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'''Bakarkhani''' or '''Baqarkhani''', also known as '''bakar khani roti''', is a thick, spiced [[flat-bread]] that is part of the [[Mughlai cuisine]] of the [[Indian subcontinent]]. This Mughali bread travelled all the way from the [[Central Asia]] to the Indian subcontinent during the time of the [[Mughal Empire|Mughals]].<ref name="toi6Dec2014" /> Bakarkhani is prepared on certain [[Muslim]] religious festivals and is now popular as sweet bread.<ref>{{cite news|last=Shinwari|first=Sher Alam|title=Local pizza, Bakorkhani bread gaining popularity|newspaper=Dawn|location=Pakistan|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1299096|access-date=24 February 2020}}</ref>
'''Bakarkhani''' or '''Baqarkhani''', also known as '''bakar khani roti''', is a thick, spiced [[flat-bread]] from [[Old Dhaka]] (in modern-day [[Bangladesh]])<ref>{{cite news |title=Still in love with Bakarkhani |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/feature/food/still-love-bakarkhani |access-date=28 September 2021 |work=The Business Standard |date=11 November 2019 |language=en}}</ref>that is part of the [[Mughlai cuisine]].<ref name="toi6Dec2014" /> Bakarkhani is prepared on certain [[Muslim]] religious festivals and is now popular as sweet bread.<ref>{{cite news|last=Shinwari|first=Sher Alam|title=Local pizza, Bakorkhani bread gaining popularity|newspaper=Dawn|location=Pakistan|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1299096|access-date=24 February 2020}}</ref>


Bakorkhani is almost [[biscuit]]-like in texture, with a hard crust. The chief ingredients are flour, [[semolina]], sugar, [[molasses]] soaked in [[saffron]], [[poppy seed|poppy]] or [[nigella seed]]s, salt, and [[ghee]] (clarified butter).
Bakorkhani is almost [[biscuit]]-like in texture, with a hard crust. The chief ingredients are flour, [[semolina]], sugar, [[molasses]] soaked in [[saffron]], [[poppy seed|poppy]] or [[nigella seed]]s, salt, and [[ghee]] (clarified butter).

Revision as of 06:55, 7 October 2021

Bakorkhani
Bakorkhani being made in Dhaka, Bangladesh. They can be seen lining the walls of the tandoor oven.
Alternative namesShukha
TypeBread
CourseAppetizer/Dessert
Region or stateIndian subcontinent
Associated cuisineBangladesh, India and Pakistan
Main ingredientsDough, ghee, milk, sugar (optional)
VariationsGao-joban, Shuki (shukha), Nimshuki, Kaicha-ruti, Mulam, Chinshuki, Kashmiri

Bakarkhani or Baqarkhani, also known as bakar khani roti, is a thick, spiced flat-bread from Old Dhaka (in modern-day Bangladesh)[1]that is part of the Mughlai cuisine.[2] Bakarkhani is prepared on certain Muslim religious festivals and is now popular as sweet bread.[3]

Bakorkhani is almost biscuit-like in texture, with a hard crust. The chief ingredients are flour, semolina, sugar, molasses soaked in saffron, poppy or nigella seeds, salt, and ghee (clarified butter).

History

A single bakorkhani

Although most popularly eaten in Old Dhaka, where it is an authentic tradition, the makers of bakorkhani tend to have roots in Sylhet. Many rebellious Afghans migrated to the Sylhet region during the Baro-Bhuiyan period as it was seen as a safe-zone for them due to the strong insurgency of rebellious chieftains. The final Afghan ruler, Khwaja Usman, was defeated by the Mughals in 1612 and the remaining Afghans surrendered though continuing to live in Sylhet. The rebels which were captured by the Mughals were made to serve a type of bread associated with their Afghan culture (which would later be known as bakorkhani). As Dhaka was the capital of Mughal Bengal, people from all over Bengal, including Sylhet, would migrate there seeking employment opportunities. The elites of Dhaka had good relations with the upper-class families of Sylhet, and transport between these two regions were common. Many Sylhetis who came to Dhaka started making this bread which they supposedly learnt from the Afghans which lived in Sylhet.[4] Many of Dhaka's bakorkhani sellers even today originate from the Sylhet Division.[5]

