The Vast History of Biriyani

Biryani is the most famous rice dish in the world. The dish consists of meat as it surrounds itself with rich mainly Basmati (long grain) rice. The rice is flaky and doesn’t stick together, the meat compliments the rice without any gravy and the whole dish has the fragrance of spices. It is a very high calorie and heavy dish typically eaten at lunch or dinner and on special occasions such as weddings and celebrations.

The subcontinent embraced the culture of Biryani after the Mughals invaded north of india. They bought with them the Persian influenced dish of Pilaf but it got elevated through introducing spices such as cardamom, cineman, star anise nutmeg etc. The Biryani in the subcontinent embraced a steamed format where the meat is layered at the very bottom and sometimes pre cooked and half cooked rice is layered on top and is cooked together in a tight chamber with very low heat. The steam from the meat is spread all over the rice and when made in bulk it is simple and requires no extra side dish to consume fruitfully.

It is said that the Mughal Queen Momtaz first ordered the cooking of biryani for the soldiers of the Mughal empire, it is the perfect dish to make for a group as it is simple and requires one pot.

There is a vast difference in the recipes within the subcontinent as well as other Muslim nations of the world.

Pilaf is still consumed in Central Asia and the middle east and it is less intense in spices, and raisins are heavily used to have a sweet element in the biryani and the meat is almost universally lamb.

In the subcontinent chicken is also famously used and in Bangladesh different versions are found containing beef. There are also variations such as Pulao and Tehari but people don’t like to elevate those dishes to the level of Biryani.

In Oman there is also a rich culture that used fish as the main meat in the biryani, particularly Shark meat. As the meat is firm and holds its shape throughout the cooking process it is used and widely famous in that region.

So, what do you need to make a great Biriyani?

Fresh ingredients are a staple for any dish, spices freshly grounded and toasted, good quality less fatty meat, long grain rice. The steps are different depending on the amount of meat and the kitchen utensils. But sometimes it is needed to marinate the meat using yoghurt and spices. If you’re cooking at home it may be wise to precook the meat before adding the rice and sealing the pot. Potatoes are also controversial, if you find it tasty you can add the potatoes and fry them before the rice. And after some time you may enjoy a beautiful plate of cooked biryani.

Obviously it is not so simple, and each step requires skills and intuitions, not to undercook or overcook the meat. Also the rice requires a high level of understanding of temperature and experience. If all the steps are followed correctly it can be magic.