A Bengali answer to the Aussie sausage roll that's as rich in history as it is in spice.

“This flaky, beef-filled pastry is the ultimate example of how food cultures transform,” says Kishwar Chowdhury. “Like many iconic Bengali dishes, the origin of beef patties is in colonialism and the fusion of Eastern and Western culinary traditions it spurred.

“My first encounter with Bangladeshi beef patties was at the New Market in Dhaka, one of the oldest and most vibrant markets in the city. Sitting on a red plastic stool, I was handed a piping-hot pastry with a dollop of date and tamarind chutney on the side. From the first bite, I was hooked.

“Bakeries became prominent in cities in Bangladesh during the British colonial era, when officers introduced European baking methods. These early establishments served bread, pies and pastries, which were considered luxuries at the time. As the region moved towards independence, bakeries began to adapt to local tastes and became more accessible to the general population.

“By the 1980s and ’90s, as the middle class expanded and the demand for affordable snacks grew, bakeries started offering a wider variety of baked goods. The now-ubiquitous Bangladeshi beef patties were made to be an affordable, accessible and, most importantly, delicious bite for busy city dwellers and students.”

Ingredients
Makes 12

  • ⅓ cup (80 ml/2 fl oz) vegetable oil
  • 4 onions, diced and divided
  • 3 tablespoons garlic and ginger paste
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, lightly crushed
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 5 cardamom pods
  • 1 black cardamom pod
  • 6 cloves
  • 1 tablespoon gorom moshla (recipe follows)
  • ½ teaspoon chilli powder
  • 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) piece beef shoulder
  • 3-4 green chillies, finely chopped
  • 6 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • salt, to taste
  • nigella seeds, to garnish

Method

  1. Heat a large, heavy-based pot over medium heat and add the vegetable oil. Once hot, add three-quarters of the onion (reserving the rest for later), along with the garlic and ginger paste, tomato paste and dry spices. Stir well, then add the beef shoulder and season with salt. Sear the meat until it develops a crust.
  2. Pour in a little water, just enough to create steam, and cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, allowing the beef to braise over low heat for 2-3 hours, or until it becomes tender and falls off the bone. Once the meat is fully cooked, remove the lid and continue cooking for about an hour, stirring occasionally, until the beef takes on a dark, roasted consistency. Set aside to cool.
  3. Once cool, use a fork to pull the beef into fine shreds, discarding any bones and whole spices. Stir in the remaining onion and the green chilli, mixing well to incorporate crunch and heat.
  4. Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F). Prepare the puff pastry by cutting each sheet in half and brushing the edges with the egg wash. Spoon a small portion of the beef mixture along one side of the pastry, then fold it over, pressing down with a fork to seal the edges. Cut each pastry into three or four sausage roll-shaped pieces. Arrange the patties on a tray lined with baking paper, brush with more egg wash, and sprinkle with nigella seeds.
  5. Bake the patties for 22 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. Serve warm with your favourite dipping sauce.

Gorom moshla

Ingredients

  • 3-4 green cardamom pods
  • 5 cloves
  • 2 small cinnamon sticks
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
  • 1 dried red chili
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 tablespoons cumin seeds
  • 4 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg, toasted and grated
  • ½ teaspoon blade mace (optional, for extra floral notes)
  • 1 star anise (optional, adds a subtle liquorice aroma)

Method

To make gorom moshla: combine all ingredients in a heavy-based flat pan. Place on low heat and let the spices warm through, tossing occasionally; they will darken slightly as they release their oils and become fragrant. Remove from the heat, leave to cool, then grind to a fine powder using a spice or coffee grinder. Store in a dry jar.

Smoke, Rice, Water

This is an edited extract from Smoke, Rice, Water by Kishwar Chowdhury, published by Hardie Grant Books. Photography by Armelle Habib, Ata M Adnan, Rana Pandey (Koi Worldwide) and the Chowdhury family archive. Illustrations by DhakaYeah. Available at excellent independent Victorian bookstores such as Readings and Hill of Content.