If you spend enough time on the Internet, you may have definitely seen the video of a Pakistani contestant bringing biryani from a local eatery for judges on the Pakistan cooking show `The Kitchen Master`. Interestingly, it is known that one has to cook and bring their own food on the show but somehow that seems to have eluded the contestant`s understanding but at least managed to get many laughs. While it is debatable about the whole scene being staged, the judges were visibly shocked. Even then, the clip shows that the woman doesn’t budge and believes she should definitely get a chance, especially after all the effort she has put into bringing it on the show.
For every person this writer has spoken to about the dish, eating biryani has always been considered a celebration and making it is nothing short of a unique experience. The wafting aroma of which is not only enjoyed from the first to the last part while cooking it but also while consuming it with family and friends. An emotion that immediately transports one to the biryani characteristically described in British chef Asma Khan’s episode on Chef’s Table Season 6. Unfortunately, most people rely on ordering it to make life easier. The reasons may vary from lack of time to being lazy or simply not knowing how to make it but many may agree that home-cooked food is the best. Interestingly, chefs and lovers of the dish agree but say there are quite a few misconceptions about the flavourful dish that boasts of many different variations in India.
Misconceptions about biryani
Pankaj Gupta, owner of Taftoon Bar & Kitchen, and a true lover of biryani believes that one of the biggest misconceptions associated with the dish is that it needs to be an extensive elaborate affair. “On the contrary it was created as an optimum nutrition source for vast armies on the move,” he shares. It also means at the time there wasn’t much worry about the specifics and that is something that Chef Glyston Gracias, city chef at city restaurant, Social, believes one shouldn’t get bogged down by, at least when they start out. “The processes and techniques such as the rice not being overcooked or being well seasoned are not important and so is the quality of rice. It need not be good long grain variety, in fact basmati is the ideal rice for a biryani; the quality of meat and balancing of whole garam masala is also not important,” he adds.
If the process of making it seems overwhelming, then chef Rohan D`Souza, culinary director at Silver Beach Entertainment and Hospitality nips another one in the bud. He explains, “The common misconceptions are that it is complicated to make at home and it’s time consuming as compared to other quick household meals.” D’Souza says the misconceptions are not only limited to the time but also that it’s best cooked or tastes best when it is made ‘Dum’ style and that’s not very compliant in home-style kitchens.
Even if one does attempt the Dum biryani, chef Akhil Multani, who runs The Ghost Chef, a newly launched Mumbai-based cloud kitchen, says people believe it is necessary to add mint or coriander. However, he says that is a wrong belief. “Any herb when exposed to heat turns black and bitter. Hence once should not use it to flavour the biryani. Mint and coriander are served on the side to act as a palate cleanser or a mouth freshener during or after the meal,” he adds.
How to make a good biryani?
Now that we have got the misconceptions out of the way, what should people keep in mind while making a good biryani? Making biryani is an art like cooking any other dish but very often people make very simple mistakes that may often spoil the dish completely or simply dissuade them from trying to make it ever again. The process of making a good biryani is a two-step process for Multani and one that he vouches for on any given day. It has the potential to even change your mind about ordering biryani. He shares, “While making biryani, the first thing to keep in mind is to marinate the meat. It’s a must because it gives the meat flavour. The second Is to give the entire dish a ‘Dum’ where the biryani is steamed in its own juices and ghee.”
Multani isn’t the only one who stresses the need for adequate marination. Gupta highlights the importance of marination and that too much in advance but that is not all for him. Even though it is a general practice by many people, he says soaking the rice beforehand and seasoning and flavouring while cooking is one that cannot be taken for granted. While the process is important, if one is preparing a feast, the city restaurateur lists – handpicking quality ingredients like long brain basmati rice, pre-planning, for example, fried onions, and settling on a good rice to meat ratio. One that even Gracias says people should figure out before they start. “For beginners, I would recommend they cook rice and gravy separately,” he adds.
While there are many popular types of biryanis served around India, the chefs and founders agree that chicken, lamb, mutton are commonly eaten, beef, buffalo, prawn, paneer, pork and duck are not far behind and have many takers. Gracias for one likes to make the last two types of biryani but loves mutton and duck too because every ingredient complements each other in them. On the other hand, the Safed Gosht ki Biryani at his restaurant is Gupta’s favourite, and D’souza is torn between some clear South Indian favourites – Andhra biryani, Hyderabad’s Kache Ghosh biryani and Tamil Nadu’s Ambur biryani but only because they are packed with all-round flavour and balance. For Multani, it is the classic mutton biryani that is a must on Sundays with his father. “It’s the amalgamation of spices along with soft tender mutton pieces and aromatic long grain basmati rice,” he adds.
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A Pakistani contestant recently ordered biryani and took it on a cooking show. While the judges were surprised, she wanted credit for the effort. While ordering is always easier, Mid-day Online spoke to city chefs to understand the common misconceptions about the flavourful dish
