From all the amazing cuisines that India has to offer, the legendary biryanis hold a special place of honor amongst all. No family gathering or office party is complete without the presence of biryanis in the menu. Let us take a delightful journey to find out more about biryanis:
Kolkata Biryani: As is a common characteristic of every Bengali dish, the Kolkata Biryani has a sweet taste that lingers in the mouth and is lightly sprinkled with exotic spices. This highly appetizing dish has potato as a major ingredient apart from nutmeg, kewra and saffron. It is said that the Nawabs of Lucknow were exiled in Kolkata due to the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857. Since meat was available for a premium during exile days, the cooks used potatoes to make the biryani. Even today, an authentic Kolkata biryani will have potatoes, in addition to the mandatory meat.
Hyderabadi Biryani: Known to be one of India’s most aromatic biryanis, the Hyderabadi Biryani is a wholesome biryani that has caught the fancy of foodies all around the world. It is a brilliant combination of tender meat, saffron-flavored rice, crisp, golden-fried onions, mint leaves and whole spices. This biryani came into existence when Hyderabad was ruled by the Nizam and legend says that the recipe was finalized after almost 50 different meat combinations were tried out.
Ambur Biryani: If you want to taste an authentic South Indian Biryani, then Ambur Biryani that originated in Tamil Nadu, is the one for you. This biryani has a delicious base of whole spices and dried coconut paste, which makes it mouthwatering for everyone. The Seeraga Samba rice is cooked in a separate utensil before being added to the rest of the biryani. In order to make the meat chunkier and tender, it is marinated in curd, flavored with mint and coriander, thus giving it a truly unique taste. Traditionally, brinjal masala and a curd based salad is provided as an accompaniment.
Kozhikode Biryani: Also known as Thalassery biryani, this little-known biryani is prepared using a thin and highly-fragrant type of rice named Khyma. The Kozhikode biryani is sweet to taste since the use of chilli powder is limited and Malabar spices are used liberally. It is prepared in pucci biryani style, where every major component like rice and meat are cooked independently. True to tradition, other
than chicken & mutton, this biryani uses seafood like fish, shrimps and prawns to create a wonderful dish.
Sindhi Biryani: This aromatic biryani has its origins in the Sindh province (now a part of Pakistan) and thus the name. It is spicy to taste, especially since it contains finely chopped chillies, spices and roasted nuts to garnish. It is also garnished with aloo Bukhara (commonly known as plums). Also give it a tangy taste, the Sindhi Biryani has generous layers of tomatoes and sour yogurt too.
For all the biryani lovers out there, now isn’t that a wonderful range of biryanis to feast upon?