Bangladesh: Geography, Culture, and Economy

• South Asia includes: Bangladesh, India, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka.
• "Indian subcontinent" sometimes refers to Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan.

Bangladesh

• Dhaka is located in the Ganges and Brahmaputra river delta in the northeastern Indian subcontinent.
• Bangladesh is known for its river systems, fertile land, and cultural heritage.
• The population shares common Bengali language and traditions.
• Bangladesh is an Islamic nation, however embraces religious harmony.
• The Constitution officially recognized Islam as the state religion in 1988
• Religious Demographics
  • Islam: 86.6%
  • Hinduism: 12.1%
  • Buddhism: 0.6%
  • Christianity: 0.4%
  • Other religions: 0.3%
• Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Adha, Durga Puja, Buddha Purnima, and Christmas are widely celebrated.

Economic Landscape

• The official currency is the Taka.
• The economy is largely agriculture-based
• Primary agricultural products:
  • Rice: Staple food
  • Jute: Major export for textiles and packaging
  • Tea: Grown in northeastern hills
  • Wheat, lentils, sugarcane, and spices
  • Fruits: Mangoes, pineapples, bananas, and jackfruit (national fruit)

Bangladeshi Cuisine

• Cuisine is deeply rooted in tradition with rich blend of spices, mustard oil, and ghee.
• Rice is the foundation, often with lentils, vegetables, meat, or fish.

Key Elements

• Rice & Lentils (Dal) are fundamental components of daily meals
• Curry Dishes: Prepared with proteins like fish, meat, and vegetables
• Fish: Staples, includes ilish (hilsa), rohu, butterfish, catfish, and tilapia
• Meat: Commonly consumed meats includes chicken, beef, lamb, and duck
• Vegetables: Bharta (mashed), sabji (stir-fried), or saag (leaf-based dishes)
• Breads: Naan, paratha, roti, bakarkhani, and luchi

Signature Dishes and Festive Foods

• Biryani & Pulao: Rice dishes cooked with meat, seafood, or vegetables
• Kacchi Biryani: Preparation featuring spiced mutton and rice
• Tehari: Beef biryani variant, often enjoyed as street food
• Seafood: Lobster and shrimp are popular in coastal areas

Desserts & Traditional Sweets

• Mishti: Milk-based confections like rasgulla, cham cham, and sandesh
• Pitha: Rice-based cakes, often prepared during festivals
• Halwa & Kheer: Semolina, nuts, and dairy

Tea Culture and Beverages

• Tea (cha) is the national beverage and a symbol of hospitality.

India

• New Delhi is geographically diverse with Himalayan ranges, fertile plains, arid deserts, and a vast coastline.
• Recognized for its multicultural and multiethnic composition.

Religious Demographics

• Hinduism is the predominant religion.
• Buddhism and Jainism emphasize spiritual enlightenment and non-violence
• Sikhism originates in Punjab, emphasizing devotion, equality, and service
• Islam was introduced through trade and conquests
• Christianity was introduced by missionaries and traders in regions like Kerala and Goa

Economic Landscape

• India has one of the largest and most diversified economies; economic disparities persist.
• The Indian Rupee is the official currency.

Indian Cuisine

• Cuisine is known for its bold flavors, intricate spices, and diverse techniques.
• Spices are essential and used whole, ground, roasted, sautéed, or infused in oil or ghee.

Key Elements

• Curry: Spiced dishes, either dry or with a rich gravy base
• Tandoori Cooking: Roasting in a clay oven (tandoor)
• Rice and Breads: Staples like basmati rice, naan, roti, and paratha.
• Dairy Products: Ghee, paneer, and yogurt are widely used

Notable Dishes

• Butter Chicken: Creamy dish with tomatoes and aromatic spices, served with naan, black lentils (kaali daal), and salad
• Tandoori Chicken: Spiced chicken cooked in a tandoor, served with basmati rice and onions
• Naan: Leavened flatbread, cooked in a tandoor and served with curries
• Malai Kofta: Vegetarian alternative to meatballs

Afghanistan

• Landlocked, multiethnic nation in South-Central Asia.
• Kabul serves as the political, economic, and cultural center.

