All About Biryani: A Comfort Food

There are many food quotes about Biryani, but the one that stands out from the rest and pulls all the right strings in the hearts of Biryani lovers is, ‘Biryani is my comfort food.’ Don’t you agree? Think about it, biryani is a wholesome food that satiates your hunger, soothes your soul, and leaves you in a state of trance! 

For all its goodness and deliciousness, biryani has rightfully earned its spot at the top of the table as one of the most popular dishes from India. Just as complex as its flavours and intriguing ingredients are, the origin of Biryani in India is a fascinating tale. 

Origin of Biryani in India 

While there are many stories and theories about how Biryani made its way to India, one of the most popular and accepted stories has its link to the great Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and his beloved wife, Mumtaz. As per historians, when Empress Mumtaz once visited the Mughal soldiers’ barracks, she found them to be too weak and malnourished.  

So, to make them battle-ready, she ordered the chefs in the royal palace to prepare a dish with rice and meat mixed together. The result was Biryani. The chefs first fried the rice in ghee and then cooked it with marinated meat over a wood fire. Later, the Nizams of Hyderabad and the Nawabs of Lucknow popularised the dish all over India. The royal chefs who created their unique recipes passed them from one generation to another.  

While the Mughals gave us the gift of biryani, over the years, the royal dish has undergone a significant makeover. Today, every state in India has unique biryani dishes, which are characterised by unique cooking methods, the use of local spices, and other ingredients.  

Biryani – the true comfort food 

Generally, biryani is considered a decadent and heavy dish because of the use of various spices and meat. While it is rich and decadent, it is also a wholesome and comfort food. Not to mention, it offers many health benefits and is highly nutritious. A single serving of chicken biryani in India packs a lot of nutrition. The meat gives you the necessary proteins, and the rice is full of carbohydrates, both critical nutrients for the efficient functioning of the body.  

Some of the Indian biryani variants, like the Dindigul biryani or the Kolkata biryani, have a unique taste and flavour thanks to the use of special rice and added ingredients like golden brown potatoes and hard-boiled eggs. These biryanis satiate your hunger, and you get an undeniable comforting feeling with each bite.  

If you have ever wondered what makes biryani the ultimate comfort food? Let us tell you the secret. It is the use of various spices. No matter where you try biryani in India, they all have one thing in common – they are flavoured with regional spices. The most commonly used spices in biryani are cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, cardamom, black peppercorn, bay leaf, mace, saffron leaves, etc. these spices give the dish a unique aroma, taste and make it healthy.  

The spices, like cumin seeds, ginger, and garlic, perfectly balance the flavour and aid in easy digestion of the meat. Also, these spices help prevent the feeling of bloating, which you may do after having a heavy meal and help easily absorb the nutrients from other ingredients.  

Apart from offering the necessary nutrition to your body and various health benefits, biryani also helps in uplifting your mood instantly. There is no way you can feel unhappy after having a delicious plate of biryani. It is a testament to the fact that ‘biryani is the ultimate comfort food.’ 

Enjoy delicious biryani on your holidays at Club Mahindra resorts 

If you are a biryani lover, you may want to taste the local version of the biryani when you travel to a new city/state. You can get the best dining experience by relishing the local cuisine and speciality dishes like Biryani during your stay at the Club Mahindra resorts in your holiday destination.