Posted:
Trail of the biryani
Preeti Raghunath
Saturday, September 02, 2006 23:19 IST
Mumbai's foodies reveal why this special preparation of rice is celebrated
The Moghuls may not be around but their flavours still seduce our taste buds - especially the biryani. Truly the king of good times, the biryani makes its presence on the dining table when there's a celebration at home. The biryani's journey is a little hazy - was it from Persia or Afghanistan or did it originate from Lucknow?
"Cooking biryani is an art. The process of dum cooking plays a major role in this process. We follow the recipes of the royal kitchens of Awadh," explains Madhu Krishnan, executive chef, ITC Grand Sheraton & Tower and adds, "Singer Adnan Sami gets us to make his biryani on and off. It has the meat of a young lamb with mince."
Actor Chunky Pandey is a big biryani fan. "I absolutely love biryani. The nalli biryani is my favourite and there's something called a kutchi biryani that I would have when I would travel to Bangladesh - fantastic!" he says. His favourite desintation - "Jeff's biryani in Bandra rocks! They are caterers but it tastes great. Lucky's chicken biryani too is very good."
Actor Zarina Wahab may be modest about her cooking skills but she's known for her authentic Hyderabadi biryani. "I make it just like everyone else does. There isn't a set recipe; I've learnt it from my mom," she says and adds, "In fact, the smallest restaurants have the best biryani."
Mommy's darlings Rakshanda Khan and Iqbal Khan agree that the best biryani is made at home - and by their mothers. "I don't know how to make it but the way my mom makes it, no one or no restaurant can come close. It's said that if you think of the person you're cooking for, the biryani turns out better! This definitely is true for me," says Iqbal. Rakshanda is a strict vegetarian with a twist - "When ma makes it, I only have the rice as I'm a vegetarian. The trick lies in the marination and the dum. I have never learnt to make it, but ma definitely is the best cook ever," she smiles.
Preeti Raghunath
Saturday, September 02, 2006 23:19 IST
Mumbai's foodies reveal why this special preparation of rice is celebrated
The Moghuls may not be around but their flavours still seduce our taste buds - especially the biryani. Truly the king of good times, the biryani makes its presence on the dining table when there's a celebration at home. The biryani's journey is a little hazy - was it from Persia or Afghanistan or did it originate from Lucknow?
"Cooking biryani is an art. The process of dum cooking plays a major role in this process. We follow the recipes of the royal kitchens of Awadh," explains Madhu Krishnan, executive chef, ITC Grand Sheraton & Tower and adds, "Singer Adnan Sami gets us to make his biryani on and off. It has the meat of a young lamb with mince."
Actor Chunky Pandey is a big biryani fan. "I absolutely love biryani. The nalli biryani is my favourite and there's something called a kutchi biryani that I would have when I would travel to Bangladesh - fantastic!" he says. His favourite desintation - "Jeff's biryani in Bandra rocks! They are caterers but it tastes great. Lucky's chicken biryani too is very good."
Actor Zarina Wahab may be modest about her cooking skills but she's known for her authentic Hyderabadi biryani. "I make it just like everyone else does. There isn't a set recipe; I've learnt it from my mom," she says and adds, "In fact, the smallest restaurants have the best biryani."
Mommy's darlings Rakshanda Khan and Iqbal Khan agree that the best biryani is made at home - and by their mothers. "I don't know how to make it but the way my mom makes it, no one or no restaurant can come close. It's said that if you think of the person you're cooking for, the biryani turns out better! This definitely is true for me," says Iqbal. Rakshanda is a strict vegetarian with a twist - "When ma makes it, I only have the rice as I'm a vegetarian. The trick lies in the marination and the dum. I have never learnt to make it, but ma definitely is the best cook ever," she smiles.
Seher Hone Ko Hai
Anupamaa
