Kolkata biryani is a peculiar kind of biryani which appeared as a result of adaptation of the noble Awadhi biryani by Nawab Wajid Ali Shah during his exile to Kolkata. Such components as soft potatoes and boiled eggs greatly influenced the recipe of the dish and made it unique and different from the noble biryani which resulted in the appearance of Kolkata biryani.
Also Read: Kolkata Fatafat Official Website
Royal Origins
The exile of the last Nawab of Awadh, Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, to Kolkata in mid 19th century meant the moving of his personal chefs and kitchen staff to the city. The skillful bawarchis who became founders of the biryani tradition of Lucknow introduced their peculiar version of the dish to the City of Joy and contributed to the development of the culinary traditions of Bengal.
Chefs of the Nawab managed to adapt the original recipe of the dish by introducing such ingredients as potatoes and boiled eggs in order to compensate the lack of meat and high prices in colonial Kolkata and, therefore, created an affordable version of the luxurious dish. This is why Kolkata biryani became very popular and successful among other versions of biryani.
Ingredients
Kolkata biryani differs from other versions of the dish by its peculiar ingredients such as potatoes and boiled eggs apart from the main ingredient – meat. Potatoes absorb the flavors of the dish and bring new textural component to it, why potatoes in biryani? Well, this ingredient makes the dish affordable and brings new flavor component.
The dish is prepared with mustard oil as the cooking medium, yellowish color from turmeric instead of expensive saffron, spices such as cinnamon and cardamom and milk and khoya which make the biryani really luxurious. The aromas of rose water and kewra water provide the floral flavor to the dish and make it nice smelling while low spice level make the dish mild and easily digestible.
| Ingredient Aspect | Kolkata Biryani | Lucknow Biryani |
|---|---|---|
| Signature Additions | Potatoes and boiled eggs | No potatoes or eggs |
| Cooking Oil | Mustard oil | Desi ghee |
| Color | Light yellow (turmeric) | Golden hue (saffron) |
| Rice Type | Long grain Basmati rice | Long grain Basmati rice |
| Richness Elements | Khoya, milk powder, milk | Saffron, rose water, kewra |
| Aromatics | Rose water, kewra water | Rose water, kewra essence |
Flavor Profile
Kolkata biryani has mild and delicate flavors with a slight sweet taste from rose water and low spice level which perfectly suit the Bengali palette. This differs from the refinement of the flavor of Lucknow biryani which is based on flavor infusion and not spiciness. While Lucknow’s biryani is refined, Kolkata’s biryani has mild flavor profile that is enjoyed by everybody, for example, if you ask a person from Kolkata about কলকাতা ফটাফট biryani, he will tell you that it is mild and soothing.
- Yellowish color from turmeric instead of golden color from saffron
- Floral aromas of rose water that precede the spiciness
- Kewra water provides the special floral flavor to the dish
- Low spice level makes the dish mild and pleasant for the stomach
- Delicate complexity that provides soulful aroma but does not overwhelm with the heat
- Less pungent compared to bold and spicy Hyderabadi varieties
Spice Level
Kolkata biryani uses less spices compared to the Lucknow biryani. This biryani relies on aromatic spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and bay leaves but not on hot chilies and, therefore, is so mild. It creates delicate flavor profile that attracts those with low spice tolerance but preserves sophisticated depth and complexity.
Cooking Methods
Kolkata biryani uses the pukki method of cooking which presupposes the separate cooking of rice and meat components before layering them. Meat is first marinated with spices and cooked till it becomes tender and, therefore, perfect texture of the ingredients is ensured before final dum process of flavor mixing. Therefore, the rice and meat are perfectly cooked each time.
Lucknow biryani uses refined dum pukht cooking method which presupposes the separate cooking of meat and rice and layering them. Gentle and slow cooking with gradual flavor infusion due to temperature control results in harmonious mixing of flavors without any spice dominance. Therefore, flavors become more delicate and refined.
- Kolkata Method – Marination: Marinate chicken or mutton with salt, ginger-garlic paste, yogurt, chili powder, white pepper, biryani masala, and kewra water for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Kolkata Method – Potato and Egg Preparation: Peel and cut the potatoes into halves, cover them with salt and turmeric and boil them till they are half-cooked; coat boiled eggs with salt and turmeric and fry them in little bit of oil.
- Kolkata Method – Meat Cooking: Fry whole spices and onions in mustard oil, add the marinated meat and cook until oil separates, add hot water and cook until meat gets tender, then reduce the gravy and add milk powder and milk.
- Kolkata Method – Rice Preparation: Cook rice separately with whole spices, bay leaf and salt until 50% cooked, then drain and keep it aside.
- Kolkata Method – Layering and Dum: Layer rice and meat in the greased handi with chicken yakhni, lime juice, ghee, milk and coriander, top with saffron milk, rose water, kewra water and eggs, seal it with dough and cook on low fire for 30-35 minutes.
- Lucknow Method – Separate Cooking: Cook meat and rice separately with their respective marinades and spices before the process of layering begins.
- Lucknow Method – Layering: Layer the separately cooked meat and rice with saffron, rose water and kewra essence.
- Lucknow Method – Dum Pukht Sealing: Seal the vessel and cook on low fire for gentle flavor infusion and subtleness of taste without spice dominance.
Cultural Importance
Kolkata biryani is the embodiment of great adaptability of the city to transform noble Awadhi cuisine to local tastes and economic reality during the period of British rule, this is the best example of the cultural evolution of the food. The usage of potatoes is the sign of exoticism of this vegetable at that time as well as necessity to make noble dishes affordable for ordinary people to make them able to eat the royal dish.
Well-known Kolkata biryani places are Arsalan where you can taste special biryani with meat chunks and eggs which is very popular, Shiraz where you can taste real Kolkata biryani with perfect texture, Royal where you can taste Lucknow-style biryani without potatoes, India Restaurant where you can taste Dariyabadi biryani, Zam Zam where you can taste beef biryani that many people prefer and Aheli which is run by the great-granddaughter of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, Begum Manzilat Fatima and where you can taste the authentic Kolkatta biryani cooked in mustard oil. More about the best biryani places in Kolkata you can find on ffkolkataresult.org.
