Spill the raita!
Spilling some raita on how Biryani became the most loved dish in India
Picture this- you woke up late, your phone is out of battery, oh shoot! you even forgot to iron your shirt: you have an important presentation today - a typical start to a turbulent day. Next, you go to work with this frustrated mindset and nothing’s going right and when you are back, you are like-
“Nah never mind! I am ordering Biryani- at least I will get to end my day on a good note!“
Biryani feels like cuddles and hugs after a tiring day- it’s the perfect partner! It feels like Friday night- much awaited but ends in the blink of an eye.
If you relate to this, you’d agree that Biryani can make your bad days good and your good days BETTER! Biryani is the language of love - it provides comfort and warmth.
But how exactly did Biryani become the comfort food?
We’ll get there.. But first, let’s talk numbers-
Swiggy's annual trends report reported that biryani was the G.O.A.T. food in 2022, which had the highest orders per minute- as high as 137 orders per minute! Which translates to 2-3 orders per second!! Crazy stuff, indeed!
Even after exotic rice dishes like risotto exist, Biryani is the king of the Rice Preparation Jungle in India. *Alexa, play the title track of Scam 1992*
Let’s see how, through debates and emotions, Biryani has always thrived in the discussions and the minds of Indians.
Pulao vs Biryani- the never-ending debate
Technically speaking, pulao and biryani are different in terms of the method of preparation, origins and the strength of spices.
But, we Indians get offended whenever we read or hear ‘veg biryani’, because “There’s nothing such as veg biryani- that’s pulao!” This is one debate that might never end- not even in some parallel universe, because referring to pulao as biryani is a sin, literally!
Every time an Indian gets offended because of this confusion between pulao and biryani, their love for biryani usually grows.
Elaichi in biryani
Here’s the best way to describe a bad day-
“I accidentally chewed elaichi while having my biryani”
Apparently, elaichi in biryani has been described as the “darkest fear“. It has been known to ruin the magical moment of relishing the first bite of biryani. Talk about extremes- people say that it can make their good day bad, and their bad day worse.
But does this mean that people will stop eating biryani altogether?
Who put the “comfort“ in comfort food?
Okay, not to spoil anything for you, but have you ever wondered if the relationship between “comfort“ and “(high-calorie) food“ actually exists? Don’t you feel that for most people the concept of comfort food is, a little, influenced?
So what makes Biryani the OG comfort food of India?
Well, the emotions and contexts, or , rather, emotional contexts!
Ammi ke haath ki Biryani
A mother’s hug feels like the winter sun- it’s like no other love. Talk about a bad day at work or when we’re unwell, there’s only one thing that can calm us down “Maa/Ammi ke haath ka khana”
Remember how, (usually) during Eid, we used to run to our friend’s house just to hog the savory ammi ke haath ki biryani? Yes, that’s what adds the emotions in the biryani- the affection of a mother- nothing can match that!
Little Things
For some context- little things is a rom-com series on Netflix about 2 people (Dhruv) Momo and (Kavya)Biryani monster that go through the ups and downs of everyday life only to come back to each other, and no it’s not at all melodramatic- that’s what makes it the best!
So there’s a scene where things go wrong (exactly how I mentioned in the beginning) and Kavya was a little cranky because she sensed a bad day. Dhruv being Dhruv, he sent Biryani for Kavya for lunch just to fix her day. And , just like that, Dhruv set the bar for the most adorable partner ever- order biryani for your loved one when things aren’t going right- it will magically fix their day.
A political controversy?
Talking about Biryani being in news for being hated by Indian politicians, here’s the Biryani map of India-
Biryani is the first dish that comes to mind when outsiders think of Indian food: one study found that biryani was the most searched Indian food globally on the Internet. But why the hatred ?
Well a lot of reasons- to begin with- Biryani is not too “Hindu“ for India (since it was introduced in India by the Mughal royalty and nobility). As per the ruling party, Muslims (a minority group in India) enjoys ‘‘outsized benefits from India.
But, did it really affect the love Indians have for biryani? Not at all! Biryani has occupied a space in people’s minds hearts, and what stays in the heart seldom leaves.
Parting thoughts
People have written books on how to make sure that brands/products stick with people- on how they can occupy a space in people’s brains. And companies spend millions of dollars just to stay relevant and be remembered.
But, biryani does not have to do that- because it is not just any other Indian dish, it is an emotion- it is like the friend that stays with you in happy and sad times.
India has seen a rise of a number of Biryani brands ! Everyone wants a piece from the humungous Biryani market in India, and they are getting it. With Biryani getting branded all over the country, I wonder if there will be a clear winner. Biryani is known for slow cooking and its regional variations, but the million-dollar question is - can it be absolutely standardized and mass-produced?
Meanwhile, what’s your favorite biryani meme? Share with me here. Also, follow for so many exciting things that are going to happen at Chaai Biscuit. I’ll be waiting for your favorite biryani meme. Here’s mine-
Btw, Happy Valentine’s day!
And FYI, Biryani>>> Khayali Pulao..
See you on Saturday!
Toodeloo!
Amazing article, can't wait for the next one