A legend attributes the bread's name to Agha Baker Khan, an adopted son of the Nawab of Bengal, Murshid Quli Khan.[6] According to the legend, Agha Baker Khan, a general based in Chittagong under Nawab Siraj ud-Daulah of Bengal, falls in love with a dancer called Khani Begum from Arambagh, who was also eyed by Zaynul Khan, the city's kotwal and the son of a wazir. Zaynul attempts to attack Khani for rejecting him, and Baker intervenes, defeating Zaynul in a swordfight. Zaynul 's two companions go and lie to his father, the wazir, telling him that Baker has killed Zaynul. Out of fury, the wazir orders them to put Baker inside a cage with a tiger. Baker kills the tiger and at the same time, the claim of Zaynul's death is found to be false. The wazir, Jahandar Khan, and his son Zaynul then kidnap Khani and set off for South Bengal. The battle continues there as Baker arrives to rescue Khani. In another brawl of talwars, Jahandar accidentally kills Zaynul, after Zaynul inadvertently murders Khani. Khani is later buried in Bakla-Chandradwip (Patuakhali-Barisal). Baker Khan builds a tomb over her grave and Bakla-Chandradwip would be renamed Bakerganj after him.[7] Baker was already familiar with this area as he was a jagirdar in Barisal's Salimabad and Umedpur parganas.[8] The tragic love story of Baker Khan and Khani Begum inspired the bakers to name his favourite bread Bakerkhani.[9][10] Dhaka's first bakorkhani shop opened in close proximity to Lalbagh Fort.

The Bengal Subah, specifically Mughal Dhaka, was a hub for merchants from all parts of the subcontinent and even as far as the Middle East and Armenia. Through trade and travel, the bakorkhani became popular outside of Bengal in places such as Kashmir, Bihar, Lucknow and Hyderabad.[11]

Preparation

A plate of bakorkhani

Bakorkhani is made by kneading together flour, ghee, in some cases cardamom, sugar and salt with water. The dough is then flattened. The bread is made by stretching a sheet of dough repeatedly and interleaving with ghee, molasses, saffron water, poppy or nigella seeds before baking on a tandoor or tawa girdle.

Variations

Chittagonian bakorkhani

It is also known as shukha (meaning 'dry') naan or shukha roti due to its dry texture.[6] Hakim Habibur Rahman, author of Dhaka Panchas Baras Pahle, lists three variations of bakorkhani; Gao-joban, shuki (shukha) and nimshuki. There are also other variations such as kaicha-ruti, mulam and chinshuki.[7]

Sylheti

Further information: Sylheti cuisine

Sylheti Bakarkhani is completely different from the variants of Dhaka.[12] Dhakai Bakarkhani is a somewhat cookie type snack, where the Sylheti bakarkhani resembles porota a lot.[13] Bakarkhani is an Iftar item in Sylhet. It is also eaten with tea at night during the month of ramadan.[14] Sylheti Bakharkhani can be tasted as savoury or slightly sweet, leavened or unleavened, soft or crisp.[15]


Kashmiri

There is also a Kashmiri variant of bakorkhani[2] which is a thinner variety, similar to round naan in appearance, but crisp and layered, and sprinkled with sesame seeds.[16] It is typically consumed hot, during breakfast, often with noon chai.[17]

In literature

Bakorkhani shop in Old Dhaka

Bakorkhani is mentioned in lines of a Bengali poem by Pratul Mukhopadhyay:

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bakarkhani.

References

  1. ^ "Still in love with Bakarkhani". The Business Standard. 11 November 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  2. ^ a b Afreen, Saima (6 December 2014). "Bakorkhani, only a sweet memory now". The Times of India. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  3. ^ Shinwari, Sher Alam. "Local pizza, Bakorkhani bread gaining popularity". Dawn. Pakistan. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  4. ^ বাকরখানি: অমর প্রেমের কাহিনী. The Daily Janakatha (in Bengali). 21 January 2017.
  5. ^ Muhammad Abu Talib (28 February 2015). ঐতিহ্যের বাকরখানি যাচ্ছে বিদেশে. The Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali).
  6. ^ a b Muntasir Mamun (July 2006). Dhaka Smriti-Bismritir Nogori (Updated Version). Dhaka: Anannya. p. 172. ISBN 984-412-104-3.
  7. ^ a b Hossain, Muhammad Faruque (2012). "Bakorkhani". In Islam, Sirajul; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir (eds.). Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. OL 30677644M. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  8. ^ Nazir Hussain (April 1995). Kingbodontir Dhaka (Edition 3). Dhaka: 3 Star Cooperative Multipurpose Society Ltd. p. 293.
  9. ^ "Bakorkhani: delight in every bite". Daily Sun. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  10. ^ Prothom Alo, Chhutir Dine, 4 February 2006
  11. ^ Katti, Madhuri (14 March 2019). "Bakorkhani: An Ode To Lost Love". Live History India.
  12. ^ "Sylhety Bakharkhani". khadizaskitchen.com. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  13. ^ "Bakarkhani: delight in every bite". Daily Sun (Bangladesh). 24 April 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  14. ^ ইফতারে সিলেটিদের প্রিয় আখনি ও খিচুড়ি. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 20 July 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  15. ^ "Rich and Flaky Dhakai Bakharkhani Flatbreads #BBB". www.breadexperience.com. 16 November 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  16. ^ "Culture of Anantnag". District Anantnag J&K. Archived from the original on 19 June 2009.
  17. ^ "Kashmir has special confectionary". Thaindian News. 13 March 2008. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  18. ^ ঐহিত্যবাহী বাখরখানির ইতিহাস [Traditional Bakarkhani history]. Natun Barta (in Bengali). 25 July 2020.
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