Which is better, Hyderabadi biryani or Lucknowi biryani?

LUCKNOW: There is an on-going debate among gourmets and biryani lovers as to which biryani is better and tastier – Hyderabadi biryani or Lucknowi biryani. This article attempts to have a look at the two delicacies and try to answer this question.

Hyderabadi biryani is usually meaty and spicy and has a good color of zaffran. Some gourmets find it very spicy. Lucknowi biryani, on the other hand, is smooth and its meat is marinated in yoghurt and herbs. The meat is slow cooked for a long time. While they both stake their claims on which is better and authentic, the debate rages on, with individual choices deciding on the best.

The debate on which biryani is better has been raging on for several decades since the early 70s? However it is a question of personal choice and it honestly depends on your personal preferences.

If you like your biryani to be more light and pleasant and aromatic with the meats softer and lighter, then you should go for the Lucknowi biryani. But if you prefer a biryani that is more spicy and flavorful or rather “hot” loaded with spices, then the Hyderabadi biryani is better for you.

Lucknowi biryani for instance is why Awadhi cuisine is wildly famous across the globe and extremely popular in most states in India. This dish comes with a rich and exclusive history. Also known as Awadhi biryani, the delicacy was popularised by the Nawabs of Awadh who were of Persian origin.

It made its way to Kolkata because of the exiled Nawab of Lucknow, Wajid Shah, where it underwent some modifications and influences – for example the shortage or higher cost of meat made royal chefs add boiled egg and potato to the traditional biryani, thus creating the now famous Kolkata biryani.

Both Hyderabadi biryani and Lucknowi or Awadhi biryani are equally famous in India, with the former being more spicier and the latter light and pleasant.

In Lucknow, in the age-old traditional kitchens, it is believed that biryani is not just one singular dish of rice and meat, but it’s a combination of Biryani, Tari (special thick gravy which is meant to be eaten with biryani) and Raita. Some people in Lucknow’s biryani joints swear that the biryani experience is not complete, unless accompanied with some kebabs (also of meat). While the hyderabadi biryani is rich in spices and hot, Lakhnavi biryani is more pleasant to the stomach and has a soothing aroma.