Biryani has always been a main course for all of my family’s important moments- be it a gathering, any festive mood or even the slightest happy moment.
Biryani and Indian food culture always go hand in hand, no matter which part of the country you go to. You would find a speciality, a local twist or a fan favourite in any major city or town. There are varieties eaten on the go and those that put you in a food coma! Biryani is a popular dish in many parts of the world, particularly in India. It is a mixed rice dish with meat, vegetables, spices, and sometimes nuts or raisins. It has mild fragrance, plump rice, distinct taste of rice with hot and tangy flavour, and soft meat or vegetables. Mostly, it is prepared in two ways: kacchi (where the meat and rice are cooked together) and pakki (where they are cooked separately and mixed later on). Kacchi is generally harder to make and is considered an art in its own right; the meat is marinated in spices, curd, and cooked with rice. It is skill not to overcook the rice while making the meat tender.
While some firmly believe it has its origins in the Indian subcontinent and has since spread to other regions and cultures, where it has been adapted to local tastes, another school of thought argues that its origin – or the principle of cooking rice with meat can be found in many parts of the world and may have made it ways from Persia, for instance. The popularity of Biryani can be attributed to its rich, flavorful taste and versatility, as it can be made with various ingredients and can be enjoyed as a main course dish.
According to the stats released by the topmost online food ordering apps, Biryani is the most-ordered food in India. As per the data published by Swiggy, in 2022, 2.28 biriyanis were ordered every second. Also, the data from Zomato reveals that 186 biriyanis are delivered every minute across the country.
Over centuries, Biryani has been blossoming with regional variation. While there are those who swear that biryani isn’t biryani without basmati (long-grained rice), there are several versions with short-grained rice, and even vermicelli! In short, biryani is an emotion.
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Nevertheless, Biryani has been evolving- with flavour and taste changing- as per the demand of the preferences and taste. While these biryanis may be different, one thing’s for sure – it evokes strong emotions in people.
Indians love Biryani and Biryani unites India.
So, have you tried your Biryani today?
Nicely written. Biryani or Biriyani is the national food of our nation. There are so many versions from Ambur Biriyani to Hyderabad Biriyani, from bengali biriyani (with aaloo) to Moradabadi biriyani (colorless) we could find so many varieties.
Moulana Sirajul Hasan Sahib used to say, ‘We gave biriyani the nation embraced it. We gave Sherwani and it became the national attire. If we had bothered to give Islam, they would have definitely embraced it wholeheartedly|.