Bangladeshi and Indian cuisine are often used interchangeably in Birmingham but there are clear distinctions between the two - though some parts of India share a common food culture.
The region of India that shares Bangladeshi food heritage is the east, especially the states of West Bengal and Assam. Even now in West Bengal in India, people are often asked if they are Bangaal (people with Bangladeshi ancestry) or ghoti (people who are native to the western part of the ancient Bengal region).
Bengal was one large province before it was divided during the Colonial era. On July 20, 1905 when Lord Curzon announced the division of Bengal into Bengal, Eastern Bengal and Assam. However, the partition was annulled in 1911 and Bengal and Eastern Bengal were again united until 1947 when Bengal was partitioned for the second time as part of the Mountbatten Plan.
With so much shared history, it is obvious that the people of the Eastern region of Bengal in India and present-day Bangladesh have a common food culture. So, when you visit a Bangladeshi restaurant or an Indian restaurant that serves Bengali food - you might find similar dishes there.
You are likely to find the use of mustard seeds in whole or paste form, as well as mustard oil in the preparation of the dishes. As it is a coastal region, there are also many amazing fish and seafood dishes that the people of the region excel in.
Previously, we took a look at the Indian restaurants in Birmingham and now we looked through Google reviews to find the best to lowest ranked Bangladeshi restaurants in the city. Here are 10 Bangladeshi restaurants in Birmingham ranked by Google reviews:
1. Imani’s, Sutton Coldfield
4.8 stars from 282 Google reviews. This restaurant serves Bangladeshi and Indian Cuisine and you can bring your own alcohol here. (Photo - Google Maps)
2. Basmati Restaurant, Great Barr
The award-winning Bangladeshi food restaurant specialises in authentic Bengali cuisine, quality tandoori, Balti, Biryani and Curry dishes and also serves alcohol. It has 4.5 stars from 402 Google reviews. (Photo - Google Maps)
3. The Sylhet Spice Cuisine, Kings Heath
Named after a city in eastern Bangladesh, this restaurant has 4.5 stars from 295 Google reviews. This award-winning restaurant, on York Road, has been running for more than 20 years. (Photo - Google Maps)
4. Radhuni, Kings Heath
This restaurant, on Vicarage Road, has 4.4 stars from 175 Google reviews. They serve traditional Bangladeshi cuisine along with Indian food like curries. (Photo - Google Maps)