I used to live in Kolkata in around 2013 so I don't know if the Tram's are sill operating but if they are then if you hop on a tram going from Esplanade, Kolkata’s business district, towards Shyambazaar, it will take you about 30 minutes in moderate traffic to reach Nakhoda Masjid—the 1926 shrine built as an imitation of Mughal emperor Akbar’s mausoleum at Sikandra in Agra—on Chitpore Road. The slow tram ride is a necessary prelude for a quintessential Kolkata indulgence—mutton biryani at a restaurant opposite to Mosque.
Once you get off the tram, cross the road pass through a maze of roadside kiosks and handcarts. The unmistakable aroma of biryani wafts through the whirlwind of chaos to guide to a place that serves one of the finest Biryanis. After placing your order in a few minutes, the biryani arrives—a plate full of long-grained rice, delightfully non-greasy, with a rotund piece of meat on top and Potatoes ad Eggs!?
Yes! That is Kolkata Biryani. The curious case of adding Potatoes and Eggs is a thing that gets very controversial when we think about this idea in Northern and Central India. But a very few people know that Potato and Eggs saved legacy of a Nawab and his fellow mates craving for their favourite Biryani and Starvation or just add a Nawabi touch to the meal.
Biryani meet Potato
Lets go back in Time, When the King of Awadh, Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was dethroned by the British in the year 1856, he was exiled to Kolkata from his capital Lucknow. Being fond of his tastes and indulgences, and to ensure he didn't have to compromise on either, he brought the entire entourage of khansamas and bawarchis along with him. But the indulgences of the Nawab were in a fix due to scarcity of money.
The money was scarce. The spices were toned down, and the biryani of Kolkata became more subtle than that of Lucknow and had a lower meat-to-rice ratio. The cooks had a stroke of brilliance. Meat was expensive, so they decided to add potatoes instead to give contrast to the rice." This was one theory which many historians believe to be a propaganda by the British Empire.
The Rumors
When the British had annexed Awadh, it was a very rich state. English historians had compared Lucknow with Paris and London of those days. And that it was fairer and more prosperous than London or Paris.
One of the weapons of the British was to defame the Indian rulers in different ways. Hence this was part of the ploy to spread rumours about Indian rulers. As a matter of fact, Wajid Ali Shah used to get a pension of Rs 12 lakh annually (in 1800's) and was one of the highest-paid pensioners in India. Apart from that, he was also an animal lover. In 1864, he had founded the world’s first open a zoo. He used to spend 25% of his income on the upkeep of animals. A person who spends so much on zoo cannot afford meat sounds wrong isn't it? (Unless he started to go towards Veganism :P) Those were all rumours spread by the British, and perpetuated by us since we used to believe in everything which a Britisher says.
Potato Exotica
The descendants of Nawabs claim that the potato was added to the biryani as it was an exotic vegetable at the time, and not because local rulers were running out of money!
If you don't know one Vegetable without which we cannot imagine life in India Potato came from Portuguese Empire in India in 1800s. So for that time it was a really very exotic ingredient to add to any meal. Maybe the Nawab got fond of it and would like to make Biryani better by adding potato and eggs.
Can't say about intentions but today, 160+ years later we all just love this variant of Biryani and adding Potatoes to Biryani is certainly a great deed by Nawab Wajid Ali Shah.
In case you never got chance to Try Kolkata Biryani here's a small description on how it tastes:
Kolkata Biryani is exceptionally light, low on essence and colour, and mildly spiced. In a huge handi, rice is steamed with cooked mutton, spices and the much loved browned potatoes.
It is served with accompaniments like boiled egg, or gravy dishes like Korma and Changezi.
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