When you think of Indian cuisine, you may be pleasantly surprised about its diversity. Every region, every state has so much to offer on the platter. However, there is one dish that all Indians unanimously love indulging in, the evergreen classic - Biryani. There are different types of biryanis with many local variations, leaving food lovers spoilt for choice.

The complex flavours, delicious aroma, and the blend of various indigenous spices in biryani epitomise the zenith of Indian cuisine. And as complex and interesting as the recipes of the different biryanis in India are, the origin and history of biryani are equally fascinating.

 

So, whether you are a die-hard fan of this delectable dish, you must know about its glorious past and how it made its way into Indian cuisine.

Let us first understand the origin of 'Biryani.' It comes from a combination of two Persian words - Brian, which essentially means fried before cooking and Birinj, which means rice in the Persian language.

There are many stories or theories about how biryani made its way to India (we are glad it did). One of the interesting stories is that when Timur, the famous conqueror from Mongolia, arrived in India in 1398, he ordered his chefs to cook a special meal for his army of warriors.

The chefs cooked rice in earthen pots mixed with spices and locally available meat. The hot pot was buried in a hot pit to let the meat and rice cook together and combine well. Some historians and food experts consider it a predecessor to the biryani.

Another exciting and more famous story about the origin of biryani in India has its links to the fifth Mughal emperor of India, Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz, who is the inspiration behind the magnificent mausoleum, the Taj Mahal. Legend has it that the empress Mumtaz once visited the barracks of the Mughal soldiers and found that they were malnourished and weak.

So, to give them a balanced and nutritious meal, she ordered the royal chefs to prepare a dish that combined meat and rice. The result was biryani. At that time, the rice was first fried in desi ghee to prevent it from clumping and give it a flavour of its own. The rice was then cooked with meat marinated in spices over a wood fire.

As interesting as the history of biryani maybe, over the years, the Nizams of Hyderabad and the Nawabs from the northern parts of India deserve the credit for popularising it in India. The chefs at the Nawab's palaces had their signature recipe, which they mastered over the years and passed it to the next generation.

Over the years, the recipes may have evolved, but the fundamentals of the dish remain the same, like the meticulous use of the choicest ingredients and the cooking of the biryani over the slow fire in an earthen pot known as the dum pukht method. Sometimes, the biryani is cooked over charcoal, and the lid is sealed with dough to let the steam do its magic and let the meat tenderise in its own juice and allow the rice to soak the flavour.

Apart from the technique, the spices also play a critical role in making a perfect biryani. Depending on the type of biryani you are making, the types and the number of spices you use may vary. For example, Lucknowi biryani uses spices sparingly compared to the Hyderabadi biryani. Also, the use of kewra water, ittar, rose water, and the different types of rice (mostly the long-grained Basmati rice), add a distinct flavour and aroma to the overall dish.

If you are already craving a biryani, you can satiate your hunger by ordering your favourite type of biryani from Ekdum; we offer several options. You can enjoy having a Nawabi meal by ordering a Lucknowi Biryani, or if you want to try something new and different, you can order a Dindigul Biryani. This south Indian delicacy can give any biryani a run for its money.