Bangladeshi home cooking is one of the most underrepresented cuisines in meal planning content. There are hundreds of Indian meal plan articles, but almost nothing built around the specific dishes, spices, and rhythms of a Bangladeshi household.
This changes that. This plan is built for Bangladeshi families in the UK or US — families who cook bhuna, korma, daal, and bhaji at home, who eat rice at most meals, and who'd rather have a proper plan than stand at the hob guessing every evening.
What Makes Bangladeshi Meal Planning Distinctive
A few things set Bangladeshi home cooking apart from its South Asian neighbours:
Fish is central. Bangladesh is a river delta nation and fish — hilsa, rohu, tilapia, catfish — is central to the cuisine. A well-planned Bangladeshi week usually includes fish at least twice.
Rice with everything. Unlike Pakistani households where roti is common, Bangladeshi families typically eat rice at lunch and dinner, with bread (paratha or roti) mainly at breakfast.
Mustard and fenugreek. These flavours are more prominent in Bangladeshi cooking than in Punjabi or North Indian food. Mustard oil and panch phoron (five-spice blend) are pantry essentials.
Daal every day. Masoor dal is a staple — it appears at lunch, as a side, and often as a main dish.
The 7-Day Plan
Monday
| Meal | Dish |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Paratha + dal + chai |
| Lunch | Rice + masoor dal + leftover sabzi |
| Dinner | Chicken bhuna + steamed rice + kachumber salad |
Notes: Bhuna means "dry-fried" — the gravy is cooked down until it coats the meat closely. It's one of the most distinctively Bangladeshi preparations and reheats brilliantly.
Tuesday
| Meal | Dish |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Eggs (fried or scrambled) + roti |
| Lunch | Leftover chicken bhuna + rice |
| Dinner | Masoor dal + begun bhaji (aubergine fry) + rice |
Notes: Begun bhaji is quick — sliced aubergine, turmeric, salt, mustard oil, fried until golden. The perfect dal accompaniment.
Wednesday
| Meal | Dish |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Toast + tea |
| Lunch | Dal + rice (from last night) |
| Dinner | Rui maach (rohu fish curry) + rice + stir-fried greens |
Notes: Fish curry day. Rohu is the most common fish in Bangladeshi cooking — available fresh or frozen in most South Asian grocery shops. Mustard oil is traditional here.
Thursday
| Meal | Dish |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Porridge or cereal |
| Lunch | Leftover fish curry + rice |
| Dinner | Lamb or beef kosha (slow-cooked dry curry) + rice |
Notes: Kosha is a slow, patient dish — the meat is cooked in its own juices until deeply caramelised and dry. Allow 90 minutes. The reward is extraordinary.
Friday
| Meal | Dish |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Paratha or roti + eggs |
| Lunch | Leftover kosha + rice |
| Dinner | Chingri malai curry (prawn in coconut milk) + rice |
Notes: Chingri malai is a celebratory dish that's surprisingly quick — 25 minutes. The coconut milk creates a mild, fragrant sauce that children almost always enjoy.
Saturday
| Meal | Dish |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Khichuri (rice and lentil porridge) — weekend comfort |
| Lunch | Light — yoghurt, fruit, leftovers |
| Dinner | Beef rezala (white curry with yoghurt and spices) + paratha |
Notes: Rezala is a Dhaka speciality — a pale, aromatic curry cooked in yoghurt rather than tomato. It's different from most South Asian curries and worth making when you have time.
Sunday
| Meal | Dish |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Leftover khichuri or toast |
| Lunch | Light |
| Dinner | Chicken or mutton biryani (Dhakai-style, with potatoes) |
Notes: Dhakai biryani is distinctive for its inclusion of potatoes and the use of attar (rose water) and kewra. It's a project, but Sunday is the right day for it.
Grocery List
Proteins
- Chicken pieces (bone-in) — 1 kg (bhuna)
- Rohu fish or tilapia — 600g (fresh or frozen)
- Lamb or beef — 600g (kosha)
- Prawns (raw, peeled) — 400g
- Beef or mutton — 500g (rezala)
- Chicken or mutton — 800g (biryani)
- Eggs — 8
Fish & Seafood Notes
Bangladeshi grocery shops stock rohu, hilsa, and catfish that mainstream supermarkets don't carry. For non-specialist shops, tilapia or any firm white fish works for the curry.
Vegetables & Produce
- Onions — 8 large
- Garlic — 2 bulbs
- Ginger — large piece
- Tomatoes — 6 medium
- Aubergine — 2 large
- Potatoes — 4 (biryani)
- Spinach or mustard greens — 200g
- Green chillies — 8–10
- Coriander — 2 bunches
- Lemons — 3
Dry & Pantry
- Basmati or regular rice — 3 kg (rice at every meal)
- Masoor dal (red lentils) — 500g
- Coconut milk — 2 tins (prawn curry)
- Natural yoghurt — 500g (rezala, raita)
- Panch phoron — small bag (Bangladeshi five-spice: cumin, fenugreek, nigella, mustard, fennel seeds)
Oils
- Mustard oil — small bottle (essential for authentic flavour in fish dishes and bhaji)
- Sunflower oil — for general cooking
Spices (top up)
- Turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin, garam masala, cardamom, bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves
Sunday Prep
- Cook a large batch of rice — keeps 3 days, reheats with a splash of water
- Make masoor dal base — a large pot lasts the week as a side dish
- Brown the onions — a batch of caramelised onions is the base of bhuna, kosha, and biryani
- Marinate the biryani meat — yoghurt, spices, ginger-garlic paste overnight in the fridge
Personalise This Plan With FridgeFirst
This is a template. Your household's version depends on what you have, who's eating, and whether your mum insists on hilsa even when it's out of season.
FridgeFirst builds a personalised weekly plan from your fridge contents — it understands Bangladeshi cooking, handles per-person dietary needs, and creates a shopping list for what's missing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy Bangladeshi fish in the UK?
Most South Asian grocery shops (particularly those serving Bangladeshi communities) stock rohu, katla, and hilsa. Larger Bangladeshi supermarkets in areas like Whitechapel, Sparkhill, or Rusholme carry a wider range. Frozen rohu and tilapia are widely available as alternatives.
What is panch phoron and where do I buy it?
Panch phoron is a Bengali five-spice blend: equal parts cumin, fenugreek, nigella, mustard, and fennel seeds. It's available at any South Asian grocery shop and online. You can also make it yourself by mixing the five spices equally.
Can I make this meal plan without mustard oil?
Yes — vegetable or sunflower oil works as a substitute. Mustard oil gives an authentic flavour (especially in fish dishes and bhaji) but isn't essential for every dish.
How do I adapt this plan for a vegetarian family member?
Replace fish and meat dishes with paneer, chana (chickpeas), or extra dal-based meals. Chingri malai works with paneer or jackfruit as a substitute for prawns. Kosha can be made with jackfruit for a vegetarian version with similar texture.