Hardie Grant acquires Bangladeshi cookbook from Begum

Hardie Grant has acquired Made in Bangladesh, “76 tantalising recipes [that] put Bangladeshi food and culture back in the spotlight”, by Dina Begum.

Eve Marleau, commissioning editor at Hardie Grant, acquired world rights from Tim Bates at PFD. The book will be published on 16th November 2023.

The publisher says Made in Bangladesh “explores the delicious cuisine of Bangladesh, which is all too often lost under the umbrella of ‘Indian food’". It goes on: “Taking you through the six Bangladeshi seasons – summer, monsoon, autumn, late autumn, winter and spring – with warming flavours and memories, Dina Begum’s Made in Bangladesh teaches modern classics and age-old recipes to home cooks across the world.

“Dina also offers advice on pantry essentials, a range of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free recipes, and sample menus for feeding a crowd, celebrating how food brings community and festivity. A unique visual feast with beautiful food and location photography that captures the atmosphere and vibrancy of Bangladeshi food."

Begum is a British-Bangladeshi writer based in London who has written articles and recipes for publications such as the Telegraph, the Herald, Huffington Post, Metro and the Independent. She has hosted popular Bangladeshi pop-ups at Darjeeling Express to showcase home cooking favourites, as part of their #WomenInFood series and has taken part in a programme at The Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD) in New York. Her first cookbook, The Brick Lane Cookbook, was published by Kitchen Press in 2018.

Begum said: “It’s a joy to be working with Hardie Grant on Made in Bangladesh. I’m excited to share a diverse collection of recipes which showcase seasonal and regional specialities that shape the culinary landscape of Bangladesh with a global audience.

"The book pays homage to the food of my ancestors, such as my mother and grandmother who cooked dishes passed down from generation to generation, and gives an insight into the rich food culture and rituals embedded in everyday Bangladeshi life.”

Marleau added: “Made in Bangladesh is the book that we all dreamed it would be and so much more thanks to Dina’s sheer generosity; she opens our hearts, minds and appetites to Bangladeshi cuisine in the most evocative of ways through her incredible recipes and personal stories.”