman, Boro, Eri, Biroin, Kalojira, Sonali Jira etc. Ala Bhat is the staple food of the Sylhetis. Atop rice is a little sticky and delicious. They also prefer glutinous rice to make different delicacy. Research found that Sylheti rice has a lower arsenic concentration than similar types of rice from other regions of Bangladesh. According to the journal Biomedical Spectroscopy and Imaging, the Sylheti rice contained higher amounts of the essential nutrientsselenium and zinc. Several varieties of Sylheti aromatic rice are also lower arsenic contaminated than the well-known Basmati aromatic rice from India and Pakistan.
Akhni
Akhni is a mixed rice dish made of ghee, meat, vegetables etc. It is known as Akhni Birani and Akhni Fulaw as it is considered to be a particular variation of biryani or polao. It is a popular dish in the month of Ramadan, and any special occasion.
Biroin Bhat
Biroin Bhat is one type of glutinous rice popular in Sylhet region. There is a special type of red-and-white sticky aromatic Biroin Rice is found only in the Sylhet region. This aromatic biroin chaul is cooked and eaten with fried fish, meat or kebab, khirshah rasmalai, date molasses etc. Biroin Chal is an organic rice cultivated in the highland of Sylhet and Chottogram. It is the main ingredients for Chunga Pitha, a traditional rice cake in the Sylhet region.
Kisuri
Soft Kisuri or simply Kisuri is one kind of rice-based meal which is similar in consistency to porridge. It is a traditional food in Sylheti cuisine. During the holy month of Ramadan, it is served most dinner tables as a staple food for iftar. To cook Kisuri aromatic rice mixing with various spices including ghee, kalozira and fenugreek is used. There are two types of Soft Khichuri; white soft khichuri and yellow soft khichuri.
Meat
Curries made with pastes of fresh and dried chillies, roots and spices are very favourite to Sylhetis.
is a common fruit and used to cook different dishes with fish and meat. Enriched with Vitamin C and antioxidants, Hatkora curry is generally eaten with rice. Beef Hatkora is a very famous dish making use of the fruit. Not only a popular khatta or Tenga curry is made with the bones of cow feet and Hatkora but also different kinds of meat is used as well.
Aash Bash is one kind of curry made of duck and bamboo shoot. Though it is not as common in all areas as a curry, it is one of the traditional and delicious dishes in Sylheti cuisine. This dish is eaten with rice or Tandoor bread. Aash Bash curry is less spicy in taste.
Fish
Different types of fish curries is available in Sylheti cuisine. Fish is eaten both curry and fried. Dried and fermented fish called Hutki, and Hatkora, a bitter and fragrant citrus fruit are used for cooking curries. Even the extremely hot Naga Morich is used with broths. The most savored local cuisines include Hidol or fermented fish chutney, Hutki Shira or dried fish curry, and various freshwater fish indigenous to this region. It is thought by the locals that excessive spicy hotness of Hidol Chutney is a remedy for colds and headaches.
Hutki Shira
Hutki Shira is a fermented fish curry made of vegetables, leafy greens and fish or prawns. It is curry without oil or fat. This dish varies on the availability of seasonal vegetables. Traditionally, hidol is used to cook the curry.
Thoikor Tenga is a curry dish and very popular in Sylhet. Thoikor is an citrus fruit, it is found almost all over the year in the Sylhet region like Hatkora. It is cooked with small fish.
Delicacy and savory
Bakarkhani
Sylheti bakarkhani differs from the variants of Dhaka. Dhakaiya Bakarkhani is somewhat biscuity, whereas the Sylheti variant resembles more with paratha. Bakarkhani is popularly eaten with tea in the evening. It can be savoury or slightly sweet, leavened or unleavened, soft or crisp.
Biscuits
During the British period, biscuits and loaves were introduced in the region and received popularity within the Muslim community. The middle-class Hindus of Cachar and Sylhet were very suspicious of biscuits and breads as they believed they were baked by Muslims. In one occasion, a few Hindus in Cachar caught some Englishman eating biscuits with tea which caused an uproar. The information reached the Hindus of Sylhet and a little rebellion occurred. In response to this, companies started to advertise their bread as "machine-made" and "untouched by hand" to tell Hindus that the breads were "safe for consumption". This incident is mentioned in Bipin Chandra Pal's autobiography and he mentions how gradually culinary habits of Hindus eventually changed.
Handesh
Handesh is a sweet and puffy deep-fried snack made of molasses or sugar and flour. It is also known as teler pitha. It is often eaten with tea as a snack. It is very famous on special occasions such as naming ceremonies and wedding festivities and at the time of Eid festival of the Sylhetis.
Nunor Bora
Nunor Bora also known as Nungora is a savoury rice flour snack. It is made of onion, ginger and turmeric that gives the snack its golden appearance. It is eaten with tea as a snack and is very popular at the time of Eid festival to the Sylhetis. Nunor Bora can be stored in a fridge for a later usage without frying.
Sunga Pitha
Sunga Fita is a traditional rice cake. This unique delicacy is prepared by stuffing the sticky rice inside young bamboo and smoke slowly. Once the delicacy is prepared, the rice cake is separated from the tube as a candle. It is also made with binni rice, milk, sugar, coconut, and rice powder.
Tusha Shinni
Tusha Shinni is a type of flour halwa and a popular desert. This dish is lightly spicy, soft and sweet. It is very famous in different religious occasions. Frying flour and adding it to sugary syrup, Tusha Shinni is prepared. Garnish with raisins, almonds etc. it is served.
