Biryani........The King Food

Biryani - Food for the Kings

…… and everybody else. Biryani is probably India’s most sought after dish and is synonymous with mighty feasts or celebrations. A heady dish redolent of spices and fragrances, this dish is as diverse in its preparations as in its taste within India. However, Biryani is not native to India and its origins can be traced back to Persia (in Persian Berya means fried or roasted) and it is popular in Pakistan, Bangladesh and other South East Asian countries. In the days of the Nawabs in India, the preparation of Biryani was an elaborate affair and closely-held secrets within the royal kitchens. Extensive use of spices, saffron, meat, broth resulted in a fragrant and immensely popular style of cuisine. As the Nawabs’ wealth declined most of the royal kitchen staff started eateries and brought this royal dish to the masses. The magic of Biryani is a culmination of spices (clove, cardamom, mace, bay leaf, cinnamon), meat flavours, saffron (more expensive than gold!!!) and ginger, garlic and onions and, of course, the delicate and fragrant Basmati rice. Lucknow, arguably, has the richest heritage in Biryani for over four centuries. This is the Awadhi style which emerged from the dishes brought into India by Persian traders. The secret of the Biryani in Lucknow is that a large variety of spices are used to create a heavenly aromatic combination of juicy meat, fragrant, long-grained fluffy Basmati rice. The chicken and meat are cooked separately and then layered. A wide range of Kababs (Lucknow boasts of more than 80 varieties of Kababs) are perfect partners to this rich dish. You could find the best varieties at Idris Biryaniwala, Haji Wahad Qurash’s, As you travel across the India you experience the regional variations. In Kolkata, Biryani is cooked in the Yakhni style (where the meat with bones is boiled alongwith a spice bag, ginger, garlic and onion). The soaked rice is then fried in ghee and the broth or Yakhni is added. A fragrant attar is used to enhance the flavour. In Kolkata, the trend is to use Chaap (a rich meat based gravy) and the use of Raita is not popular. The popular Biryani joints in Kolkata are Shiraz, Zeeshan, Aminia, Rahmania and Badshah. Further south, Hyderabad is synonymous with Biryani and is the legacy of the Nawabs. The city is dotted with Biryani joints where the service is swift, prices are cheap and the taste is awesome. Here the preparation is different – the meat is marinated with spices, yogurt, garlic, ginger, turmeric, chillies and is layered with pre-cooked rice. Onions are fried crisp in ghee and then the ghee is added on top of the rice. Saffron is used to add to the fragrance and then the vessel is sealed (with dough) and it cooks in its own steam and juices. Here, the accompaniment is Mircha ka Salaan (a gravy of capsicum and chillies) and Raita. Paradise and Dum Pukht are places that are famous for their Biryanis. In Chennai sometimes Biryani is served with Curry leaves which has its own distinct taste. The cooking style is the same as in Hyderabad and the only difference is that the accompaniment is very fiery. Ponnusami’s in Chennai serves an excellent version and the prices are unbelievably low. In Mumbai, the Biryani is cooked in the Dum style but the gravy is not soaked into the rice but more like a layer of curry. Raita is the preferred accompaniment and the Biryani is less spicy. Lucky’s Biryani, Delhi Durbar, Jaffer’s Bhai Delhi Darbar are very popular. In Delhi the uses of spices is more pronounced than Mumbai. The flavour merges beautifully with two rich cuisines – Mughlai and North Indian. The use of ghee is heavier and it is common to eat tandoori dishes with Biryani. Saffron is used for its bewitching fragrance. There are Biryanis for vegetarians too but most purists argue that this cuisine is essentially a marriage of spices and meat. There is a rivalry between the Lucknowi and Hyderabadi schools of Biryani.