“Biryani is bae”, “I’m in love with Biryani”, “Biryani, meri jaan”.
There is something so special about biryani that you cannot help but fall for it. In India, every region, every family has its own favorite biryani recipe. Cooking Biryani at home is a treat and tease to all our senses.
The irresistible aroma of Basmati rice, arousing smells of ginger and garlic, an eclectic mix of spices, the sound of tossing meat/vegetables in ghee…. An intimate love affair indeed! Some of the most famous biryani types are given below:
Hyderabad Biryani
This is perhaps the most famous one. Brought to India by the Mughal, the Hyderabad biryani adorns a generous amount of whole spices like cardamom, star anise and cinnamon. It’s usually prepared by layering method– which simply means that semi cooked basmati rice (drizzled with kesar water) and raw meat/vegetables (mutton or chicken) are layered one on top of the other, and cooked in a closed pot on low heat until the meat and rice are cooked through and the flavors from the meat have emanated into the rice.
Generous amount of fresh mint and coriander leaves adds to its irresistible taste. A Hyderabad biryani is customarily served with mirch ka salan or raita.
Lucknow Biryani
When it came to the Nawabs of Lucknow, Biryani was a show-stopper for royal feasts. Rich, deep but subtle, and elegant, the Awadhi/Lucknow Biryani truly epitomises the lifestyle of the royals.
Flavored with kewra/screwpine water and whole spices, it is loved by those who have a low tolerance for spicy food. This too can be made using the layering method, followed by cooking it on a dum (sealed pot on a very low flame).
Some prefer to go for the easier method of cooking both the protein and the rice separately and then layering it. This also gives good results, but purists will always favor the traditional method.
Bombay Biryani
Almost every Indian state has created its own avatar of India’s favorite dish and the city of dreams lags in no way. The Bombay biryani is a charming cousin of Lucknowi Biryani and tends to be a little on the sweeter side, owing to the addition of prunes to it. You will also find potatoes and cashews, along with the meat.
It sprawls with flavors indeed. Bombay biryani uses green chillies to bring a fresh spiciness to the dish that goes perfectly with the sweetness of the prunes, making it irresistible for those who love it sweet and spicy.
Ambur Biryani
When you’re in Tamil Nadu, it’d be hard for you to miss the numerous shops selling only Ambur biryani, and nothing else. This Biryani particularly stands out from the rest because of the kind of rice used – seeraga samba rice– which lends a very earthy flavor to the dish.
The dominant flavors are that of coriander and mint along with the protein used. The general idea is to prepare the protein (marinated with curd and spices) and the rice separately until they’re 80% done and then drain the rice and add it to the chicken/mutton curry so it absorbs all the flavor from the curry. We’re drooling already, aren’t you?
Dindigul Biryani
Back to the south, Dindigul biryani leisurely uses black pepper and south Indian garam masala to up its flavor quotient. The protein is marinated with curd and lemon before being cooked, thus adding a fresh, tangy flavour profile to the biryani.
While the preparation can be similar to that of Ambur biryani, it most definitely holds its own when compared to any of the other biryani, and might even show itself a winner among them.
You must be logged in to post a comment.