Wikipedia:VideoWiki/Biryani

Introduction
Biryani is a mixed rice dish with its origins among the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent. It can be compared to mixing a curry, later combining it with semi-cooked rice separately. It is made with Indian spices, rice, along with various kinds of meat, vegetables or eggs.



Etymology
Biryani is a Hindustani word derived from the Persian language. One theory states that it originated from birinj, the Persian word for rice. Another theory states that it is derived from biryan or beriyan, which means "to fry" or "to roast".

Origin
The exact origin of the dish is uncertain. In North India, different varieties of biryani developed in the Muslim centers of Delhi (Mughlai cuisine), Lucknow (Awadhi cuisine) and other small principalities.

South India
In South India, where rice is more widely used as a staple food, several distinct varieties of biryani emerged from Hyderabad in Telangana, Ambur in Tamil Nadu, Malabar region in Kerala, and Karnataka.



Mughal and Persian connection
According to historian Lizzie Collingham, the modern biryani developed in the royal kitchens of the Mughal Empire and is a mix of the native spicy rice dishes of India and the Persian pilaf. Another theory claims that the dish was prepared in India before the first Mughal emperor Babur came to India.







Arab connection
According to Vishwanath Shenoy, the owner of a biryani restaurant chain in India, one branch of biryani comes from the Mughals, while another was brought by the Arab traders to Malabar in South India.



Difference between biryani and pulao
Pilaf or pulao, as it is known in the Indian subcontinent, is another mixed rice dish popular in the cuisines of the Indian subcontinent, Central Asia, and Middle Eastern cuisine.



Comparative
According to Delhi-based historian Sohail Nakhvi, pulao tends to be comparatively plainer than the biryani and consists of meat (or vegetables) cooked with rice. Biryani, on the other hand, contains more gravy (due to the use of yakhni in it), and is often cooked for longer, leaving the meat or vegetables more tender.



Ingredients
Ingredients vary according to the region and the type of meat used. Meat (of either chicken, goat, beef, lamb, prawn or fish) is the prime ingredient with rice. As is common in dishes of the Indian subcontinent, vegetables are also used when preparing biryani, which is known as vegetable biriyani.

Main ingredients and sides
In all biryanis, the main ingredient that accompanies the spices is the chicken or goat meat; special varieties might use beef or seafood instead. The dish may be served with dahi chutney or raita, korma, curry, a sour dish of aubergine (brinjal), boiled egg, and salad.



Spices
The spices and condiments used in biryani may include ghee (clarified butter), nutmeg, mace, pepper, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, coriander, mint leaves, ginger, onions, tomatoes, green chilies, and garlic. The premium varieties include saffron.



Varieties
There are various kinds of biryani versions based on various geographies and also diet preferences (vegetarian, non-vegetarian, vegan etc.). Geographical versions exist both in and outside of Indian subcontinent.

Kacchi biryani
For kacchi biryani, raw marinated meat is layered with raw rice before being cooked together. It is also known as kacchi yeqni. It is typically cooked with chicken or goat meat and occasionally with fish or prawns. The dish is cooked layered with the meat and a marinade at the bottom of the cooking pot.



Tehari
Tehari is a vegetarian version of biryani. It was developed for the Hindu bookkeepers of the Muslim Nawabs. It is prepared by adding the potatoes to the rice, as opposed to the case of traditional biryani, where the rice is added to the meat.

Beef biryani
Beef biryani, as the name implies, uses beef as the meat. In Hyderabad, it is famous as Kalyani biryani, in which buffalo or cow meat is used. This meal was started after the Kalyani Nawabs of Bidar came to Hyderabad sometime in the 18th century.

Delhi biryani
The Delhi version of the biryani developed a unique local flavor as the Mughal kings shifted their political capital to the North Indian city of Delhi. Each part of Delhi has its own style of biryani, often based on its original purpose, thus giving rise to Nizamuddin biryani, Shahjahanabad biryani, etc.





Dhakaiya Haji Biriyani
The city of Dhaka in Bangladesh is known for selling Chevon Biryani, a dish made with highly seasoned rice and goat meat. The recipe was handed down by the founder of one Dhaka restaurant to the next generation. Haji Mohammad Shahed claimed, "I have never changed anything, not even the amount of salt".





Sindhi biryani
The exotic and aromatic Sindhi biryani is known in Pakistan for its spicy taste, fragrant rice and delicate meat. Sindhi biryani is a beloved staple in food menus of Pakistani and Sindhi cuisine. A special version of Sindhi biryani sold by a shop in Karachi called the Students Center is popularly called "Students biryani."



Hyderabadi biryani
Hyderabadi biryani is one of India's most famous biryanis; some say biryani is synonymous with Hyderabad. The crown dish of the Hyderabadi Muslims, Hyderabadi biryani developed under the rule of Asaf Jah I, who was first appointed as the governor of Deccan by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.





