The Art of Biryani
Biryani isn't a rice dish with meat in it. It's a layered, sealed, slow-cooked celebration where rice, marinated meat, fried onion, saffron milk and herbs steam together until the flavours meet.
The dum technique
The pot is sealed with dough so no steam escapes, then placed over very low heat. Inside, parboiled basmati settles over partially-cooked meat, fried onion and aromatic ghee. Forty minutes later, the lid comes off to a moment of pure theatre — that first wave of saffron and clove.
How to eat biryani properly
Don't stir the pot. Lift the rice gently from the side so each spoon brings up both rice and meat. Serve with cold cucumber raita and nothing else — biryani doesn't need a side curry. If you want extra gravy, ask for the kitchen's "salan" — a thin, spicy peanut sauce traditionally served with it.
A short history
Biryani is usually traced to the kitchens of the Mughal courts, where Persian rice dishes met Indian spices. Over the centuries, almost every region developed its own version. Hyderabadi biryani layers raw marinated meat with rice and cooks them together. Lucknowi biryani is gentler and more fragrant. Kolkata biryani famously adds potato. Each city will tell you theirs is the original.
Biryani or pulao?
The two look similar but are made differently. In a pulao, rice and flavourings are cooked together in one pot with a measured amount of liquid, and the result is lighter and more evenly seasoned. Biryani is layered: rice and a richly spiced meat or vegetable mixture are cooked separately, then steamed together so the flavours meet without blending into one.
Our menu has both. The chicken, lamb, goat, beef and vegetable biryanis are served with raita, while the mutter masala pulao and Kashmiri pulao, made with dried fruit, are lighter sides for a curry.
Saffron, fried onion and whole spices
Three ingredients define a good biryani. Saffron, steeped in warm milk, gives the rice its golden streaks and a honeyed aroma. Fried onions, cooked slowly until deep brown, add sweetness and crunch. Whole spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, clove and bay leaf scent the rice from the inside, which is why you should push them to the side of your plate rather than bite into them.
Which biryani to order
Chicken biryani is the gentlest and the most popular. Lamb and beef biryani are richer. Goat biryani, made with baby goat, has the deepest flavour, and is the one to choose if you like our goat curry on the bone. For vegetarians, the vegetable biryani with raita is a meal on its own. One biryani between two, with a curry and naan, is plenty for most appetites.
Quick answers
What does "dum" mean?
Dum is the technique of sealing a pot and cooking it over very low heat, so the rice and meat steam in their own aromas.
Is biryani spicy?
Biryani is aromatic more than hot. The whole spices give fragrance, and the raita served alongside cools things down.
Should I order a curry with biryani?
You do not need to. Biryani is a complete dish. If you are sharing, one biryani plus one curry and a naan works well for two.
Which biryanis are on the Spicy Affair menu?
Chicken, lamb, goat, beef and vegetable biryani, each served with raita. See the dine-in menu for prices.
What wine goes with biryani?
An aromatic white such as Gewürztraminer, or a dry rosé for meat biryanis. The BYO pairing guide has more ideas.
