I am an avid Biryani Lover, the flavours and aromas of a biryani makes by day. As the saying goes, “Biryani is the food of the gods”. It is a complete dish served with accompaniments.
The cacophony of calling any rice dish with vegetables as pulao is a misnomer in many eateries and restaurants. Moreover many eateries are serving Chicken Pulao in the name of Biryani. That’s today I decided to break this myth. The debate that Veg biryani is not a thing now comes to an end.
Before we start with the topic here is an Age Old trick to identify the real thing.
Drop a handful of biryani on a hard floor; if no two grains of rice stick to each other, you’ve probably got the real thing.
Origin
Pulao/Pilaf is a dish of Persian Origin, although the word “pilaf” is said to be derived from the Sanskrit word “pulaka”. In the book “Indian Food: A Historical Comparison, K.T Achaya claims that both the Persians and Arabs invented the terms pallao, pulao and pilav, yet it was referred to as pallo or pulao in Sanskrit as well as Tamil, much before the Muslim invaders entered India.
The more complex biryani too has historians divided on its true origins. Some claim that the biryani was born in Persia and travelled to India with the Mughals. This could be true considering that the Mughals, who were patrons of fine cooking, influenced the Indian culinary heritage in a significant manner. Yet others say that it was the legacy of Timur, who bought it from Kazakhstan. There is another school of thought that asserts the Indian origins of the biryani. There is a mention of a dish “oon soru: in Tamil literature as early as the year 2 A.D. which comprised rice, ghee, meat and condiments. Whatever the origins, post the Mughal invasion, the biryani gained a cult status as the food of the royals.
Cooking Techniques
Pulao follows a fairly simple cooking style wherein the meat is cooked first (or the vegetables are sautéed, in case of a veg pulao), the rice is added and then both are cooked together in a predetermined quantity of water. Therefore, the pulao is essentially a one-pot dish cooked using the “absorption” method.
To make a biryani, a “layering” technique is used. The meat is cooked separately with spices, while the rice is par-boiled. The two are then arranged in layers in a pot and cooked (dum) on low heat. Alternately, the two may be cooked together in the same pot but the layering technique is always followed.
Spices
Compared to the biryani, the pulao is a more humble dish in terms of ease of cooking and complexity of technique. Generally pulaos are not very heavy on spices and may use some whole dried ones along with dry fruits to enhance the taste of the meat or vegetable.
When it comes to the biryani, spices are an integral part of the preparation. This rich dish may have strong or subtle flavours depending on the region, but the elaborate use of spices and condiments is the binding factor.
Serving
The pulao can have umpteen variations depending on what it is cooked with. The ingredients may be meat and vegetables or a combination of vegetables and legumes and sometimes just a single vegetable, like a simple pea pulao.
Variations
The pulao can have umpteen variations depending on what it is cooked with. The ingredients may be meat and vegetables or a combination of vegetables and legumes and sometimes just a single vegetable, like a simple pea pulao.
Unlike the pulao, the biryanis of different regions vary in their taste and flavour. So you have the Sindhi biryani, the Hyderabadi biryani, the Calcutta biryani, the Lucknow biryani amongst the famous ones. Thalassery biryani (Kerala), Bhatkali biryani (Coastal Karnataka), Ambur and Dindigul biryani (Tamil Nadu) are not so well known but also highly regarded by those who have had them.
Much needed article! Nice. Very well differentiated and presented.