Hyderabadi Biryani

Hyderabad is the capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. Hyderabad is renowned for many things: its IT industry, its biotechology industry, its pharmaceutical industry. You may even have called Hyderabad unknowingly (or knowingly) to speak with “Sam”, a computer technician, to help you set up your internet or resolve a customer service issue. Hyderabad is one of the richest cities in the world and its economy is booming. 


Hyderabad is rich with history and the “Nizams of Hyderabad”, the rulers of Hyderabad at one time. It is home to the famous Charminar, a mosque with four minarets, built by the Sultan Muhammed Quli Qutb Shah. Hyderabad is known for its people, Hyderabadis, who have their own, unique way of expression and language. They may speak Urdu, Telegu or Hindi, but you can tell Hyderabadis from a mile away just from the way they speak and express themselves.


However, one thing Hyderabad is especially famous for is its cuisine. The mix of South Indian, Mughal and Persian influences make Hyderabadi cuisine one of the most refined and complex cuisines in the world. The traditions of the stately dishes that were served to the nizams of the time have carried through to today. The dishes are rich in history, spices and taste. They are most often than not, cooked slowly and with an array of complex spices that layer flavour upon flavour. There is heavy usage of nuts, coconut, dairy and meat. Hyderabadi food is truly fit for a king; from their rice dishes, to their kebabs and kormas, each one is royal in its own right. 


Some of the dishes famous and unique to Hyderabad are baghare baigan (braised aubergines/eggplants in a rich, spicy gravy), haleem (spicy wheat and meat porridge), paya nehari (spicy stew made with sheep feet), khatti daal (spicy and tangy lentils), Hyderbadi korma (chicken or meat braised in a yoghurt/cream sauce with nuts and spices), dum kebab (steam/baked kebabs), luqmi (pastries stuffed with meat and fried), to name a few. Our famous desserts; qubani ka meetha (dried apricots, stewed), double ka meetha (bread pudding infused with saffron and sugar syrup and cream.) Last but not least, the one dish that Hyderabad is most famous for, and maybe even more so than all its industries and money, Hyderabadi biryani.


Hyderabadi biryani. For those who have eaten this, those words alone send a chill down their spine, a momentary loss of consciousness and a drool they can’t control. Yes, it’s that good. Its creation is an art; its preparation a ritual. It’s a serious matter and each cook’s reputation lies in their biryani. My mum was a very good cook and her biryani was excellent. I watched her make it several times but never noted the recipe or asked for the quantities. My biryani is one I have perfected with the help of my dad. I am always tweaking it and I think it’s good and it gets good reviews. However, I don’t think I am ready to go in a throwdown with a khansama/bawarchi (chefs from the palaces of the emperors, and cooks) from Hyderabad, I’ll tell you that much!


When any of my uncles or aunts were getting married, we would always travel to Hyderabad to attend the wedding. I remember, I always wanted to accompany my grandfather when he went to inspect the food preparation. There I was dressed to the gills, in my fancy frock and shoes, trudging through the dirt to see the food being cooked. It was absolutely fascinating to me. The dinner for the wedding was cooked in, what looked liked to me, these huge cauldrons. These cauldrons sat bubbling, very fittingly, over a wood fire. The bawarchi, would take a long handled spoon or spatula and climb onto something to stir it up. I can’t even imagine the quantities stated on the recipe! Amazingly, every dish was perfect. My dad told me that these guys are experts at cooking in huge quantities and dish after dish, they prove themselves. The dum kebabs and luqmis; the biryani and korma, I remember them like it was yesterday.


There are many biryanis out there and each region or city has their own style. Basically, all are layered rice dishes with meat and spices. Some have tomatoes, some have potatoes and some have nuts and dried fruit. A vegetarian biryani also exists. Most biryanis layer rice with a cooked meat mixture and maybe vegetables and then the whole thing is put on low heat to steam. Hyderabadi biryani is different, in that it uses a raw meat mixture at the bottom of the pan and then half cooked rice is placed on top. When the meat starts cooking, it gives off steam to the rice above and the rice is then infused with all the spices and onions that are mixed into the meat. This kind of biryani is called kacchi biryani (kacchi meaning raw, because of the raw meat mixture.) 


Kacchi biryani can be a bit tricky, but the more you make it, the easier it will get. The trick is to time the cooking of the rice just right. The rice that tops the meat mixture has to be undercooked so it can finish steaming with the meat. In India, the biryani is put on a low flame on the stove to finish cooking. I prefer to place the biryani in the oven; there is less chance of it burning at the bottom. Most commonly, the meat used is mutton, lamb or goat. My children and I like the chicken biryani and so, that’s the one I make the most. Though a well made lamb biryani is exceptional. I will post a recipe for a lamb/mutton version later since its preparation is a little different. 


For now, here is my Hyderabadi chicken biryani.
This will serve 8-10 medium appetites.