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.

Karim's Ghost, Biryani

The Mughals would have never dreamt of their cooks (of all the people), to the flag-bearers of one of the most important and interesting part of their history - the very spicy and rich Mughlai cuisine!

If you talk of Mughlai food in Delhi, there are hundreds of joints, some good, some better and some average. But if you want your taste buds to be treated royally and the aroma of rich Indian spices creates magic in your senses, then there is one address where you should be heading straight to; and that is Karim's. We are sure you have heard of this, and know what we are talking about.

Cooking royal food is the hereditary profession of Karim's. Right from the times of Babur, the ancestors of the present generation of Karim's have accompanied the Mughal Emperors. The fact stated is enough to explain the expertise these cooks had, that made even the warriors a slave of the delicious cuisines cooked, and that the recipe have been passed onto the present generations.

The end of this prestigious royal employment came to an end during the year of mutiny 1857, when the last Mughal King Bhadur Shah Zafer was dethroned. The Karim's ancestors fled from the Lal Qila and took shelter in the vicinity now called Farukhnagar, to save themselves from the fury of the British. They lived there in disguise trying the different types of livelihood, simultaneously, but the father never forgot to infuse the fine art of cooking the "royal Food" in his son.

In 1911, when Delhi Durbar was held for the coronation of the King Eeorge V, Haji Karimuddin moved back to Delhi with an innovative idea of opening a Dhaba to cater the people coming from all over India to join the coronation. Haji Karimuddin started the Dhaba selling just two items of Alu Gosht and Daal served with Rumali Roti.

In 1913, Haji Karimuddin Established the Karim Hotel in Gali Kababian, Jama Masjid, Delhi saying, "I want to earn fame and money by serving the royal food to the common man".

Today, the fourth generation is running the show the with Karim Hotels Pvt. Ltd. At Jama Masjid, a Restaurant called Dastar Khawan-E-Karim at Nizamuddin West New Delhi.

Karims Kebabs

he Mughals would have never dreamt of their cooks (of all the people), to the flag-bearers of one of the most important and interesting part of their history - the very spicy and rich Mughlai cuisine!

If you talk of Mughlai food in Delhi, there are hundreds of joints, some good, some better and some average. But if you want your taste buds to be treated royally and the aroma of rich Indian spices creates magic in your senses, then there is one address where you should be heading straight to; and that is Karim's. We are sure you have heard of this, and know what we are talking about.

Cooking royal food is the hereditary profession of Karim's. Right from the times of Babur, the ancestors of the present generation of Karim's have accompanied the Mughal Emperors. The fact stated is enough to explain the expertise these cooks had, that made even the warriors a slave of the delicious cuisines cooked, and that the recipe have been passed onto the present generations.

The end of this prestigious royal employment came to an end during the year of mutiny 1857, when the last Mughal King Bhadur Shah Zafer was dethroned. The Karim's ancestors fled from the Lal Qila and took shelter in the vicinity now called Farukhnagar, to save themselves from the fury of the British. They lived there in disguise trying the different types of livelihood, simultaneously, but the father never forgot to infuse the fine art of cooking the "royal Food" in his son.

In 1911, when Delhi Durbar was held for the coronation of the King Eeorge V, Haji Karimuddin moved back to Delhi with an innovative idea of opening a Dhaba to cater the people coming from all over India to join the coronation. Haji Karimuddin started the Dhaba selling just two items of Alu Gosht and Daal served with Rumali Roti.

In 1913, Haji Karimuddin Established the Karim Hotel in Gali Kababian, Jama Masjid, Delhi saying, "I want to earn fame and money by serving the royal food to the common man".

Today, the fourth generation is running the show the with Karim Hotels Pvt. Ltd. At Jama Masjid, a Restaurant called Dastar Khawan-E-Karim at Nizamuddin West New Delhi.

Murg Badam Korma

Ingredients

• Chicken
• 400 gm boneless chicken pieces
• almond paste
• 1 tbsp oil
• 4 cloves
• 4 cardamoms
• 2 sticks of cinnamon
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup yoghurt

Gravy

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbsp brown onion paste
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp red chilly paste
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cups of chicken stock
• ½ tsp mixture of mace and cardamom powder
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 2 drops of kewra essence
• saffron, roastalmonds, juliennes of ginger and coriander leaves to garnish

Method
For the Chicken

• Put almond paste in thin chicken slices and tie the piece together with a thread.
• Then heat oil in pan. Add cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon, bay leaves and chicken. Cook the chicken till it loses color, and then add the yoghurt. Cover the pan and cook for about 2 minutes.
• Strain the chicken and remove the thread from it. Now keep the chicken aside along with the strained chicken stew.

