Pita-making party in Matlab to be repeated in Dhaka

By Jean Sack

Pitas, the famous homemade sweets of rural Bangladesh, are difficult to find in markets of Dhaka.  In fact, this labor-of-love shaped, crispy cookie is only served for festive occasions such as a wedding ceremony, the spring festival of Fulgani (mid February) and Nobo Baishakh (Bengali New Years' in mid April). In celebration of 40 years of health and population work in the ICDDR,B field station located in Matlab, a dozen women dedicated an entire day working as a team to produce the wonderfully crafted pita served at a Matlab Alumni Reunion Picnic on 21 January.  As Jean Sack watched the process from morning to afternoon, she snapped a photo essay of her friends.  Beginning with the boiling and grinding of chickpeas (gram or dhal), the kneading of this soft gram paste into soft balls of white flour (moida) and oil (tel), rolling and carving designs (especially the mach or fish and alphabetical letters for the foreign staff), the lovely shapes took a final hot oil cooking and a final dip in sugar water for gloss and flavor.  There is no equivalent western cookie or doughnut or Swedish delight that matches the genuine rural pita of Bangladesh!

During the week of Valentine's Day, Jean will open her home to the making of pitas, using a senior, retired nurse-midwife from Matlab as an instructor.  Call Jean if you want to participate or send a house staff person to join Jahan Akhtar in this full-day Gulshan pita kitchen clinic.  A grinding stone or blender and 6 hours are needed from participants with 300 taka to pay for ingredients (includes 100 taka donation to ICDDR,B Matlab Alumni Fund for next years picnic pitas).