Biryani was the most ordered dish during the lockdown as per a survey conducted by food delivery service provider Swiggy. While most Indians opted for the ubiquitous chicken biryani, we say a true-blue biryani lover will seek out the most unique versions straight from the kitchens of its makers. Whether it is the jeera samba-biryani, the Bhatkali biryani made with sella basmati grain or fish biryani, Bengaluru’s home chefs are offering menus featuring dishes made from secret recipes passed down generations. Make this Eid-Ul-Adha weekend memorable by picking something unusual. Here’s a look at some of the options:
Big Daddy’s Kitchen
An aeronautical engineer who is now full-time home chef, because of his passion for food, Saqib Musba, has caught the attention of biryani lovers in Bengaluru with his Bhatkali biryani. Saqib whose family is originally from Bhatkal, says his recipe has been handed down from his ancestors. “Our version is different because we don’t use regular basmati rice. Our biryani is cooked with only sella basmati,” he says. This rice grain is soaked for more than an hour and is firmer and doesn’t break easily. “Another difference is that we use only green chillies, and don’t use red chilli powder. This gives it a very different flavour,” he explains. The meat and rice are par-cooked and layered with a cooked masala of onions, tomatoes and chillies, and another layer of caramelised onions and mint. Saqib also makes vermicelli biryani and says that’s also unique because cooking it is quite a challenge. He takes orders of minimum of 500 gms. Rs 650 (for chicken) and Rs 950 (for mutton). At HBR Layout
A1 Jawad Kitchen
Momina Javeed who is originally from Chennai, but has settled in Bengaluru after getting married, serves her special Madras-style biryani. She explains that her version is quite different from what is served in Bengaluru. “We don’t cook with whole spices. All our spices are ground to a fine powder, and then used in our recipe,” she says, adding, “We always use basmati long grain rice.” Momina also has some interesting desserts on offer such as Tender Coconut Pudding and Shahi Tukde. She takes orders of a minimum of 1 kg each, that come with accompaniments such as brinjal chutney, raita, and a box of phirni or sheer kurma. Rs 1,300 (for chicken) and Rs 1,700 (for mutton). At Benson Town
Tasty Temptations
If you are looking for Bengaluru-style mutton biryani, give Sajid Zubair a call. He says, “We don’t make chicken biryani because white meat is a challenge to cook as our recipe calls for slow-cooking on firewood with lots of spices. Chicken tends to get chewy and rubbery if cooked like this. With mutton, there are no such problems and the flavours of the spices are well-pronounced.” Made with fluffy jeera samba rice, the dish comes with accompaniments such as brinjal khatta, raita and desserts like muzaffar, mutanjan or daal ka meetha. Sajid takes orders only on Fridays and Saturdays. Rs 350 per box. At Indiranagar
Anisa’s Kitchen
Anisa Siraj’s name is synonymous with Ramadan delicacies like the warqi samosa and her biryani that’s a combination of the Memon and Bengaluru styles. The late Anisa’s recipes have been handed down to her sons who are serving the family’s signature biryani. “We call it the Bangalore Dum Biryani. The masala is at the base and this is topped with layers of rice and caramalised onions. You just need to scoop out the rice and top it with the masala while serving,” explains her son Saad. They take orders starting from half-a-kilo but this comes with just the raita and brinjal curry. “For Eid, we’re serving one-kilo packages with dessert,” says Saad. Rs 2,300 (for mutton) and Rs 2,100 (for chicken). At Frazer Town
Faheema’s Kitchen
Faheema Abbas serves not just Kutchi Memon biryani but also biryani made with tiger prawns. She says, “Our recipes use mild spices so that everyone can eat it. I also cook fish biryani on request.” All her varieties of biryani are cooked with basmati rice and served with either brinjal or capsicum khatta and raita. “I also serve desserts but on request. We serve rice kheer, sheer kurma and China Grass pudding,” says Faheema who takes orders starting from a box for two. Rs 350 (for mutton) and Rs 250 (for chicken). At Frazer Town
Infusion
Zoharain Naveed is known for a variety of dishes but her biryani is the most popular. “I learnt this recipe from my mother-in-law. We make the Kutchi Memon biryani,” says the home chef, adding, “The spices are mild, and we Memons love potato in our biryani. But there are people who may not like it, so we add the potato only on request.” She marinates the meat in yoghurt to soften it before it is cooked. All the spices are homemade and Zoharain says the flavour of saffron adds richness. She serves portions in boxes and by the kilo. The biryani is accompanied with raita and brinjal gravy. Rs 75 (for mutton) and Rs 175 (for chicken) per box. At Benson Town
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