Tucking into the Biryani: Hyderabadi Style

Abstract

Contemporary food trends of avid foodies are not only about binging on anything they get their hands on but also to find out the history; source and sustainability of the food. It is this trend that has prompted the writing of this paper which focuses on the signature dish of Hyderabad and the king of all rice recipes – the Hyderabad Biryani. Indian cuisine in general is all about the variety of masala concoctions that are characterized by the complex and subtle mix of various herbs and spices followed by a distinct mélange of cooking techniques. Hyderabadi cuisine and the Hyderabadi Biryani in particular is a great testimony to this. While the ambition and aspiration of this paper is to trace the layers of history that come together to make the most sought after food item both for the visitors and the local community of Hyderabad today, the paper also explores the possible precursors to the Biryani and the various types of Biryani that have emerged as a result of migrations, invasion and exchange of cultures across the globe and pan south India in particular. The paper is divided into three parts. The 1st part is the introduction that describes about the biryani in general, while the second part of the paper unfolds the history behind the ingredients that go into it and the third and final part discusses the mélange of cooking techniques involved in the preparation of the dish.