Internationally acclaimed food writer and television personality Matt Preston deems Bangladesh a treasure trove of exotic flavours
Photograph by Ashraf Uddin apu
While flipping through channels, one is bound to get glued to one of the many episodes of Masterchef Australia. The sight of contestants plating up sumptuous servings of their finest dishes is an absolute delight for those of us who follow the age old adage ‘live to eat.’ By the end of March, our happiness was doubled when Masterchef judge, Matt Preston came to Bangladesh.
The Australian food journalist and food critic is also the brand ambassador of Rivoli Belgian Cookies, a concern of Unimech Limited, a company established in 1972. Farah Josephine Saleh Hussain, Managing Director of Unimech Limited shares that the company has been in the market for quite some time. “Rivoli is our first step to diversification. Biscuits have always been a part of the staple diet in Bangladesh; this is a grand initiative for us because a cookie brand has not been pursued at large in the Bangladeshi market,” informs Josephine.
She confirms that at Unimech, they have a fully automated line which specialises in mixing and packing. Josephine highlights that their main ingredients are imported and they also monitor what goes in the product.
Furthermore Josephine says that at Unimech they are toiling day in and day out to bring out the perfect batch of cookies. “Our research and development is top notch. Overall we work through and through to make our operations better, to tweak the flavours in order to satiate the local palate,” she says.
While Dhaka clamoured to the arrival of the ultimate foodie, he too, took great joy in doing what he does best: eating.
“I travel a lot because I believe one should aim to know a lot about things out there. When I came to Bangladesh, I discovered differences and similarities with other food cultures,” says Matt. Travelling gets him up and running because the journey from one place always takes him to another. “It’s like unravelling a bowl of string; every time you undo a knot there’s another knot to undo and that keeps on going,” claims Matt.
Despite being here for Rivoli’s ‘Meet Matt’ campaign, Matt acknowledges the endless ways in which the South Asian cuisine entices him. “When you look at the subcontinent, you start realising that the perception of sub continental food is very monosyllabic. Although there are 19 different regions for food in India, the food here is unlike anything else there,” exclaims Matt. He’s overwhelmed by the freshness that is present in the local delicacies in Bangladesh.
Matt’s enthusiasm and hunger pangs have taken him all the way to Sadarghat, Old Dhaka where he’s found more than just a few local delights.
“I had some flatbreads, bakorkhanis, egg parathas, as well as a packet of Mr Twist. I also had a curry of small fish, wonderful shrimp and bhendi bhortas, chittol fish koftas, some sweet and sour eggplant and Indian Plum (boroi),”says Matt cheerily. In his opinion, the Indian Plum (boroi) bit like an apple but tasted like blue cheese.
He explains that his love for intricacies in dishes drives him to discover things that are uniquely local. “The idea that a taste of a dish takes me back to its origins because of how it’s prepared really moves me,” elaborates Matt.
His voracious appetite is alive purely because of what makes up the heart and soul of a dish- seasoning. The expert reckons that salt is one essential that can make or break the flavour of a dish.
Matt also adds that, “Condiments like Tabasco or HP Sauce should never be dominant. Be it sauce, salt or other add-ons such as coffee, you want it to be there as a ‘whisper.’” But in general, he feels that salt and lemon juice does sheer justice to seasoning.
Moreover, the passionate foodie stresses that, “When it comes to food, one has to be respectful of their heritage but not bound by it. For instance the bakorkhani I tried was fantastic. Although it’s a simple item, it tastes like cream cracker only a little softer.”
Matt’s expertise in food in collaboration with Rivoli looks into the prospects of another trend in Bangladesh; the possibilities of cookies becoming a sweet treat that’s equivalent to desserts.
“This is a culture that understands the importance of tea and the concept of ‘dunking’. Back home, when I return from filming Masterchef, I have a cup of tea with something sweet to go with it.” He exclaims that the practice of dunking which is so familiar here as well as in England and Australia is not as celebrated elsewhere. “Making it soggy is the whole point of a good biscuit. With Rivoli Belgian Cookies, one should be able to dunk it, have a bite without it submerging to the bottom of the cup,” Matt lights up.
But when asked about his interest towards cookies, Matt believes that there’s a vast of array of opportunities for an initiative like Rivoli. “Manufacturing cookies in an environment like Bangladesh, which is of high humidity, will perform very well. A box of biscuits is a luxury item, especially when they are individually wrapped. Rivoli nails the standards by using quality ingredients and making sure that they reach the consumers in the right form,” comments Matt.
He distinguishes that most chocolate chip cookies are one of two things; they are either very buttery or soft and served warm or they turn out to be very crispy and brittle.
“What Rivoli has churned out is a crisp cookie with soft chocolate. This isn’t a cookie that one would simply munch on, savouring it requires mindfulness,” praises Matt.