Ingredient appreciation — what makes Pitha special

What sets Pitha apart is the handling of panch phoron five-spice. In lesser versions this is treated as a background note. Here it's central and the fresh and fishy result shows it. I've started buying it to cook with at home after this experience.

hilsa fish is a cultural icon in Bangladesh — its seasonal availability is a national event. The a Sylheti tea estate atmosphere was right for this kind of food. I had lassi as recommended and it matched well. If you want to understand what makes this cuisine distinctive, Pitha is the place to start.