People and Culture

• Afghans comprise diverse ethnic groups: Pashtuns, Tajiks, Hazaras, Uzbeks, and Turkmens.

Religious Demographics

• Islamic nation; nearly entire population adheres to the faith.
• Sunni Islam is followed by the majority (~80%).
• Shi’a Muslim communities practice Twelver Islam.

Economic Landscape

• Primarily agriculture-based with contributions from livestock, trade, and small-scale industries.
• The official currency is the Afghani (AFN).
• Fertile valleys and river plains support crops that forms the basis of Afghan cuisine.

Afghan Cuisine

• Characterized by flavors, spices, and emphasis on grains, meats, and dairy.

Signature Dishes

• Kabuli Palaw: Rice with raisins, carrots, and beef or lamb
• Qormah (Korma): Stew or casserole with slow-cooked ingredients
• Afghan Kebab: Lamb dish found in restaurants and street vendor stalls
• Doogh: Yogurt-based beverage with water and mint

Bhutan

• A landlocked nation in South-Central Asia, on the eastern ridges of the Himalayas.
• Historically remote, undergoing modernization while preserving culture and environment.
• Thimphu is the capital and largest city.

People and Culture

• Population is composed of Bhutia, Nepalese, and Sharchop ethnic groups.
• Dzongkha is the official language.

Religious Demographics

• Bhutan is predominantly Buddhist, with ~75% practicing Tibetan Buddhism.

Economic Landscape

• Primarily agrarian, with agriculture, livestock, and forestry as the foundation.
• The currency is the Ngultrum.

Bhutanese Cuisine

• Influenced by Chinese, Tibetan, and Indian traditions
• Features spicy dishes, dairy, and high-altitude grains.

Staple Ingredients and Cooking Practices

• Red Rice: Nutty-flavored rice grown at high altitudes.
• Buckwheat: Primarily consumed in Bumthang
• Maize: Staple in the eastern districts
• Meat: Includes chicken, yak meat, dried beef, pork, pork fat, and lamb
• Dairy: Cheese is widely used in stews, soups, and sauces.

Colder Seasons Dishes

• Soups and stews with chilies and cheese.

Signature Dishes

• Ema Datshi: National dish, spicy stew of chili peppers and cheese.
• Phaksha Paa: Dried pork dish with chili peppers and vegetables
• Jasha Maru: Spicy chicken dish with red or white rice
• Zow Shungo: Rice dish made with leftover vegetables
• Zoedoe: Greenish cheese from Eastern Bhutan

Snacks and Beverages

• Momo: Bhutanese dumplings with meat or vegetables
• Shakam Eezay: Spicy beef jerky salad
• Khabzey: Crispy fried fritters
• Shabalay: Deep-fried meat pastry
• Juma: Bhutanese sausages with aromatic spices
• Suja: Butter-infused tea
• Ara: Locally brewed rice wine
• Ngaja: Traditional milk tea
• Locally Brewed Beer

Spices

• Curry, cardamom, ginger, Sichuan pepper, garlic, turmeric, and caraway.

Modern Culinary Trends

• Korean cuisine influence due to K-Pop and K-Dramas.

Maldives

• The Republic of Maldives is an independent island nation in the north-central Indian Ocean.
• Comprises approximately 1,200 small coral islands and sandbanks.

People and Culture

• The Maldivian population is largely homogenous.
• Dhivehi is the official language.

Religious Demographics

• Islam is the state religion, evident in the customs and architecture.

Economic Landscape

• The economy is primarily dependent on tourism, fishing, boatbuilding, and marine-based industries.
• The national currency is the Maldivian Rufiyaa.

Maldivian Cuisine

• Known as Dhivehi cuisine, influenced by maritime environment and trade history.
• Based on coconuts, fish (mainly tuna), and starchy staples.

