Roots South Asia

The moment our Uber driver found out that we were headed down to Khulna Division in Bangladesh, there was no hesitation. “You MUST try Chui Jhal!” He did his best to describe it, but none were clear what to expect apart from meat.

Once in Khulna, the opportunity to try Chui Jhal came unexpectedly. We were having a tea with a group of university students at a snack canteen. As the conversation wound down and the tea was gone, I asked if they knew a place to try Chui Jhal. Immediately, a pleased smile spread across all faces.

Before we knew it, we were loaded into an “easy bike” to some unknown destination. However, as we pulled away from the curb, a young guy seated next to the driver whirled around and asked, “You want to try Chui Jhal?!” We said yes. He explained that this was not the best place to try Chui Jhal. He asked if we were willing to go to a better place with him, uttering the wonderful phrase…”I LOVE adventures!”

Our host then took us to the Kamrul Hotel and helped us order a feast of Chui Jhal. The moment we walked in, we could smell a uniquely tangy organic aroma. Fascinated, others with more English gathered and explained that the dish was a little spicy. They also explained it was made with the roots of trees and tasted like ginger.

Before we could hear more, we were instructed to wash our hands and get ready for the feast. By the time we returned, plates loaded with rice were waiting at our table. Then, our server arrived with a huge bowl of stewed meat that enveloped us in a deep and rich woody aroma. He allowed us to choose a giant piece or two of the tender stewed meat that immediately began falling apart as soon as you touched it. Our host was eager to demonstrate the way that you pull the meat into pieces and mix the rich, spicy gravy with the rice and pop it right into your mouth with your hands.

Truly Chui Jhal is a culinary masterpiece you must try. It is like a tender beef roast that has been immersed in rich, zingy, earthy gravy. We soon found ourselves hardly able to move because we had each eaten about four large chunks of beef.

We later learned that Chui Jhal is the name of the Piper Chaba vine (Piper Chili) used to make Chui Jhal Meat Curry. Large pieces of mutton or beef are stewed for hours in the fibrous root portion of this climbing and flowering vine, giving the dish its tangy, spicy and woody flavor. The root is also used in traditional medicine for its anti-inflammatory properties.

Chui Jhal is indeed one of the masterpiece dishes of Khulna Division. It is a must try if you ever have the chance. Yes, it is oily. Yes, it is spicy. Yet, it is those things in the best possible way. The tenderness of the meat is so good and the gravy is, well, like nothing else I have ever had.