There's a strange comfort in opening the lid of an ice cream box from our mothers while sitting in the hostel or mess. Inside, it most certainly isn't ice cream but one of her many signature dishes filled to the brim. Opening that ice cream box is more like an emotional journey, which, with every bite, transports us back to a time when life seemed simpler and love was served on a plate. 

Whether it's the taste of your grandmother's signature kachki macher chorchori, or a steaming pot of tehari prepared by your mother, the taste is tied to emotions and specific moments in time, making nostalgia hit hard. 

Each dish tells a story, a narrative of celebration and the touch of mother's or grandmother's love. For Mother's Day, Star Lifestyle, with the help of Foodpanda homechefs, reached out to readers to ask them about that one dish they love that always reminds them of their mum or the mum figure in their lives. 

Below is a collection of their favourites, along with tributes to the women they came from.

Mach er kofta e lebu pata
Monisha, 30, Dhaka

Growing up I acquired a taste for all sorts of fish. Our family cooked fish with a twist, thanks to my grandmother for coming up with unconventional recipes. 

On weekends, I looked forward to my mother's signature dishes, my favourite being mach er kofta e lebu pata.

We start with making the fish kofta by marinating the fish pieces with salt, turmeric, and red chilli powder. Then, we fry the fish slightly and shred the pieces. We mix sliced onion, green chillies, coriander leaves, half a tablespoon of jeera powder, one egg, one tablespoon of cornflour and a pinch of salt. 

After combining everything, we deep fry the fish balls. The gravy requires minimal spices such as bay leaves, cinnamon and cardamom, turmeric, red chilli, cumin, and coriander powder. Adding tomato, onion, garlic, ginger paste and yoghurt. Stir until the gravy is thick, then add the fish kofta. 

Lastly, you add a twist to this recipe — lemon leaves! 

When I got married, I knew I had to get the recipe from my mum. This dish will always take me back to the days when the whole family came together for a Friday lunch. 

Chui jhal e goru manghsho 
Shams, 24, Moulvibazar

I was thrilled to start my job as a management trainee in one of the biggest multinational companies. The prospect of being posted to Moulvibazar, far away from my home in Khulna, filled me with excitement for the adventure ahead. However, after a few weeks, I began to feel lonely and overwhelmed. 

Limited to making only egg daal and rice for lunch and dinner, I found myself longing for the comforting taste of chui jhal with beef, a dish that reminded me of my mother and evoked strong emotions. 

Every time I have a holiday or a weekend off, I travel back to Khulna, and my mum always packs a big box of chui jhal goru mangsho for me. I enjoy it almost three times a week. 

According to my mum, ten to fifteen minutes before the cooking procedure is complete, dried-up chui jhal twigs stems, or roots are added to the beef curry being simmered. The softened roots enhance the curry's flavour and aroma. 

I am currently learning to make it myself, but until then, I might just order it from home chefs on delivery apps.

Shorshe ilish
Fahim, 45, Dhaka 

It's been over ten years since I migrated to Dhaka from my hometown in Barishal. My wife is a great cook but she's mostly into baking and makes the best Italian pizzas and pastas. However, on weekends, we both try to recreate some dishes that my mother used to make by watching YouTube videos, but they never come close to the original. 

Shorshe ilish is a classic recipe made with mustard paste, green chillies, and mustard oil. There's no other fish in the world that even comes close to its taste, flavour, or aroma.

Lebanese adana kebab
Afifa, 32, Dhaka

Returning from Kuwait to Bangladesh, my childhood memories of Arabic cuisine always evoked a sense of nostalgia. Determined to recreate those cherished dishes for us, my mum turned to YouTube, mastering each recipe with precision. 

She tried to master the Lebanese adana kebab mixture by grating onions, red bell pepper, and finely chopping garlic and parsley, which is grilled until cooked through, alongside vegetables for extra flavour. 

Whenever I visit her, she lovingly prepares these dishes, taking us back to our time in Kuwait. It's a unique bond we share because deep down I know only my mum can go to such lengths to create a sense of familiarity and comfort — something I do not often find in other homemade Bangladeshi dishes. 

Beef polau
Faria, 31, Dhaka

My mother used to make beef polao when I was a child, hence the recipe calls for no chillies, to make it suitable for children. 

I remember when I left home for the first time to move abroad, a very proud mother with teary eyes served me a piping hot plate of beef polau as my last meal before I boarded the plane. 

In the most painful days of homesickness, I made a pot full of hot beef polau to soothe the chills of a London winter. 

In a pot, add beef, chopped onions, ginger-garlic paste and all aromatics and lightly boil to let the aromatics seep into the beef. Once the beef is cooked through mostly, add the rice and oil and stir to mix. Bring to a boil with the appropriate amount of water to let the rice cook through. This dish takes me back to little pockets of uneventful days that are still somehow laced with my mother's warmth and memories.