Two versions
It is made with basmati rice, spices and goat meat. Popular variations use chicken instead of goat meat. One form Hyderabadi biryani is the kachay gosht ki biryani or the dum biryani, where the goat meat is marinated and cooked along with the rice. It is left on a slow fire or dum for a fragrant and aromatic flavour.

Thalassery biryani
Thalassery biryani is the variation of biryani found in the Indian state of Kerala. The ingredients are chicken, spices and the specialty is the choice of rice called Khyma.





Kolkata biryani
Kolkata biryani evolved from the Lucknow style, when Awadh's last Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was exiled in 1856 to the Kolkata suburb of Metiabruz. Shah brought his personal chef with him. The poorer households of Kolkata, which could not afford meat, used potatoes instead.







Ambur Vaniyambadi biryani
Ambur/Vaniyambadi biryani is a type of biryani cooked in the neighboring towns of Ambur and Vaniyambadi in the Vellore district of the northeastern part of Tamil Nadu. It was introduced by the Nawabs of Arcot who once ruled the area.



Chettinad biryani
Chettinad biryani is famous in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is made of jeeraka samba rice, and smells of spices and ghee. It is best taken with nenju elumbu kuzhambu, a spicy and tangy goat meat gravy. The podi kozhi is usually topped with fried onions and curry leaves.





Bhatkali Navayathi biryani
This is an integral part of the Navayath cuisine and a specialty of Bhatkal, a coastal town in Karnataka. Its origins are traced to the Persian traders who left behind not only biryani but a variation of kababs and Indian breads.



Memoni Kutchi biryani
Memoni biryani is an extremely spicy variety developed by the Memons of Gujarat-Sindh region in India and Pakistan. It is made with lamb, dahi, fried onions, and potatoes, and fewer tomatoes compared to Sindhi biryani.



Dindigul biryani
The Dindigul town of Tamil Nadu is noted for its biryani, which uses a little curd and lemon juice for a tangy taste.





Bohri biryani
The Bohri biryani, prepared by the Bohris is flavoured with a lot of tomatoes. It is very popular in Karachi.



Rawther biryani
Rawther biryani is popular in the Palakkad and Coimbatore regions. This was most commonly prepared by Rawther families in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. This type of biryani is cooked in a different style. Goat meat is most commonly used and it is entirely different from malabar biryani.

Sri Lankan biryani
Biryani was brought into Sri Lanka by the South Indian Muslims who were trading in the Northern part of Sri Lanka and in Colombo in the early 1900s. In Sri Lanka, it is Buryani. Sri Lankan biryani is much spicier than most Indian varieties.



Burma
In Myanmar (Burma), biryani is known in Burmese as danpauk or danbauk, from the Persian dum pukht. Featured ingredients include: cashew nuts, yogurt, raisins and peas, chicken, cloves, cinnamon, saffron and bay leaf.





Middle east
One form of "Arabic" biryani is the Iraqi preparation, where the rice is usually saffron-based with chicken usually being the meat or poultry of choice. It is most popular in Iraqi Kurdistan. Most variations also include vermicelli, fried onions, fried potato cubes, almonds and raisins spread liberally over the rice.



Afghan biryani
A different dish called biryan is popular in Afghanistan. Biryan traces its origins to the same source as biryani, and is today sold in Afghanistan as well as in Bhopal, India. Biryan is prepared by cooking gosht and rice together, but without the additional gravy (yakhni) and other condiments that are used in biryani.





Indonesia
Nasi kebuli is an Indonesian spicy steamed rice dish cooked in goat meat broth, milk and ghee. Nasi kebuli is descended from Kabuli Palaw which is an Afghani rice dish, similar to biryani served in the Indian subcontinent.



Singapore and Malaysia
Nasi Briyani dishes are very popular in Malaysia and Singapore. As an important part of Malaysian Indian cuisine, they are popularized through Mamak stalls, hawker centres, food courts as well as fine dining restaurants.





Philippines
Kapampangan cuisine of the Philippines features a special dish called nasing biringyi (chicken saffron rice). It is not a staple of the Filipino diet as it is difficult to prepare compared to other usual dishes. Nasing biringyi is similar to the nasi briyani dish of Malaysia in style and taste.

South Africa
In the Cape Malay culture, a variation of biryani incorporates lentils as a key ingredient in the dish along with meat (usually goat meat or chicken). The dish may be seasoned with garam masala or a curry spice mix (though this is not authentic to the local style) and coloured, sometimes heavily, with turmeric.



Thailand
Biryani in Thailand is commonly known as khao mhok. It is commonly paired with chicken, beef or even fish and topped with fried garlic. The dish is common in Thai cuisine and often served with a green sour sauce.