Biriyani – the word itself evokes a different emotion, based on which part of India that you find yourself in that very moment, that is a mixture of overwhelming yearning, sudden pang of hunger and a million images of biting down a piece of heaven ( at times even “tearing up” with joy in the process, literally ). Did you know that Chicken biryani was the most-ordered food item in 2017, According to the order analysis from food ordering and delivery platform Swiggy for 2017 ? So, there, you have the latest data corroborating the national love for the ‘meat-and-rice’ dish known in a variety of names, flavors and techniques pan india, all unified by the single love for what it offers – a taste of heaven.
Here are some fun facts we collected on Biriyani, as we celebrate the sheer culinary awesomeness of the dish at Ramada Lucknow’s #SaturdayStories this March, your must-visit destination for weekend dining in Lucknow.
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- The version of Biriyani tracing its origins to the Mughals bringing it to India has to be taken with a big dollop of ghee as versions of the ‘meat-and-rice’ dishes in regional versions existed in India way before their arrival
- An example would be the Oon Soru from Tamil Nadu made of ghee, rice, meat and spices like turmeric, coriander, pepper, and bay leaf that has been a part of its traditional cuisine
- More mythical references allocate the credit to Timur & Mumtaz Mahal which we believe are just that, mythical references
- On last count we have come across 10 basic variations which itself has its own adapted variations thereon. These are Delhi or Mughalai Biriyani, Lucknowi Biriyani (yay!), Hyderabadi Biriyani, Bombay Biriyani, Kolkata Biriyani, Sindhi Biriyani, Bohri Biriyani, The Tahiri, Malabar Biriyani and the Thalassery Biriyani
- Kolkata Biriyani has our own Wajid ali Shah to thank for, having his khansamas recreate the Lucknowi culinary magic with the local ingredients available
- For those who didn’t know the difference between Kachchi Biriyani & Pakki Biriyani and didn’t know whom to ask, here it is : Kachchi is when you have uncooked meat and half-done rice layered alternately cooking over fire, which takes a longer time to cook. Hyderabadi Biriyani is a great example. Pakki version is when the meat is cooked separately and then introduced as layers into the half-cooked rice and cooked together – our Lucknowi Biriyani ( applause, applause )
- The Kolkata Biriyani and ( the Kutchi Memon Biriyani version) use slices of potato also in the biriyani
- Biriyani is a full meal in itself, an anytime-eat dish and goes with any beverage accompaniment
If you ask us, for Summers, nothing beats a great meal time like unlimited helpings of authentic Biriyani and the best beer to wash it down, in the company of your friends and loved ones.
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