The eyes of Sayed Safar Ali, 84-year-old owner of Lucky Restaurant, light up when we tell him we want to speak about biryani. “Making biryani is art, not science. The word biryani comes from the Persian word ‘biryan’.
When it came to the Mughals, they called it biryani. In the early days, few Mughlai restaurants in Bombay served biryani. Lucky, which opened in 1938, was one of them,” he says with pride.
The restaurant serves Mughlai biryani, a version passed down from the court of Mughal emperors. “Memoni biryani is similar, just a bit generous with the oil,” Ali points out.The famous trioHyderabadi, Lucknowi and Kolkata biryanis are the most popular versions.
“The most sophisticated version comes from Lucknow. “The people of Lucknow like nothing better than to eat and be happy. They perfected the art of biryani, their recipe leaning towards a more fragrant style.
Hyderabadi is spicier, with bold masalas. Kolkata, with the addition of egg and potatoes is overall mild” says Ali. Biryani is highly dependent on the hands that make it.
Sayed Safar Ali with a plate of chicken biryani. Pic/Satej Shinde“Vegetable, mutton, chicken or fish are marinated in curd and masalas are mixed in. The last addition is of birista or fried onions, Ali explains.
“When a biryani is sealed in atta, it is called dum cooking. This ensures the right temperature fed from above and under so it cooks evenly. There is a right time to put the masala as well, says Ali.
“The right time t.
