Biryani, evergreen classic main dish that may be enjoyed delightfully in any weather or in any month of the year. It's heavenly aromatic favour and taste made it to one of the foremost loved cuisine not only in India but all across the planet.
History
As per the theory, the aromatic biryani is of the Iranian origin. Also, it's name 'the biryani' can be traced back to the initial Persian language as 'Birinj', that literally means "to fry" or "to roast". It was first introduced in India by the Mughals as the part of the Mughlai Cuisine or Awadhi Cuisine. It has evolved a lot since then, a wide variety of biryanis were created. Still it's royalty and iconic status isn't broken down.
In the past few centuries since it has become more Indian than most Indian dishes. There is no part of the country that has remained untouched by the craze and the love for this one pot wonder.
Variety of biryani are found in India with their aroma and flavour still tracing back to that of the initial one.
Types & Variety
The Regal Mughlai Biryani made with succulent chunks of spiced meat with the scented rice and its irresistible aroma makes one hungry instantly.
The world-famous, Hyderabadi biryani, came to Deccan with the Hyderabad ruler Nizam-ul-mulk. The biryani crammed with the layer of meat and aromatic saffron flavoured rice is the star of the every grand event celebrated in India.
It has almost become an instinct to associate Hyderabad and biryani together. The method of cooking it involves adding potli masala (a unique blend of a host of masalas), layering of basmati rice and ingredients, and lastly finishing it with dum, covering the lid with dough so that it is cooked by the steam.In every handi of biryani, every grain of rice carries the aroma of assorted spices. Whereas, the meat or vegetable get it to a different level of delicacies giving a blissful courtesy to the foodies.
The aromatic combination of Arabic, Turkish and Mughal flavours with The pinch of Deccan spices, the Hyderabadi Biryani, always go in hand-to-hand with a similar royalty as it came to the plates of the Nizams of the Hyderabad.
The Aromatic Regal Biryani, Isn't It Still Tastes Regal..<3 - The Nayan KasturiIts evolution has many stories attached to it. Some attribute the dish to Mughal empress Noor Jahan who had ordered her cooks to make the dish for the famished soldiers of her army. Others say it evolved during the great famine of Avadh when large groups of people building the Imambara had to be fed at one go, yet others claim that it was created for the labours during the construction of the Red Fort in Delhi.
But all of them agree that the dish was created to ensure that the common man got his share of nutrition-protein from the meat, carbohydrate from the rice, and immunity from the spices - taste came as an incentive.
As per celeb chef, Ajay Chopra's, Biryani is indeed a "nail-biting dish". "Everytime, I make a it, it is a new challenge because this can be the one that may toss you out every single time, right from the standard of rice, to the standard of meat and it's cooking time. it is often a wait-and-watch game", he says.
"Making biryani is a work of art. While the process may seem fairly simple, it requires expertise and practice. Which is also what makes the perfect biryani such a rare find and prized catch." Biryani Central
"There is always extra love and time that you need to devote, to make biryani. It may seem simple but it is a complex dish to create." Muhammad Ahsan Ali Qureshi, co-founder of Cross Border Kitchens.