Key Ingredients and Techniques

• Coconuts (Kaashi)
• Fish (Mas)

Cooking Methods

• Boiled, grilled, and dried

Starchy Staples

• Rice, taro, sweet potatoes, cassava, breadfruit, and screwpine

Maldivian Dishes

• Mas Riha (Tuna Curry)
• Kukulhu Riha (Chicken Curry)
• Vegetable Curries
• Rihaakuru

Nepal

• Landlocked nation along the southern slopes of the Himalayan mountain range
• Kathmandu serves as the hub of country.

People and Culture

• People of Nepal are referred to as Nepalese
• With Nepali as the official language

Religious Demographics

• Hinduism is the dominant faith
• Buddhism holds significant influence in regions

Economic Landscape

• One of the least developed nations globally
• The Nepalese rupee is the official currency.

Nepalese Cuisine

• Influenced by geographical and cultural diversity
• Incorporating elements from Tibetan, Indian, and Southeast Asian culinary traditions

Staple Dishes and Traditional Foods

• Dal Bhat Tarkari – Consists of Dal (lentil soup)
• Dhindo - similar to a dense porridge or bread-like dumpling
• Momo - Adapted with Nepalese spices
• Chowmein – A Nepalese adaptation of Chinese stir-fried noodles
• Gundruk - A fermented leafy green vegetable dish
• Newari Cuisine Specialties – Spiced meats, fermented dishes, and elaborate feasts
• Beverages and Refreshments
• Chiyaa (Nepali Tea) – Milk tea infused with spices
• Tongba - A traditional fermented millet-based alcoholic beverage
• Raksi – A distilled alcoholic drink made from rice or millet

Pakistan

• Shares historical and cultural ties with neighboring countries, Iran, Afghanistan, and India
• Islamabad is the capital city

People and Culture

• The population of Pakistan is ethnically diverse, broadly classified into five major and several minor ethnic groups
• language of Pakistan is Urdu, which serves as a lingua franca

Religious Demographics

• Dominant religion in Pakistan, influencing all aspects of life
• Majority of the population adhere to Sunni Islam

Economic Landscape

• Pakistan operates under a mixed economic model
• Being primarily agrarian at the time of independence
• Rupee serves as the official currency

Pakistani Cuisine

• Is a sophisticated blend of diverse regional cooking traditions from South Asia
• Mughal Empire
• Many of the dishes in Pakistan share similarities with Indian, Persian, Afghan, and Central Asian cuisine’s
• Flavors in Pakistani cuisine vary significantly across different regions
• Provinces of Punjab and Sindh are known for their rich highly spiced dishes
• Influenced by the eastern provinces of Punjab and Sindh are known for their rich highly spiced dishes
• Centers Karachi and Lahore

Signature Dishes

• Key Signature Dishes of Pakistani Cuisine include Biryani (Sindhi Biryani)

Sri Lanka

• Formerly known as Ceylon
• Island nation located in the Indian Ocean
• Two capitals:
  • Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
  • Colombo

People and Culture

• Sri Lanka's population is predominantly composed of three major ethnic groups: Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims
• Sinhalese are the largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka.
• Muslim– Accounting for approximately 7.5% of the population, Sri Lankan Muslims trace their ancestry to Arab traders who arrived in the region as early as the 8th century

Religious Demographics

• Plays a central role in Sri Lankan society, with the majority of the Sinhalese population adhering to Buddhism
• Buddhism

Economic Landscape

• Agriculture
• The Sri Lankan Rupee serves as the official currency of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Cuisine

• Has been shaped by diverse historical, cultural, and geographic factors
• Foundation of Sri Lankan Cuisine is coconut
• Hallmark of Sri Lankan cuisine is its extensive use of spices

Cuisine

• Coconut Sambol. A staple accompaniment to many dishes
• Kottu consists of shredded roti
• Hoppers
• Lamprais consists of rice cooked in stock
• Kool includes crab, fish, prawns, cuttlefish, and crayfish
• Gothamba Roti with Thenappu Roti and Uraippu Roti
• Bibikiikan is a rich coconut-based cake -Kokis is made from rice flour and coconut milk, shaped into intricate flower-like patterns
• Faluda is a sweet, a cold beverage made with syrup
• Toddy is a mildly alcoholic beverage
• Arrack is a distilled spirit made from coconut