Biryani is one of the most beloved dishes in India. Various regions in the country have their own versions of this delicacy and they take great pride in their distinctive ingredients, flavours and techniques. Recently, a video showing a Texas-based vlogger attempting to make a Kerala-style biryani received a lot of attention on Instagram. It was shared by @barefoodtim (Tim Laielli). The vlogger begins by collecting some whole spices and other key ingredients together, including star anise, cloves, green cardamom, cinnamon, cumin seeds, red chillies, black peppercorns, etc. He blends them together to make his own biryani masala.
Also Read: "Every Mom's Dream Child": Young Cook Making Butter Chicken And Naan Impresses Desis
He is then seen slicing onions to prep them for later use. He adds ghee to a saucepan and adds cashew nuts and what looks to be raisins to it. He sautees them together and takes them out after some time. He adds the onions to the same vessel and cooks them for a few minutes. Later, he adds the prepared masala to the pan, along with chicken pieces. He flavours them with more spice powders and flips them over till they're well-coated. Next, he adds chopped tomatoes, salt and curd to the pan. He covers it and allows the chicken to cook well.
In the meanwhile, he cooks rice with a handful of whole spices for additional aroma. He returns to the vessel with the chicken and sprinkles some masala and mint leaves on it. He adds a layer of cooked rice on top of it. He garnishes this layer with sauteed onions, cashew nuts and raisins. He adds another layer of rice, followed by another round of garnish. In the end, he is seen serving himself the biryani and tasting it. He declared that every bite was "bursting with flavour." Watch the complete video below:
The reel has clocked over 1 million views so far. In the comments, many people applauded the vlogger's efforts. Some shared cooking tips to improve the biryani. A few recommended that he try biryanis from other parts of India too. Check out some of the reactions below:
"I am from Kerala and Dear God you got it right."
"Can't believe I just watched you make mallu biryani before I ever did AND I AM MALLU."
"I'm from the place where this biriyani originated, and buddy, I wholeheartedly give you my seal of approval. This looks amazing!"
"How did the exact video of my hometown food find me? It's good to see other country people trying our Biriyani."
"As someone from Kerala, you nailed this. There are a few different varieties of biriyani within Kerala itself and this one is one of the more famous versions."
"I'm not from Kerala but this is one of my favourite types of biryani!!"
"Seems legit, only thing is that the onion garnish you put on top at the end has to be fried til they're brown and crispy. It'll make it crunchy and a bit sweet as well. But otherwise, it looks awesome."
"Try Kolkata biriyani too."
Before this, a video showing a chef from New Zealand making masala dosa went viral. Click here to read the full story.
Also Read: 6 Types Of Biryani That Have Gone Viral