The biryani trail

What's the first thing that comes to mind when someone talks about the city of Hyderabad? The riches of the Nizam? The iconic Charminar? The serene statue of Buddha in the middle of Hussain Sagar lake? VVS' supple wrists?

If you are a foodie, the first image will be that of a degchi (copper pot) full of hot, steaming biryani, with huge dollops of mirchi ka salan (a peanut and coconut gravy, tempered with chilies) and raita on the side.

The love affair between Hyderabadis and their biryani is almost as legendary as the one between Quli Qutub Shah and Bhagmati, the courtesan who lent her name to version 1.0 of Hyderabad. Some would even go as far as to say that for a restaurant to survive in Hyderabad, it must have a biryani (or a Chinese/Italian equivalent) on its menu.

What is it that has endeared the biryani to the average Hyderabadi? Maybe it is the laidback manner in which this regal dish is made - with hours of marinating and slow cooking on coal in true dum style - which matches the easygoing nature of your typical Hyderabadi. Or the explosion of flavours in it that satisfies all palates. It could even be a case of opposites attracting: the meticulous adherence to the quantities of spices, temperature and time of cooking is at odds with the punctuality (or lack thereof) that you would associate with a true-blue Hyderabadi. Whatever the reason, the best way to ponder this question is over a plate of biryani in one of the numerous Hyderabad joints that serve the dish.

You can tell a lot about a Hyderabadi by the biryani place he or she frequents. The folks from the old city swear by the chicken biryani at Shadab, located in the Charminar area. Bustling with people most times of the day, this is a must-visit for anyone on a biryani trail in Hyderabad. The stuff served here is the Rahul Dravid of biryani: reminds you of the past, when a well-compiled 60 off 100 balls, with a few high-elbow straight drives thrown in for good measure, ranked higher than a slam-bang, cross-batted heave-strewn century off 60 balls. The denizens of Himayathnagar and Basheerbagh, on the other hand, will vouch for the mutton biryani at Café Bahar, whose owner obviously pays a lot more attention to his biryani than to the restaurant's appearance. Like MS Dhoni's shots, Café Bahar won't make you "ooh-aah" in delight but will always hit the right spot.

You can always spot the newbie or the out-of-towner if he talks about the biryani at Paradise, known for its huge facility in Secunderabad, and now its outlets all over Hyderabad. For some reason, this is the place recommended to all visitors who want to try the famous biryanis of the city. Maybe the gracious Hyderabadi hosts want to ensure their guests don't have to suffer the hardships of traffic and congestion in getting to a biryani joint. Or because they want to keep the best of the lot to themselves.

For those in Cyberabad, there is 4 Seasons in Tolichowki. This Virat Kohli-esque upstart is garnering quite a reputation for its biryani and the accompanying mirchi ka salan that is the pièce de résistance of the meal. 4 Seasons also has a wide variety of middle-eastern dishes on its menu, which differentiates it from other restaurants in the city.

However, if imitation is the best form of flattery, Bawarchi, at RTC Crossroads, is top dog. Look around the city and you will find a Bawarchi namesake (like Green Bawarchi or New Bawarchi or a Hi Tech Bawarchi or the New… wait-for-it… Hi Tech Bawarchi) in nearly every corner. Regulars point out that the quality of rice differentiates the original Bawarchi's biryani from all the other restaurants here and that it's this minute attention to detail that makes its biryani really special. A Tendulkar among mere mortals, if you insist on another cricket reference.

Among the upscale restaurants in Hyderabad, the one that can lay claim to a delectable biryani will probably be Kebabs and Kurries at the ITC Kakatiya. Their chooza or chicken biryani is enough to feed an army, or about three hungry Hyderabadis, and is known for its subtle flavours, like those found in the Awadhi biryanis. They serve it along with the dough used to seal the cooking pot, which makes an excellent accompaniment. The Taj Falaknuma is also fast earning a reputation for a mean biryani, but you have to be a prince to afford it.

A novelty among Hyderabadi biryanis is the one known as the Kalyani Biryani or the "bade ki biryani". This is essentially beef biryani, referred to by a pseudonym so as to not hurt religious sentiments. It is mostly found in roadside shacks and dhabas, and has an almost cult following.

The biryani, whether it's made in pukki style (rice and meat cooked separately) or kachchi style (rice and meat cooked together), is meant to be a full meal in itself, but no Hyderabadi really believes that. It is customary to end the meal with a khubani ka meetha (apricots marinated in sugar syrup or honey) or a double ka meetha (bread-and-butter pudding) before easing into post-meal reveries with some suleimani chai.