What dinner party is complete without Biryani? People of all ages never forgets to call out “Biryani” when they are naming there 5 favorite food. Now let’s dig down to the history of biryani. Biryani is an Asian and Middle-Eastern dish of spicy meat and fragrant rice. There are a lot of popular theories on the origin of Biryani. The most popular of all is, it’s a Persian dish as the name Biryani is derived from the word “biryan” which means “fried or roasted before cooking”. And it could be true since Biryani’s popularity is spread throughout the Muslim world in some shape and form. So I conclude that no matter how many theories claim to know the origin of Biryani, Biryani was actually around for centuries, a popular dish among the Muslims moving with them from civilization to civilization, only it claimed its proper name and cooking style during the Mughal era. May be that’s why it is known as “Food fit for Kings”.
Cooking style of biryani is different in every community. But the thing which makes Biryani “Biryani” is that spicy meat and fragrant rice are both cooked separately and then brought together by steaming them in a pot covered on low heat called “Dum” or baking. The main spices and ingredients differ in various versions of Biryani. The most basic are salt, onion, ghee, cumin, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, nutmeg mace, coriander, mint leaves, ginger, garlic and screw pine or rose water for fragrance. Banaspati or Jasmine rice is usually preferred in most versions of Biryani. The popular biryani meats are chicken, lamb, fish, mutton, shrimps, quails and sometimes eggs or potatoes (for vegetarians).
There is a variety of popular versions of Biryani throughout the world. Some of the most popular of them are:
Hyderabadi biryani is the most popular and the most basic type of biryani of Subcontinent. Hyderabadi biryani can be cooked in various variations with various ingredients. The most popular Hyderabadi biryani is “Kachi Akhni”. In Kachi Akhni Hyderabadi biryani mutton is first marinated in all the basic biryani spices including raw papaya and then cooked and steamed (dum) with half cooked rice.
Recommended Recipe - Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani
The most popular forms of Iranian biryani are “Biryan Pilaf” and “Dum Pukht/Dum Pukhtak”. Traditionally Iranian biryani was made by marinating chicken or lamb overnight with yogurt, herbs, spices and dry fruits like raisins, cashew nuts, prunes or pomegranate seeds (Anar Dana). And then traditionally cooked in clay oven (Tandoor/Tanoor), or gas oven in modern times. It was served with steamed rice.
Recommended Recipe - Irani Biryani
Sindhi biryani is another very popular version of biryani throughout the world. Sindhi biryani represents as a completely Pakistani biryani. Sindhi biryani is cooked by the basic method of biryani. Sindhi biryani is usually preferred with chicken; the main ingredient of Sindhi biryani is sour yogurt. Sindhi biryani is topped off with Dum of fried onions, green chilies, chopped coriander and mint leaves and yellow food color.
Recommended Recipe - Sindhi Biryani
Memoni biryani is another popular version of Pakistan’s Sindhi biryani with slight difference. In Memoni biryani, lamb is preferred with an additional quantity of sour yogurt, potatoes and fried onions. However, Memoni biryani has less food color in it so the original color of biryani comes out.
Recommended Recipe - Memoni Mutton Biryani
Bangladesh has its own variations of biryani. Fish biryani is mainly popular as Bengali biryani. Another popular Bengali biryani is “Kacchi Biryani”. Kacchi biryani is very popular throughout the world. Kacchi biryani is usually made with mutton and it does not ask for any precooking of meat before steaming (Dum). Mutton is simply marinated with all the spices and raw papaya. And then it is layered in a pot with half cooked rice, cashew nuts and fried potatoes and then steamed.
Recommended Recipe - Fish Biryani
Lucknowi biryani is also popularly known as Awadhi biryani. Awadhi biryani is usually made with chicken. In Awadhi biryani instead of cooking the meat into gravy, marinated chicken is cooked in to chicken broth. And then layered with half cooked rice and steamed.
Recommended Recipe - Lucknowi Biryani
Calcutta Biryani And Tahari
Calcutta biryani gained popularity when biryani’s popularity reached the poor class of Subcontinent, where it was difficult to afford meat; they came up with potato biryani as “Calcutta biryani”. But, now potato is only considered as a side ingredient in Calcutta biryani. Calcutta biryani is mild on spices. However, the potato version of biryani managed to survive through time and is now popular by the name “Tahari/Tihari”. Tahari has a very spicy and tarty flavor.
Recommended Recipe - Tahiri
Bombay biryani is popular all over the world. Bombay biryani is cooked with mutton or chicken. The meat is marinated in basic biryani spices with an addition of green chilies, coriander, mint, lemon juice and plums. Bombay biryani also has fried potatoes in it.
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Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar had a favorite rice dish, he named it “Delhi Biryani”. Delhi biryani is cooked with either mutton or chicken in basic biryani spices. But instead of marinating the meat, Delhi biryani is cooked directly. And then layered with half cooked rice and steamed.
Recommended Recipe - Delhi Biryani
Other Popular Asian And Middle-Eastern Biryani’s
Since biryani is a popular Muslim dish, it has seen its time of traveling and evolution. Where there is a handsome population of Muslims, there is a popular dish of spicy meat and fragrant rice. In Asian cuisines there is popular Thai biryani, Sri Lankan biryani, Malaysian Nasi beriani, Singapore biryani and Filipino biryani.
Arabs have their own version of biryani. But since Arabic food isn’t very spicy so is their biryani. Arabic biryani is cooked with chicken or lamb, cashew nuts, raisins along with other basic spices.
Today, modern chefs has come up with their own innovative recipes of biryani’s. e.g.
• Shrimps biryani: Shrimps biryani has also gathered a lot of popularity through time. In shrimps biryani shrimps are used in place of any other meat.
• Motiyon wali biryani: Motiyon wali biryani is made with little fried meatballs, wrapped up in silver leaves (chandi ka warq).
• Ibrahimi biryani: Ibrahimi biryani has it all; shredded chicken, beef mince, cashew nuts, raisins, potatoes and peas along with other biryani spices. Ibrahimi biryani’s rice is cooked in chicken broth before steaming it with rest of the ingredients.
Having a sudden craving for biryani? Try some of these innovative Khana Pakana’s Biryani recipes.
Shoal Sheesh Mehal