How was 2022 for foodies in India? At least for online orders, we have an answer. It's spelt: b-i-r-y-a-n-i

Biryani, an all-rounder fare that holds a special place in the hearts of all Indians has once again been chosen as the most-ordered dish of 2022 in India by the food delivery aggregator platform, Swiggy. Numerous tales surround the origin of this delicious medley of mouthwatering spices, fragrant rice, and meat combo. 

Timur, the dreaded Turk-Mongol conqueror, led his army to India's frontiers in 1398. The dish was a component of his army's combat diet. The soldiers buried an earthen pot with rice, spices, and any meat they could find before digging it up and eating it.

Another tale dates the dish to the year 2 AD and the southern Indian Malabar coast. Tamil literature mentions a spicy rice and meat dish called Oon Soru.

Other tales mention Shah Jahan’s wife Mumtaz Mahal, the beautiful queen of Shah Jahan, as responsible for its creation. Mumtaz Mahal noticed how malnourished her warriors seemed and gave the cooks the order to feed them by mixing rice and meat.

Tracing the history of this slow-cooked recipe that every Indian state has modified to suit their regional palate is a task. Let’s take a deep dive into the geographical variants of this savoury dish.

 

Hyderabad

This widely acclaimed biryani, which was inherited from the Nizams of Hyderabad, comes in two variants: kacchi (raw) and pakki (cooked). In the kachhi biryani, the meat is marinated in spices and curd for an entire night before being topped with rice and cooked at a certain temperature. The meat is marinated for a shorter period of time and cooked separately from the rice in pakki biryani. The two components are then combined and cooked using the dum technique. The dum technique makes use of earthen pots with layers of biryani that are cooked over an open flame with the top sealed with dough. 

Lucknow

The mildly spiced Awadhi form of biryani is what gave rise to the Lucknowi biryani. This soft and moist biryani is made by simmering meat fluids and spices in stock for hours together. The dum pukht method involves layering rice on top of partly cooked meat that has been infused with flavours like cinnamon and star anise.

Kolkata

The history of the Calcutta biryani is somber despite its mouthwatering flavours. The cuisine aficionado and premium taste enthusiast took an ensemble of cooks when the last Nawab of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah, was exiled. The cooks tried to make do with what they had due to their drastically reduced salary and substituted inexpensive potatoes for pricey meat in the biryani; this substitution has been made ever since. Surprisingly, potato, which was once a cheap substitute for meat in this biryani, is now its hero.

 

Kerala

The Malabar area, specifically Kerala, is the origin of this flavorful biryani. The biryani from Thalassery is an iconic dish. Instead of basmati rice, local varieties like "Khyma" or "Jeerakasala" are preferred. A lavish spread of juicy chicken wings, crunchy fried onions, sautéed cashews, raisins, Malabar spices, and fennel seeds is what comes next. Only when it is time to serve is the rice combined with the meat and gravy. 

Tamil Nadu

One of the most cumbersome biryani recipes was the one that originated in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu. Only high-grade grass-fed Kannivadi goats are used to dish out authentic Dindigul biryani. Why is this biryani different? Well, the original makers of the dish ditched chonky portions of meat for bite-sized pieces. Jeera samba rice is generously combined with pepper leaves to kindle your taste buds after being drenched with curd and lemon for that tangy aftertaste.  Served with eggplant gravy, this biryani is an absolute plate-of-art. 

Mangalore, Karnataka

This spicy Mangalore biryani version is a speciality of the Byari Muslim suburb in coastal south Kannada in Karnataka. The term "byara," which means trade, is where the name "biryani" originates. The biryani, which was developed by traders and merchants, is liberally sprinkled with coconut and chilies. The rice in particular has a strong, unique flavour from being marinated in ghee and spices for the entire night.

Mangalore, Karnataka

The exquisite dish's origins can be attributed to Persian traders. In Bhatkali biryani, the meat is layered with flavorful rice after being cooked in an onion and green chilli masala. To give the meal additional flavour, more curry leaves, spices, and chilies are added. The end product is a mouthwatering pork meal served with orange-tinged white rice that has a strong onion and garlic flavour.

Northern India

Tahari, unlike other biryanis, is prepared without meat. Lots of vegetables are used in place of the meat. Along with several aromatic spices, carrots and potatoes are frequently added. The dish is said to have originated in Mysore when Tipu Sultan employed vegetarian Hindus to serve as his bookkeepers. For them, a vegetarian version of biryani was created, and it still fascinates vegetarians today. In Kashmir, the dish is a well-liked street meal.