Solid, good value biryanis
Hyderabad Biryani Hut is one the better biryani specialists in Toronto. By specialists, I mean they have at least 8 types of biryani. It’s even in the name of the restaurant. I was hoping they would stick to that but alas, their menu includes other cookie-cutter North Indian dishes that far outnumber biryanis.
Dum, dum, dum, DUM biryani
Biryani is a distinctly Indian rice dish that has its roots in Iranian polo (probably). Both are prepared by cooking rice halfway, then finished in stock. Meat is layered below the rice and cooked together. Alternatively, meat can be cooked separately and added when the rice is done. Unlike the Iranian version that is fruity and more restrained, the Indian biryani is fiery, more elaborate, and a meal on its own. There are dozens of variations throughout India, Pakistan, and the diaspora in East Africa, South Africa, and Southeast Asia. But the most revered variant is Hyderabadi dum biryani (హైదరాబాదీ దమ్ బిర్యానీ), from Hyderabad, India.
Dum (దమ్) refers to cooking over low heat with a flat-bottomed vessel. The vessel is sealed to keep steam in and impart a bit of pressure cooking. Traditionally, dough is used for sealing. These days, one can wrap a moist towel around the rim of the vessel and put a heavy weight on the lid for the same effect. This method is less tedious and messy.
For authenticity, I look for restaurants that use dough to seal the vessel. Unfortunately, I couldn’t tell if this was the case with Hyderabadi Biryani Hut. The biryani was cooked and transferred to a different bowl for serving. To be fair, that’s how it is done in restaurants in Hyderabad. Some Toronto restaurants cook and serve biryani in the same vessel. They leave the dough on so you can slice it open and uncover the mouthwatering biryani within. Khau Gully is one such restaurant.