THE NAWAB OF DISHES: BIRYANI

The saying "Good food, good mood" has proved itself to be relatable and true time and again. Food has the magical ability to unite all sorts of people together. You can consider yourself a 'foodie' if you talk about food as much as you eat it. Certain foods have the ability to give you a foodgasm. One such food item is our very beloved BIRYANI. Oh to be encompassed by the aromas of Biryani and feel like a Royal! “Love at first bite” is what Biryani does to us.

My amateur attempt at Biryani

Be it a lazy Sunday afternoon or a hectic Wednesday morning, the craving for a fine Biryani can crawl out at the most unexpected times. But it is too hard to resist, so you give into your temptation and order in your favourite Biryani. Sure, it might mess up your diet but cheat days are the best part of your diet, aren't they? Lovers of Biryani do not stop at just ordering it in, they attempt to try out their hand at preparing it. The first attempt is always a failure, but that doesn't stop them. One of the major factors that makes your Biryani truly special is using YOUR family's traditional recipe. Just standing by your mother and grandmother and observing their every move and the way they toy around with the spices and the rice to make it colourful and aromatic is a gift. The best part of it all are the little tales which are told along which make the Biryani mouth-watering in the most sincere sense. However if you notice, there are differences even in their styles of preparation and taste. There lies magic in their hands. While practice makes a Biryani perfect, the importance of these factors cannot be ruled out by true Biryani lovers.  

To get into the historical aspect of Biryani, there are many theories as to where it originated from. One of the most common theories is that it originated in Persia many years ago and was brought into India by the Iranian travellers. It then spread all over India and each region modified the original in their own ways. More than one kind of Biryani exists today, and the way it is cooked depends from place to place. However, the basics remain the same. A different theory claims that the dish already existed in India long before the first Mughal emperor Babur came to India. It is said that in North India, it developed in Delhi and Lucknow, and in South India, biryani emerged from Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. Another interesting theory states that the origin of Biryani is related to Shah Jahan's Queen, Mumtaz Mahal. Legends believe that she asked the chef of the army camps to prepare a dish which provided balanced nutrition to the army men who she discovered to be famished on her visit once. This led to the creation of the esteemed Biryani. We don't know for sure which theory is truly accurate, but when you see a hot plate of Biryani served in front of you these questions don't really hold a lot of importance.

Hyderabadi Biryani

As mentioned earlier, every city of India has its own version of Biryani and the debate for which one is the best continues till date. I am now going to share a few of my experiences and details of the types of Biryanis that I have tried so far. Starting with one of the most well-known Biryanis of India, the spicy Hyderabadi Biryani. It is a versatile dish and it is popular all across the world due to its boldness which emerges through the Basmati rice and the meat marinated in a blend of spices and yogurt, and dry spices like elaichi, cloves and cinnamon, aka the pride of India. This Biryani is prepared using the 'dum pukht' method, a procedure in which the food is cooked over a slow fire in a large pot and the lid is sealed with dough. The next notable Biryani is the Lucknowi Dum Biryani which also makes use of the dum pukht method. It is cooked in a way wherein the meat, which is fried in ghee and spices is cooked and then it is layered with rice. It is mild and subtle and constitutes a sweet aroma that comes from rose water and cardamom powder. This generational recipe provides an unimaginable satisfaction to the foodie. Next comes the Calcutta Biryani which consists of potatoes and boiled eggs. Here's a fun fact I learnt: the reason this Biryani makes use of potatoes is because in olden times potatoes were more affordable than any type of meat. It is very aromatic due to the presence of nutmeg and saffron. This version of Biryani is simple and manageable but it is an experience of a lifetime. An honourable mention goes out to the extremely spicy Dindigul Biryani, which left me with a feeling of divinity. Biryani is not limited to India. Countries like Africa, Malaysia, etc. have come up with their own styles, with the major difference being the subtlety and the boldness of the spices. 

Just so everyone gets the opportunity to experience the marvelousness of this dish, there exists a vegetarian version of it too. The trendy and ongoing joke amongst the council of foodies about the Vegetarian Biryani not falling into the ‘Biryani family’ and instead being considered a 'Pulao' despite the very existence of the word ‘Biryani’ in the name is obviously known to all of us. Yet another playful banter is about how the sudden bite of an elaichi ruins the entire taste and journey of enjoying the dish. These debates sometimes take a heated turn but there is nothing wrong in having strong opinions about your favourite dish. However it is important to remember: we are all food enthusiasts and in the end, we stand united. In my experience, not once in my life have I been disappointed in any of the Biryanis that I have tasted. No matter what the occasion, having this dish in your menu can never go wrong. Sharing a hot pot of Biryani with your loved ones while simultaneously exchanging laughters can never make one not happy. From getting a glimpse of the enchanting rice to the taking the very first bite, only a true Biryani lover can understand and absorb this feeling of euphoria. To get to taste every type of Biryani that the world has to offer is my dream. I have always wondered, what makes Biryani so special? I think it is fair to derive that Biryani is not a food but an unmatched emotion that stays with us for a lifetime. Foods have the ability to do that to us, and for me, Biryani does the job. Even on my lowest days, a blessing disguised in the form of Biryani lifts up my mood more than any human can; and I think that is magical.

Egg Biryani

Biryani was once a dish for the royalty. But today, this lip-smacking dish is enjoyed by locals in every corner of the society with love. Although essentially a Muslim dish, it holds an immaculate power which has resulted in the breaking down of social barriers and in the development of a bond and unity throughout the country and the world. It brings people together. “Divided by prejudices, united by the love for Biryani.” Biryani acts as content for a lot of food bloggers and vloggers. Although tough to capture the entire essence and greatness of it, it motivates more and more people to try it out, hence resulting in the outspread of the dish to a large extent. More and more advancements are being made to the original recipe but frankly, nothing can beat the authentic, traditional version of it. Consuming Biryani is an experience that one can never miss out on as it positively hard to beat and it provides absolute contentment to our stomach and our heart. Its preparation is a long process, but it is called a labour of love for a reason. It is precisely the King of all foods!