In honor of World Habitat Day, our September read (being posted a little late!) is My Bangladesh Kitchen: Recipes and Food Memories from a Family Table by Saira Hamilton.
Bangladesh is one of Pikes Peak Habitat’s tithe partner countries. In addition to partnering with workforce families here in El Paso County, we tithe 10 percent of all undesignated donations to Habitat international affiliates and funds.
Habitat Bangladesh supports people living in slums in the capital city, Dhaka, through their Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Programs (WASH). They also build resilient urban slum settlements by helping residents develop skills and improve their living conditions. In addition, Habitat Bangladesh partners with government officials and other international partners to support Rohingya refugees, forcefully displaced people from Myanmar, in the Cox Bazar refugee camp.
Hamilton, a chef and food writer, was a finalist on MasterChef UK, and My Bangladesh Kitchen was named Best Asian Book in the UK at the Gourmand International Cookbook Awards in 2020.
A cookbook might seem like an odd choice for our book club — but we think Hamilton’s anecdotes and recipes provide a delightful introduction to Bangladesh, and we hope you agree!
Discussion Questions
What did you know about Bangladesh before encountering this book?
In the introduction, Hamilton shares memories from childhood visits to her family home in Dampara, Bangladesh. Which of these stood out the most to you, and why?
What role did food play in the community of Bangladeshi expatriates in which Hamilton grew up? What role does it play in Bangladesh, according to her?
What differentiates Bangladeshi cuisine from Indian?
How does food connect to religious traditions in Bangladesh? Is there a connection between your own faith tradition and certain meals or foods? If so, what is it?
What did you learn about Bangladesh from reading the introductory materials in the book? What surprised you?
What photo stood out most to you? Why?
Cookbook Challenge
Do any of the recipes look especially appealing to you? If you try one, we’d love to hear how it turned out! Please e-mail photos and comments to Monique@PikesPeakHabitat.org.
Further Reading About Bangladesh
If you’re interested in learning more about Bangladesh, check out these titles:
A Golden Age by Tahmima Anam is a historical novel set during the 1971 war in which Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) fought for, and ultimately gained, independence from Pakistan. The main character, widowed Rehana Haque, becomes involved in the struggle through her children and their friends, who are impacted by the war in different, devastating ways. The novel is the first in a trilogy.
I Feel No Peace: Rohingya Fleeing Over Seas and Rivers by Kaamil Ahmed examines the Rohingya genocide and plights of survivors who have been forced to flee from Myanmar to refugee camps in Bangladesh. Through stories of individual Rohingya refugees, he shines light on the ongoing humanitarian crisis, including the impact that not having safe, stable homes has on these “stateless” people, who often fall prey to traffickers promising opportunities in other countries. Ahmed maintains a journalistic tone, chronicling individual experiences factually rather than with gratuitous detail, but please note that the book deals with horrific realities.
Join Our First Book Club Discussion
If you enjoy our book discussion posts and are interested in conversing about these titles with others, please join us on Zoom Thursday, Oct. 10, from 7-8:30 p.m. MDT for our inaugural meeting! We’ll be discussing Learning to Disagree: The Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect by John Inazu. Inazu graduated from Air Academy High School here in El Paso County! He is also a U.S. Air Force veteran who was working in the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. He now serves as a professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis, a Trustee of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, and a Senior Fellow with Interfaith America.
If you would like to attend, please choose one of the reflection questions at the end of the book to answer and share with the group!
