BIRYANI
The exotic aroma of biryani emanating from a newly opened restaurant rekindled a craving lying dormant in me for years. My yearning for this delicacy dates back to a time when my father led me, my mother and my kid sister to an obscure restaurant in Central Calcutta more than half a century ago. Though I do not remember the place, the exotic experience remains fresh in my memory even today.
Over the passing years, I discovered there are many varieties. The connoisseurs and culinary experts have been on perpetual disagreement on the supremacy of one genre over the other. But then, who cares? I like them all. But I definitely despise the fakes, often a mishmash of conventionally cooked meat or chicken pieces served on a plateful of yellow rice. This is sheer sacrilege and there should be a stern law against this malpractice. Biryani is not cooked, it is “created” with tender love and care.
The origin of this exotic art is unknown and often disputed. Currently, it is known the world over as an Indian (or South Asian) delicacy. But is it? Some believe that the word Biryani is derived from the Persian word “Birian” which means fry-and-cook. In all probability the Mughals were the ones to introduce this gastronomic delight in this part of the world.
At home and abroad, there has been a healthy rivalry between the Hyderabadi and the Lucknowi (Awadhi) varieties. The former obviously was patronized by the Nizams and the latter by the Nawabs of Awadh. Nizam’s kitchen boasted of forty-nine different varieties. There are several Awadhi varieties as well. One of them is Dum Pukht Sabzi Biryani and it has an interesting story. Nawab Asaf –Ud-Daula of Awadh was taking a stroll in the afternoon interacting with his people. Incidentally, there was a construction site on the way, with hundreds of labours toiling. In one corner, there was a large vessel containing meat, rice and vegetables simmering in very slow fire. It was the afternoon meal for the workers. The Nawab was mesmerized by the aroma and summoned the royal chef. The chef, a culinary expert, came over, collected the recipe and fine tuned it. The rest is history. There are no Nawabs these days but the art lives in the non-descript eateries of Lucknow’s chowk area.
There is a Calcutta variety as well, which unfortunately is not very popular outside Bengal. The legacy goes back to the last Nawab of Awadh, the ill-fated Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, who was exiled to my beloved city. The Nawab’s favourite food soon caught up with the local residents. However, being poor, many could not afford the required quantity of meat and settled for potatoes. Nowadays, the potato is an indispensable part of ‘Kalkatta Biryani’, nestling like a golden egg in a bed of fine aromatic rice and soft melting pieces of mutton. Arsalan restaurant in Park Circus, Kolkata is famous for the Calcutta variety. It is a favourite haunt of ours during our yearly holidays.
Unfortunately, I had never been to Hyderabad and cannot authoritatively comment on the genuine Hyderabadi variety. There are several restaurants outside Hyderabad claiming to serve the original stuff but their quality and authenticity have always been disputed by my die-hard Hyderabadi friends. The trick of the trade, I believe, is the skill to induce the aroma of the spices without actually mixing them with the final product. It is light and healthy. It is claimed that authentic Hyderabadi Biryani can be eaten with bare hands and there would be no trace of grease on the fingers.
A Bangladeshi friend of mine introduced me to home-cooked Kachchi Biryani. This is cooked with the rice and marinated meat placed in layers in the vessel with the lead tightly sealed. This is a challenging process as it requires meticulous attention to time and temperature to attain perfection. The trick is just a wee bit of overcooking to ensure a divinely delightful gastronomic experience. This is supposed to be one of the Hyderabadi varieties originally. It has a sister version aptly named Pakki Biryani, where the meat is pre-cooked.
I personally believe that mutton Biryani is the real stuff. The ones cooked with chicken, beef, prawn or vegetables are at the most pilaffs or pulaos. Some puritans agree with me. Unfortunately, there are some who do not.
Bon Appétit.
Siddhartha Deb
Kuwait; 7 August 2012
