Biryani flavours from the land of Nizams and Nawabs

Biplob Ghosal

Connoisseurs still remember the culinary spirit of the era bygone, when cooking was not just another chore but an art mastered by a select few. And, leading the way were the kitchens of royalty, where master chefs experimented to create those very special dishes meant for monarchs. Nizams of Hyderabad and Nawabs of Lucknow led the pack, when it came to appreciating the subtle nuances of tastes and flavours and that’s why chefs in their kitchens were known the world over for their signature dishes. Presented here is the recipe of a much loved, very special dish…the Biryani in two distinct ways of cooking - Nizami style from the Deccan and Nawabs’ favourite from Awadh. Though both cuisines have some similarity but at the end they present two entirely different dimensions to the senses. While Biryani from Hyderabad is known for its liberal use of spices, the Lucknowi variety stands out for subtlety of its flavours. History Biryani is derived from the Parsee word `birian`, which means `fried before cooking`. While preparing the dish authenticity mandates ‘Dum’ cooking - this clearly indicates that the dish originated in Persia. Emperor Taimur Lang is believed to have brought Biryani to our country. The Great Mughals also played a vital role in entrenching Biryani in different parts of the country. In Mughal style of cooking, Biryani gets cooked in open fire so as to bring out the perfect tastes of exotic spices, dried fruits and nuts. Mughal style of cooking left an indelible mark in the Gangetic plains and led to the evolution of the Awadhi Biryani in Lucknow. Later, Biryani became very popular and spread eastwards to Kolkata in 1856 during the reign of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. From there, Biryani traveled to the Deccan and further south with tyrant Aurangzeb and his invading army. The Mughlai style gradually seeped into our already rich culinary heritage. The torchbearers of ‘Biryani’ revolution were Nizams of Hyderabad. Their kitchens experimented with flavours and came up with a unique variety of Biryani, now called the Hyderabadi ‘Dum’ Biryani’ - complimented by other unique culinary delights like ‘Mirchi ka Salan’, ‘Dhanshak’ and ‘Baghare Baingan’. Diff between Lucknowi and Hyderabad Biryani On looking closely at the evolution of Biryani, one can conclude that there are two types of Biryani - `kutchi` (raw) and `pukki` (cooked). Biryani from Lucknow is known as ‘pukki’ Biryani and the Hyderabad one is famous for being ‘kutchi’ Biryani. According to the `pukki` style, meat and rice are cooked separately then layered in a copper vessel for the finish. Whereas in ‘kutchi’ variety (with raw gravy); meat, marinade and rice are layered raw and cooked in `Dum`. If you want a mouthful of the authentic Biryani, here is the original age-old recipe of Biryani, straight from the kitchens of royalty… Hyderabadi Biryani (Kacche gosht ki Biryani) Ingredients: 750 gm pulao rice 500 gm mutton preferably in small pieces (cut-boti pieces will be fine) Whole spices: Cinnamon – 2-3 pcs, clove – 2-3 pcs, Cardamom – 2-3 pcs, big Cardamom – 2 pcs, Star Anise – 1 pc (Make sure to crush them) Onion – (400-500) gm Ghee – 100 gm Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp Green chilli paste – ½ tbsp Red chilli paste – ½ tbsp Brown onion – 100 gm Curd – 200 gm Raw papaya paste – 1 tbsp Kabab chilli powder – ½ tbsp Mace – ¼ tbsp Green cardamom powder – ½ tbsp Dhania powder – 1 tbsp Jeera powder – 1 tbsp Mint chopped – 2 bunch Coriander chopped – ¼th of bunch Saffron – a pinch Milk – 50 ml Salt as per taste Wheat flour paste (for Dum) Procedure:

Slice onions and fry till it becomes golden brown. Crush them after that.

Clean mutton and soak in curd mixed with ginger-garlic paste, green chilli and red chilli paste, coriander leaves, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, mace, kabab chilli powder, green cardamom powder, dhania and jeera powder, raw papaya paste, star anise, chopped mint, coriander and fried onions. Mix all these properly. Let the meat marinate for 8-10 hours.

Start cooking the rice. As you pour water in container, add a bit of ghee, cloves, cinnamon, depoded cardamom, bay leaves, mint leaves and salt.

Now take a ‘lagan’ and put the marinated mutton as the first layer. As the rice gets 30 percent cooked, take out 30-40% of the whole quantity and make it as the second layer.

Cook the remaining rice to 70 percent and add it as the third layer.

Now mix milk and saffron and spread it.

Put the lid and seal it with wheat flour paste.

Cook over slow fire-preferably with live coal on top of the lid.

You can also put saffron and ghee on it after it gets cooked. Lucknowi Biryani Though Lucknowi Biryani is often termed as a pulao by many, but this is not correct. Here is the recipe of Lucknowi Biryani like never before… Ingredients: Pulao rice – 750 gm Mutton - 500 gm (cut boti pieces) Whole spices : Cinnamon – 2-3 pcs, clove – 4 pcs, cardamom – 3 pcs, Big Cardamom – 2 pcs, Star Anise – 1 pc Onion – (400-500) gm Ginger-garlic paste - 15 gm Ginger (whole) – 10 gm Green chilli (Whole) – 5-6 pieces Yellow chilli powder – 1 tbsp Dhania powder – 1 tbsp Cumin powder – 1 tbsp Mace powder – ¼ tbsp Curd - 200 gm Green cardamom powder – ½ tbsp Mint chopped – 2 bunch Corriander chopped – ¼ th of bunchs Saffron – 1 pinch Butter – 100gm Cream – 100 ml Wheat flour paste Procedure

Slice onions and fry them till they become golden brown. Crush them after that.

Cut green chillies and ginger into juliennes.

Heat cream and butter (for 2 mins) and keep it aside (It is called ‘jhol’).

To cook mutton use ghee, ginger-garlic paste, javitri, whole spices, yellow chillli powder, dhania and jeera powder and brown onion with curd. Cook it as you normally cook a home-made mutton.

When mutton is almost done, pick up mutton pieces and keep aside in a bowl. Now strain the curry.

Mix strained curry and cooked mutton pieces and cook it for a while. At the same time add mace powder, green cardamom powder, mint chopped, ginger and green chilli julienne and jhol to it.

Start cooking rice. Put a bit of ghee, and 1 or two pieces of cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves, mint leaves and salt. Cook it up to 50 percent.

Now take a ‘lagan’ and place half of the mutton as the first layer, add half of the rice as the second layer. Similarly, place the remaining mutton as the third layer and the remaining mutton as the fourth layer.

Now mix saffron with jhol and spread over it.

Put the lid and seal it with wheat flour paste.

Cook over slow fire-preferably coal fire.