Biryani is all about flavours of whole spices dancing on the palate, and succulent meat cooked to perfection with the long grains of flavourful rice. There is a wider variety of biryani across the Indian subcontinent. Though the basic things remain the same, the uses of spices and the way it is cooked bring all the differences in flavour and taste. Kolkata biryani is unique in the sense that it contains a big piece of boiled potato along with meat and egg.
Another signature of Kolkata biryani is despite being flavoursome, it is amazingly lightweight, mildly spiced and low on colour and essence. The perfect mix of spices makes Kolkata biryani a delicacy among biryani enthusiasts. Visit Arsalan, Aminia, Zeeshan, Siraj, Rahmania and Royal Indian Hotel, you will see a huge handi where rice is cooked with half-done chicken/mutton, a mix of flavoursome spices and big browned potatoes.
Each plate of Kolkata biryani contains 1-2 large pieces of meat, a boiled potato and more often than not, a boiled egg. As an accompaniment, chicken/mutton korma is a usual favourite. The most amazing thing is you can see the colour has penetrated deep into the potato and it has got the flavours of spices as well. This is not an easy feat and many people, who have tried to do it in their kitchens, have failed miserably. And of course, you cannot expect them to divulge their secrets!
Biryani at Aminia
What is actually Kolkata Biryani?
Let me tell you many biryani shops across Kolkata, from small stalls to well-known restaurants, prepare biryani that includes a boiled egg and a big chunk of chicken/mutton, but there are only a few eateries where you can experience the most authentic Kolkata biryani. I have already mentioned a few names. So, check them out if you want to experience the asli swad of Kolkata biryani.
How is it prepared?
Authentic Kolkata biryani is a mouth-watering delicacy where potatoes and meat are cooked in clarified butter. It is important to note that, from cooking meat to preparing biryani, the process is divided into a few sub-processes, each of which is done on a very low flame. The uncooked rice, potatoes and meat are then layered in a handi. Certain whole spices including cardamom, cloves, saffron, mace and a flavouring agent called ittar are used for flavours.
The handi is sealed with dough and slow-cooked further. More often than not, boiled eggs are a part and parcel of Kolkata biryani.
When Kolkata biryani became popular?
Honestly speaking, though Kolkata biryani has been here for a long time, it was overshadowed by its more popular counterparts Hyderabadi biryani and Awadh biryani. Fortunately, it is now flourishing to become a pan-India sensation after satisfying biryani lovers in the city for over a century. A national recognition has been overdue for a long time and Kolkata biryani is now spreading its wing near and far across India.
Royal Indian Hotel since 1905
First biryani outlet in Kolkata
The history of Kolkata biryani is as interesting as the dish itself. Following the historic trail will take us back to the princely courts of Lucknow. Oh yes, both Lucknow and Kolkata biryani have a lot of similarities when it comes to the use of spices. However, potato is an innovative addition to the latter type.
Kolkata biryani became integral to the city’s culinary landscape over 100 years ago. Ahmed Hussain is believed to have started it at Royal Indian Hotel at Rabindra Sarani in 1905. According to many culinary historians, it is most probably the oldest biryani-serving restaurant in Kolkata.
The owner of the restaurant (who is the third generation of Ahmed Hussain) claims that they have made no changes to the original recipe.
How is it different from regional biryani variants?
Awadh biryani, also called Lucknow biryani, is more about the flavours of meat than the spice mix. Travel towards the south and you will find the use of more spices. Biryani at the courts of the Nizams is spicier. Kolkata biryani is a modified version of Lucknow biryani.
Wajid Ali Shah’s Grave in Metiabrutz
What is the Mughal connection to Kolkata biryani?
Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was the tenth and last ruler of Awadh. The Nawab, who reigned from 1847 to 1856, is believed to have brought biryani to Kolkata (then Calcutta) after he settled in Metiabrutz in 1856. This explains the secrets to the similarities between Lucknow biryani and Kolkata biryani. Though he was a patron of literature, music and dance, the Nawab was heavily criticized for his luxurious lifestyle. After being dethroned, he fled with his family and carried only the tastes of his favourite cuisines.
Kolkata biryani, like Lucknow biryani, is prepared in dumpukht style i.e. slow-cooking method. This is a signature cooking style of Awadh region. The process involves cooking the meat and rice on a low flame and in a large-size container called handi. Kolkata biryani retains the style and flavours of royal Awadh biryani while adding a humble potato that makes the dish distinct from its close sibling.
Entry of potato: When it happened
Though there is no historical document of the exact time when the humble entry happened, it can be said conclusively that potatoes made their way to biryani after Nawab came to Kolkata. Several theories and conjectures have come up to explain this innovative addition. One school of opinion tells by the time Nawab Wajid Ali Shah had settled in Metiabrutz with his family and royal entourage, he was financially ruined. How to feed such a huge army of people? So, potatoes were introduced to reduce the meat-rice ratio.
Begum Manzilat Fatima, the great-granddaughter of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, has given a contrarian opinion that potato was not introduced to cut down expenditures. According to her, introducing potato, a non-native vegetable in India, was rather an expensive experiment by Nawab’s cook (khansama) for an exotic taste.
Authentic Kolkata biryani, though available at affordable prices, is still considered a royal dish with no extravaganza of spices. The subtle flavours of the aromatic mix, used in the perfect proportion, getting into every grain of rice (biryani rice is a special variant), tender meat and boiled potato hold the secrets of yummy Kolkata biryani. Without any doubt, this Lucknow sub-variant has claimed its space on its strength and become our very own, deeply woven into the culinary fabric of the City of Joy.
