Humor with an Attitude: Biryani:- A research

There are more than 26 varities of Biryanis in India. This delicacy has a vague history but today it remains a true Indian food. Some Pundits believe that Biriyani was originated in Iran (Persia) and it came to India by Mughals and Persian merchants. The Mughal imperial kitchen has influenced the style of cookery in the Indian Subcontinent on the terms with Persian and Turkic cuisines of Central Asia, and has in turn strongly influenced the regional cuisines of Kashmir and the Punjab region (now partitioned between India and Pakistan). Others believe that Biriyani came to Southern India through Arab travelers to Calicut. Based on the name and cooking style (Dum), one can conclude that the dish originated in Persia and/or Arabia.

On the lighter side I have read several legends regarding the invention of Biriyani. One legend has it that Timur known as Tamerlane in English (Timūr-e Lang, "Timur the Lame"), was a 14th-century conqueror of West, South and Central Asia, and the founder of the Timurid dynasty (1370–1405) in Central Asia, and great-great-grandfather of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Dynasty, which survived as the Mughal Empire in India until 1857. Timur who was also son-in-law of Genghis Khan brought Biriyani down from Kazakhstan via Afghanistan to Northern India.

According to another legend, Mumtaz Mahal , love of Shahjehan and the motivation behind Taj-Mahal devised this dish as a "complete meal" to feed the army. Yet, some say the dish really originated in West Asia by the Nomads who would bury an earthen pot full of meat, rice and spices in a pit, eventually the pot was dug up and there was the Biryani. Personally while eating Biryani at “Hyderabad House” I read another legend printed on their table mat. It goes like this during a war, the Royal cook made an easy cuisine for slaves and soldiers, yet healthy so that the troops can eat at once without getting burden of cooking rice, daal meat and vegetable separately, and we had Biryani. And that’s why, though it is considered a royal dish of the Nizams and the Nawabs; it was never ever served to the royal guests?

When Aurangzeb delegated the Nawab of Arcot, Nizam-ul-mulk as the Asfa Jahi, the Arcot biryani was invented with the outside Muslim influence and the local blend of south. You can feel the strong south Indian chilies here. Locally grown 'long duration paddy' with shorter grain rice called 'seeraga samba' is used. During Mogul empire, Lucknow was called Awadh, thus we got Awadhi Biryani. While in 1856, British deposed Nawab Wajid Ali Shah in Calcutta, giving rise to milder Calcutta Biryani.

Thus we see that different regions have their own flavoring and a special touch to distinguish their biryani from others and call it best. Asafetida and fennel powder is used in Kashmir, green chilies and southern spices like coriander powder, turmeric powder are widely used in Hyderabadi biryanis, Kalpaasi & Marathi Mokku in Dindigul Biryani, Khus Khus in Malabar biryani, cashew-cumin- fennel paste in Arcot biryani, black cumin and fennel in Awadhi biryani, almonds and cashew along with coconut in Malaysian Nasi biryani, local Kerala spices such as nutmeg, cashew, cloves and cinnamon in Kozhikode Biryani and saffron along with light spices in Calcutta Biryani, to mention a few.

Though we can notice that each region follow almost similar recipe, with minor variations. Actually there is no written rule to follow to cook a biryani; All you can look for is a great aroma of spices, Non-sticky rice grains layered with meat and bones. As long as these requirements are made we can experience variety of Biriyani across India. One can experiment with a variety of Biriyanis in India as one experience the different flavors of culture and languages. There are several new biryanis which are boneless versions and sometimes Eggs are used instead of meat. There were vegetarian Hindus and Jains who gave us the Tahri biryani (a vegetarian version).

Now we know that we can put anything in Biryani. Although, Mutton / chicken are most common meat used. In Kerala you will notice the fish / prawn Biryani along with Beef Biryani. It was further developed through the spice route and has a Yemeni/Irani flavor. The use of Beef is also common place in places which are now in Pakistan. You may find rabbit Biryani and Dove Biryani inside Madurai and Turkey Biryani in Tamilnadu. For the record The Nizam of Hyderabad boasted of 49 varieties of Biryani made from quail, deer, hare etc.

