Biriyani takes centrestage at The Aryan where chef Nandoo Kumar is preparing five varieties, writes TAN BEE HONG.

EVERYONE loves a good biriyani. Made with long-grain basmati rice and flavoured with spices, yoghurt, meat or vegetables, this is a satisfyingly wholesome dish.

There are many kinds of biriyani and this rice dish can be found from the Middle-East to India. Each and every one has its unique combination of spices. Generally, they include ghee, onion, ginger, garlic, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, coriander and mint leaves. Premium varieties include saffron while others use turmeric to add colour and turn the dish into a visual delight.

In India alone, there are as many as 30 variations, depending on which part of the country you’re in. Hyderabadi biriyani seems to be the most famous and most popular. Even then, Hyderabadi biriyani can be cooked in different styles.

Biriyani originated from the Middle-East and was believed to have been brought over to India by traders. Even the word biriyani comes from a Persian word birian meaning “fried before cooking”.

Basmati rice is fried separately and parboiled while the meat or the vegetables are marinated separately. For the third stage of the preparation, the rice and meat are layered and cooked.

How can one tell a good biriyani? Sight, smell and taste, naturally. The grains of rice should be separate.

Sniff the rice. There should be a wonderful aroma to entice the gastric juices with all the flavours of herbs dancing in the air. Then spoon in a mouthful and taste it. The rice should not be too spicy and there should be a good balance of flavours.

Fruity flavours in Kashmiri Biriyani.

Recently, in conjunction with Ramadan, the Aryan restaurant held a preview of five types of biriyani, prepared by chef Nandoo Kumar from India. Only two types are offered daily — dum biriyani and Hyderabadi biriyani — while rest are special orders.

We started with a mango lassi and then, when the trays of biriyani are uncovered, any lingering lethargy was quickly evaporated by the riot of aromas issuing forth.

The Thiranga Chicken Biriyani looked interesting, with three distinct colours of white, red and green grains of rice. Thiranga means tri-coloured.

I felt like a deflated balloon when I learned that the pretty green and red colours were just food colouring. I had expected the hues to come from vegetables — spinach and tomato or saffron perhaps. The rice tasted rather bland too.

The other four types of biriyani fared much better. The Kerala Biriyani a real tasty treat, with heightened flavours of well-sauteed onions lending that incredible aroma and slightly caramelised taste. It was a bit sticky but I didn’t mind as that made it moist and easy to eat.

The Hyderabadi Mutton biriyani gets top marks. Here, Nandoo Kumar has simply outdone himself and definitely redeemed his reputation after the letdown with the Thiranga.

The generous chunks of mutton were tender and so well flavoured I found myself going back for seconds. Using spinach and mint leaves brought out the best side of the meat while retaining the moisture. It’s a little pedas but only just enough to excite the tastebuds.

The Dum Seafood Biriyani was a little dry. Fish gave it a central flavour to hinge on and it looked pretty too, with white, orange and green hues though, unlike the Thiranga, these were all mixed up.

If you like it sweet, the Kashmiri Vegetarian Biriyani, with chunks of pear and pineapples in the rice, is fruity. Not bad on its own, I reckon but it misses the mark after your tastebuds are spoiled by the Kerala and Hyderabadi versions.

Open daily from 11.30am to 11pm, Aryan offers a lunch and dinner buffet as well as executive lunches on weekdays. There is also the anytime a la carte menu. The buffet is priced at RM26.50++ while the executive lunches start at RM15.

ARYAN
Level 1, The Weld Shopping Complex, 76 Jalan Raja Chulan, KL
Tel: 03-2031-4211