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:
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