"Gorur Mangsher Payesh", also called "Beef Payesh", is a distinctive dessert originating from the Sylhet region of Bangladesh. This unusual combination of beef and sweet rice pudding often surprises people, even within Bangladesh itself. The dish's unconventional nature frequently amuses and evokes curiosity from those unfamiliar with it.
However, many might assume in this era of fusion cuisine that it is a fusion dish. This dish is not a recent culinary innovation; its origins date back many centuries.
The original dish is Khorest Mast, a traditional Iranian dish. The history of this dish dates back to the Qajar era (1789–1797), when this stew used to be the main course.
Interestingly, Khorest Mast was known as a prestigious cuisine that wealthy people ate as a main course. Then gradually with newer varieties of food, it turned into a dessert.
How to cook beef payesh?Culinary traditions from different regions can intersect and profoundly influence each other, often through invasions, trade, and other interactions.
The culinary story of Bengal is quite fascinating. Today, celebratory popular Bengali dishes such as biryani, polao, korma, and roast, actually originated outside the region. It is widely believed that dishes like polao, korma, and biryani were introduced by the Mughals. The Mughals, whose ancestors hailed from Turkey and Afghanistan, also carried Persian influences into their cuisine. All of these dishes are rooted in Iranian food culture. The dish "Birinj" from ancient Persia is considered the precursor to biryani. Ancient Persia, now modern-day Iran, was one of the most influential cultures and civilizations of the Middle East, deeply impacting all other Arab countries. This blending of cultural elements is a common process in every society.
In Bengal, Iranian cuisine was not solely introduced through the Mughals. Instead, it mostly arrived with pilgrims and traders. The influence of pilgrims, devotees of various faiths, and saints is quite influential in our culture.
Notably, Sufi saints who migrated from Central Asia and the Middle East to preach Sufism in Bengal had a profound impact on the people of Bengal, as well as their way of life. Many of the saints settled in the Sylhet region and shaped the unique culture of Sylhet.
The dish Khoresht Mast (yogurt stew) was likely part of the Sufi saints’ and their devotees' cultures, influencing the local culinary traditions.
Sylhet, a centre of Sufism for saints like Shah Jalal and Shah Paran, experienced not only a transformation in faith but also in culinary tastes.
One such dish was Mangsher Payesh or Beef Payesh. In this dish, lean-cut red meat strips are braised with some spices until well done and shredded. After that, the meat is mixed with yogurt, sugar, and saffron. The incorporation of meat, particularly beef, into the traditional and ancient sweet dish, Payesh, made with milk and fragrant rice, is a testament to the blending of Persian and Bengali culinary traditions.
This Beef Payesh or Mangsher Payesh is a fusion of both Iranian and Bengali cuisine. This unique dish has long been considered a regional delicacy among the Sylhetis of Bangladesh. However, it has gained wider recognition in recent times. This newfound popularity leaves us curious about the authentic and original taste of this beef Payesh. To quench that curiosity, the following recipe of Khoresht Mast can be followed:
Ingredients-
100gm Beef Neck ( lean beef cuts can be used )
5 Tablespoons of Plain Yogurt
1/4 Tsp Saffron
1 Small Onion
Turmeric
1 Egg Yolk
1/2 Cup Sugar
Preparations:
1- Soak the saffron in boiling water for 30 minutes.
2- Boil 3-4 cups of water.
Directions:
1- Place the beef in a pot. Cut the onion in half and put it in the pot.
2- Add turmeric and pour in boiling water until it covers the beef. Cover the pot with a lid.
3- Simmer the pot over low heat for 45 minutes (until the beef is fully cooked).
4- Shred and mash the beef with a hand blender.
5- Beat the egg yolk in a pot.
6- Add the sugar (1/2 cup) to the pot and stir.
7- Add 5 tablespoons of plain yogurt (add more yogurt if the mixture is still thick) and blend thoroughly until well mixed.
8- Heat the pot over low heat and keep stirring.
9- Continue stirring until the mixture becomes creamy.
10- Add the mashed beef to the pot and continue stirring until well-mixed.
11- Add the saffron to the pot and continue stirring until well blended.
12- Leave the mixture at room temperature until it cools down, then place it in the refrigerator.
13- Serve cold. Decorate with dried food.