Calcutta Biryanis include potatoes, along with chicken or Mutton. There is an interesting story to this story,evolved by Wajid Ali shah’ s (the last nawab of Awadh) chef who would put Potato to absorb the stocks and spiciness of meat .Due to recession the potato in Biryani was continued and later became the distinguishable ingredient of Calcutta Biryani.

With a paste of sesame seeds, black cumin and dry fenugreek leaves in Memoni biryani which is invented by Sindh and Gujarat we get a distinctively spicy mutton Biryani also called the Kutchi Biryani. Up North in Kashmir, the mutton is marinated overnight along with spices and Hing (asafetida).

Marination is one of the key process used to make Biryani. It starts with the process of soaking the meat with oil, yogurt with ginger- garlic paste and spices. It tenders the chicken or mutton and the spices go inside the flesh giving a unique flavor. Normally a rest of 2-3 hrs inside refrigerator is recommended but we know Kashmiris go for an overnight option. In South, Biryanis are not cooked with marination. Sometimes Raw Papaya or Pomegranate is used as tenderizing agents.

Biryanis are also cooked differently with different utensils and firewoods. The basic understanding is that all the regions use their traditional cooking utensils either made of copper / bronze / aluminum / mud etc with different shapes and sizes like wide, shallow utensils some with thick base. The biriyani is also cooked over different fires - wood fire, charcoal, coconut shell embers etc. Once you chose the right vessel for the biryani, remember to layer the rice with meat and masalas. It starts with a thick layer of rice at the bottom then spread the garnish (fried onions, mint / cilantro leaves, lemon juice) over it. Add a thick layer of meat and again spread the garnish and finally top up with rice. You can then mix saffron milk or rose/kewda water seal the top of the vessel with a tight fitting lid and bake. You can make your temporary seal with kneaded dough.

Then there is famous Dum ki Biriyani, Dum means steam which is actually a process where the vessel is sealed and cooked from above and below with gentle heating. This gentle cooking gives ample time for the flavors of rice and meat to mix and separate. I have seen the heavy base utensils are used for dum or the base covered in mud.

The most famous side dishes which go along Biriyani are Salan and Raita .Biryani is eaten with a wide variety of additives. Indian biriyanis are usually served with Raita. South Indian Biriyanis are served with a sour dish of eggplant (brinjal) or Mirchi ka salan. In Tamilnadu a Muslim Biriyani meal is complete only with the serving of a dessert. You will also find salad served with a dice of lemon is often given to you all over India. The dash of lime juice is loved over Biriyani.

In Sri Lanka you may get a pickle, Mint chutney, or scrambled eggs. Personally I like beaten curd with Onion and Chillis which gives a unique taste to Biryani while you devour on it, along with a Cold Cola.

The most famous of all and the most recent is the Dum-Pukht Biryani either with Hyderabadi or Awadhi influence. Dum pukht literally means to stifle off the steam. The food is placed in a clay pot and dough –ed around as a seal to prevent steam from escaping.

You cannot complete this blog on a special note on Hyderabadi and Lucknawi Biryani.

Hyderabadi biryani is traditionally a Biryani of Katche (Raw) Ghost (mutton) made with uncooked, marinated lamb (kacche gosht). Here uncooked and marinated mutton is cooked along with rice to get a playful of juices smeared from meat and filled with aroma. There is also a commonplace and another version called Pakki Biryani, where the meat is cooked with all the accompanying spices separately and later layered with para-boiled rice with the resultant gravy redolent of mace, ittr and kewra in a sealed handi (Claypot) with saffron and cardamom.

While the Gorgeous Lucknowi biryani’s rice is made from meat stock. And the meat is cooked separately and sautéed. As Vir Sanghvi describes very aptly, “while Hyderabadi biryani has top notes and middle notes, Lucknowi biryani owes its success to a homogenous blend of spices, so that no single one predominates.” It is also called Yakhni Biryani because of use of yakhni (meat stock). A slightly different version of this biryani is also found in Delhi and Western UP (Moradabad).