Pakistan and Bangladesh have their unique flavours and ingredients in meals and recipes.
Pakistani spice mix mainly includes:
Spices: cumin, coriander, cardamom, turmeric, paprika
Chillies: red chilli, red chilli flakes, fresh green chilli
Spice blends: curry powder, garam masala, chaat masala, black salt
Whole seeds: cumin seeds, mustard seeds
Powdered fruits: anardana, amchur
Bangladeshi spice mix is a five-spice (panch puran) that usually contains:
Fennel seeds
Mustard seeds
Fenugreek seeds
Cumin seeds
Kalwanji (nigella) seeds
These are mixed in equal proportions. In Bangladeshi and neighbouring Bengali cuisine, the panch puran is usually fried in a bit of oil or ghee until they start popping. Many Bengali foods are also eaten in Bangladesh and are included below.
You might want to add some of these spices to your shopping list for making the traditional meals below.
Here are some balanced meal plan ideas for each region. Feel free to adapt these with your recipe favourites, keeping in mind the balanced plate model of ¼ plate of carbohydrates, ¼ plate of high-quality protein, and ½ plate of colourful vegetables.
Adding at least one thumb-sized portion of fats, such as eggs, nuts, fish, or coconut oil, can make the meal more filling and satisfying too.
Pakistani meal plan example
| Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
Day 1 | ½ wholemeal roti
1 boiled egg
½ plate of spinach, tomatoes, and cucumber with 1 tbsp of olive oil
| 1 small bowl of dahl
¼ plate of chicken curry
½ plate of kale and green bean sabji | ¼ plate of wholegrain rice
¼ plate of lamb kofta
½ plate of leftover kale and green bean sabji |
Day 2 |
| Soup with chicken or vegetarian version
| Soybean curry with peas
2-3 tbsp Greek yoghurt
¼ plate of wholemeal roti or wholegrain rice |
Day 3 | Omelette with spinach, onion, green chilli, and garam masala.
¼ plate of jeera baked beans - add cumin seeds, onion, green chilli, such as this recipe here | Paneer roti wrap - paneer cubes with raita (mint and cucumber yoghurt) wrapped in 1 wholemeal roti
Serve with Kachumber salad
|
Side of achar (spicy vegetable pickle)
|
Day 4 | ¼ plate of Burji (scrambled paneer)
1 wholemeal toast
½ sliced avocado
½ plate of grilled tomatoes and mushrooms | Chicken Biryani - wholemeal rice with peas and chicken or with cauliflower rice | ¼ plate of lamb keema
¼ plate of aloo sabji (spiced potatoes)
½ plate of Grated carrot and cucumber |
Day 5 | 1 slice of Bread pakora - bread dipped in a gram flour and water mix, shallow fried.
1 fried egg
2 handfuls of spinach |
| ½ plate of cauliflower and carrot sabji
|
Bangladeshi meal plan example
| Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
Day 1 | 1 small plain Patishapta Pitha (crepe, without the filling)
1 fried egg
2 handfuls of bell peppers and spinach | Morog Polao (chicken and rice) with added peas
| ¼ plate Hilsa fish curry
¼ plate of wholegrain rice
½ plate of mixed leaf salad |
Day 2 | ¼ plate Aloo posto (Potato and poppy seeds)
1-2 boiled eggs
1 portion of fruit | Haleem (lentil soup with meat)
2 handfuls of okra
2 tbsp of seeds sprinkled on the soup | Chingri malai curry (prawn curry)
¼ plate of wholegrain rice
|
Day 3 | 1 slice of Dim toast 2 handfuls of spinach | Beef Kala bhuna (a dry meat curry)
½ plate of Vegetable Vorta (mashed vegetables) | |
Day 4 | ½ wholemeal roti
½ plate of cauliflower and carrot sabji
Full-fat Greek yoghurt and 2 tbsp of nuts | Shukto (mixed vegetables and potato)
¼ plate of chicken pieces | ¼ plate of Mach Bhaja (Fried fish) ¼ plate of Panta Bhat (fermented rice) ½ plate of peas and carrots |
Day 5 | Lau Ghonto - bitter gourd and lentils | ¼ plate of Aloo vorta (mashed potato) ¼ plate of chicken pieces ½ plate of Shak Bhaji (sautéed leafy greens) | ½ plate of leftover Shak Bhaji |
If you feel hungry between meals or there is a large gap between meals, it’s helpful to have a balanced snack.
Eating every 3-5 hours can help manage your blood sugar levels, keep you feeling fuller for longer, and boost your energy levels throughout the day.
Snack options could include:
Pistachio, coconut flakes, and chopped fruit trail mix
Full-fat yoghurt with sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, and melon
Mogo chips: cassava sliced and baked with a hummus dip
2 small cubes of dhokla
1 small baked samosa