Bring it on the Biryani way!
Swiggy has released its annual survey report ‘How India Swiggy'd’, for 2024 and, Biryani has won the culinary race for the 9th consecutive year! The Food delivery app registered around 80 million orders placed for the Rice dish. The calculation zeroes to two biryanis orders every second.
Basically a rice preparation and mostly loved by meat lovers, the most commonly used meat forms are lamb, beef, or chicken. True blue Biryani lovers vociferously deny the existence of Vegetable Biryani. The etymology of the word Biryani is derived from Birian, a Persian word that translates to ’Fried before cooking’ and Birinj which means rice.
There are multiple theories floating of how the dish originated and became a part of Indian Culinary Culture. One story claims to be brought by Arab Traders at the Malabar Coast; another one insists that Turk-Mongol King Timur carried along with him a pot of rice laden with spices and meat. While one also accredits Mumtaz’s brainchild. However, all three indicate the Mughal connection.
The preparation is elaborate and requires fine cooking skills. Dominated by rice, meat, peculiar spices, Indians have found their own versions. Over the centuries, the aromatic dish has become a part of Indian culinary and usually considered to be an item on feast menu, not meant for daily consumption. Princely states of Awadh and Hyderabad adapted it their way and there is always playful banter among the present day inhabitants of remnants of these regions on which Biryani is better- Lucknowi or Hyderabadi? Although, traditionally, the method of cooking Biryani has been the Dum Pukht, which literally means slow cooking. Kolkata Biryani includes both egg and potatoes.
A favorite choice for most parties and get together, Biryani has been ruling the delivery apps’ charts for a decade and forever for foodies!
Picture credit: Biryani Junction