For the Gravy

• Heat oil in pan.
• Add ginger garlic paste, onion paste, coriander powder, red chilli paste, salt, strained chicken stew, chicken stock, prepared chicken pieces, mixture of mace and cardamom powder, garam masala and kewra essence.
• Cover the pan and cook for about five minutes.
• Now put the chicken in a container and garnish with saffron, roast almonds, juliennes of ginger and coriander leaves.
• Seal the lid of the container with wheat dough. This will not allow the aroma to escape easily.
• Then place the sealed container on a low fire, a thick tava or an oven and cook for about 10 minutes.
• Murg Badam Korma is ready to eat.
• Serve hot with Rice or tandoori roti.

Chicken Hazaarvi

Ingredients

For the Gravy

• 3 Onions, finely chopped
• 3 Tomatoes
• 2 tsp Chili powder
• 2 ½ Coriander powder
• ¼ tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Ginger-garlic paste
• 3 Cloves
• 2 Cardamoms (black)
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 4-5 finely chopped Green chilies
• 1 tbsp finely chopped Coriander leaves
• Water to make the gravy
• 5-6 tbsp oil
• SaltTo Taste

For the Koftas

• ½ kg Mutton Keema (Minced meat)
• 1 Egg
• Finely chopped Coriander leaves
• ½ tsp Cumin seeds
• ½ tsp Red Chili powder
• ½ tsp Coriander powder
• Salt To taste

Method
For the Koftas

1. Wash the mince and squeeze out the water and finely chop the coriander leaves and green chilies.
2. Mix all the ingredients together, make medium sized koftas and keep aside.

For the Gravy

1. Finely chop the onions and the green chilies and fry them with the cumin seeds, bay leaves and ginger-garlic paste till golden.
2. Grind the tomatoes, cardamoms, cloves and the powdered masalas together, add this mixture and salt to the onions and continue frying on a low flame.
3. Immediately put the koftas into the gravy and wait till the koftas leave water and then only if required add more water and let the koftas cook on a low flame.
4. Once cooked, remove from heat and serve garnished with chopped coriander leaves.

Chicken Hazaarvi

ingredients

• 8 pieces of chicken breasts (boneless)
• 2 tblspns of ginger paste
• 2 tblspns of garlic paste
• 1 tspn of white pepper powder
• Salt to taste
• ½ cup of cheese grated
• 4 green chillies
• ¼ tspn of mace powder
• ¼ tspn of nutmeg powder
• 2 tblspns of chopped coriander leaves
• 1 egg
• ¾ cup of fresh cream
• Butter for basting

Method

1. Cut chicken breasts into two-inch cubes.
2. Apply ginger paste, garlic paste, white pepper powder and salt to the chicken cubes and keep aside.
3. Mash the cheese to make it into a smooth paste.
4. Add Finely chopped green chillies, mace powder, nutmeg powder, coriander leaves and salt.
5. Add egg and mix well.
6. Add chicken to the cheese mixture.
7. Then add fresh cream and mix delicately. Keep in the refrigerator for about two to three hours.
8. Put chicken onto the skewers and cook in a moderately hot tandoor or a pre-heated oven (200 degrees Celsius) until it is just cooked and slightly coloured.
9. Apply a little butter for basting and cook for another two minutes till chicken is fully cooked.
   

Navrathna Kurma

Ingredients 8 Small flowerets of ½ inch size cauliflower 1 caroot cut in round slices 1 ½ cup peas 10 beans cut in ½ inch pieces 1 capsicum cut into ½ inch cubes 2 onions 1 1.2 inch ginger 3 tp 4 flakes of garlic 1 cup tomato puree 1 tsp dhania powder 1 ¾ tsp jeera crushed to powder 1 ½ tsp garam masala powder 1 tsp red chilly powder 1-2 tbsp ghee or oil 50 grams grated khoya 1 ½ tsp salt Chopped coriander leaves 2 cloves crushed to powder Method Cut all the vegetables into ½ inch pieces Grind the onion, ginger and garlic into paste. Put oil in pan and add onion, ginger and garlic paste.· Cook till the paste turns golden brown. Add the tomato puree and cook till oil seperates. Add jeera powdre, garam masala powder, dhania powder and red chilly. Mix well. Add all the vegetables (except paneer) and mix well. Cook for 10 minutes. Keep stirring in between. Add the grated khoya and paneer. Mix well. Cook for another 10 minutes on low heat. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and grated khoya.