Malabar Dum Biryani: A Biryani That Crossed the Seas

Malabar Dum Biryani: A Biryani That Crossed the Seas

Written By Juvaina

The exquisite taste of the quintessential Malabar Dum Biryani is one that crossed the seas to reach Kerala, a Southern state in India. Geography and natural resources have had a great impact on the way cuisine evolved in the Malabar region of Kerala. Malabar region refers to the geographic area of southwest part of India, covering the state of Kerala. The region of constituting the districts of Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, Wayanad and Kasargod, has a distinctive variety of cuisine, that is unique to it.

Kerala’s northern region is known as the Spice Coast of Malabar.  Kerala was the center of trade for merchants from West Asia from pre- Mohammedian times. As early as the 7th century AD, Arab traders from Egypt, Babylonia, Phoenicians and Assyria had come to Kerala with an eye on the many native Indian spices. As part of this, these traders reached Malabar, the northern region of Kerala; and many of them intermarried with locals and a Muslim community called Mappilas/Mopplahs became part of the region.

The present-day Muslim minority community, the Mappilas, are the descendants of this Arab – Malabar unions. As a result of this, several unique elements of the Arab culture blended into Malabar. Arabic influence can be seen in their present literature, art, music, and food. This influence over the food varieties, especially in the Malabar Muslim community, can be attributed to the Arab influence.

Malabar Dum Biryani – https://i.livingfoodz.com/blog_images/92f8599962b5a9f51a4524813d7577a1_thumb_1200.jpg

The different biryani preparations seen in India bear a striking resemblance to Pulao or Pilaf. The very existence of Malabar Dum Biryani contradicts the claims of the North Indians that biryani originated from Pulao and that the dish itself had originated in India. Anoothi Vishal, a food expert and author of  Mrs. LC’s Table, describes biryani as perhaps pulao (rice pilaf) getting an Indian makeover.

There are a lot of debates over the origin of biryani. Various theories are put forward on the origin of this exotic delicacy. As per a legend, biryani was brought to India by Timur, the founder of Timurid empire. Another story argues that Mumtaz Mahal, the wife of Emperor Shah Jahan, intervened and asked for her royal cooks to prepare a dish to help enhance the physical fitness of the army, which led to the preparation of biryani. Though the history of biryani is associated with Mughlas, the earliest record of a similar dish like biryani dates back to 2 A.D.  There are records in ancient Tamil literature of a rice dish known as Oon Soru (Mutton rice) , a combination of meat,  spices and rice. This attributes that a dish similar to biryani was part of the southern Indian cuisine, much before Mughal presence.

But the history of Malabar Dum Biriyani remains unaffected by any of these stories. Prominent among the many traders, who came to Malabar, were the ones from Arab countries and Persia.  The word biryani is believed to be derived from the Persian word ‘Birian’, which translates to ‘fried before cooking’ in English, and that adds to the argument that the birthplace of biryani is Persia. All this points to the influence that the Arab and Persian influence in the Malabar Muslim community. Biryani is similar in looks and taste to another dish called Manthi, which is widely seen in Arab countries. Malabar Biryani may have originated from all these influences. There is no doubt that most of the famed savories seen at the dining tables of Malabar homes, including the classic Sulaimani, (tea made without milk and served with a dose of lemon), have had their origins across the sea.

Biryani is an important dish at a Malabar wedding feast. The folk of Malabar cannot even imagine a wedding feast without the typical Malabar biryani playing the head-of-the-dining-table at Muslim weddings. The mouth-watering image of the biriyani is the first thing that comes to the mind every time a Malayali hears about a Muslim wedding in Malabar. In short, weddings and biryani form an inseparable link around here. Malabar biryani is a must-have not only at weddings but also during religious occasions including Fridays in the holy month of Ramadan in the region.

Malabar Dum Biryani being prepared at the author’s house (Pic Credit- Juvaina Moidu)

The people of Thalassery made Dum biryani very popular. Kozhikode Dum Biryani is another biryani that goes hand in hand with this. Most common varieties of preparations include mutton, beef, poultry, and fish. The folk of Malabar, be it in any far-off corner of the world, would constantly be on the look-out for a decent Dum Biryani.

Malabar Dum Biryani differs from other biryanis by the way it is prepared. Instead of Basmati rice used elsewhere to cook  biryani, Jeerakasala rice, popularly known as Wayanadan Kaima is used in preparing dum biryani. In other biryanis, the meat is first softened with yogurt and then cooked with rice, while in the dum biryani preparation; the spice-laden raw meat is cooked separately. Raisins, nuts, chopped onions, and bay leaves are roasted together in pure ghee. The ingredients are removed from the oil, to which water is added and the small-grained Kaima rice is set to cook. The marinated meat, roasted onions, several fragrant spice leaves, a secret mixture of powdered spices, and yogurt are boiled in a separate cooking pot. Once done, the cooked meat is added to the rice pot in layers under the rice; and more of the secret spice mixture,  ghee, and saffron-infused milk is added atop the rice-meat layers. The biryani pot is then set to dum, where it is closed with a lid, bound by dough, and hot charcoals are spread above it. Half an hour of cooking later, when the stiff dough is broken and the lid is opened, the strong aroma of the biryani will indeed cross the seas.

Muslims of Malabar are quite well known for their hospitality. It is part of their culture, on days of Eid, iftar, and weddings, to cook similar delicacies and serve them among neighbours and friends. This again resonates the distinctive cultural influence and assimilation on the Muslims of Malabar that goes beyond borders.

(This article was originally written in Malayalam and can be read here..)

(Translated by  – Binu Narayan)

References

(The views expressed in this article are the author’s own. Content can be used with due credit to the author and to Zariya: Women’s Alliance for Dignity and Equality)