Layered. Soft juicy pieces of mutton. Aroma of basmati rice. The sweet and bitter taste of ripe tomatoes. And the flavour of strong garam masala (a mix of cinnamon, cloves and cardamom). Just the thought of this mix of mutton and rice makes your mouth water. Every eid (Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Zuha) when my ammi (mother) cooks this delicious extravagant dish, I wonder if this recipe and ingredients are synonymous with the highs and lows of our lives and the happy and sad moments that last in your memory forever. Just like the aroma of the masalas, tomatoes and meat when half cooked and the pot is about to be placed on sim for the mixture to get dum (get steamed).
It is with this thought that I relish every morsel of the biryani I eat. Life again is just not about successes and accomplishments. It is also about paying attention to little details like – did you make your mommy smile today at breakfast or did your boss smirk when appreciated by you for being there to criticize and guide you all the time through your painful but enjoyable working days — very similar to paying attention to the detailed proportions of meat and rice needed for the perfect biryani. Life is also about how you cherish your memories and thoughts, your brother’s first win at an elocution competition or the glee on your dad’s face on seeing the farm get better every season. Very much like your senses would feel and relish the aroma of the biryani.
In fact whenever you think of the detailing that goes into this grand preparation of biryani… it seems very similar to the grand but unnoticed lives that we lead. Mixing and layering your ups and downs, smiles and tears leading to the perfect recipe of a lifetime.
The hoi polloi musings 
People, I have tasted this very biriyani on eid ul fitr at bibi’s place. And believe me its DIVINE!
Do you use sugar in biryani? I know some friends who put heaps of sugar, which used to terrify me because I come from a cuisine that has no sugar and curd. But later on sugar grew on me!
The photos are mouth-watering. The lumps of meat are tempting too.
Fan request: More such posts expected from you 🙂
Hi Debby…
Thanks for your comment. It’s a sin (like my mother says) to add sugar to biryani. It’s a preparation of spices and meat and lots of tomatoes, onions and of course curd. It’s a dish that makes you go ooohhhhh and aaaaahhhh after eating and not yummmmyyyy like you would say after a sweet dish. So never add sugar to biryani. And yes promise to post more on the South Indian cuisine. That is what my mum is best at.
AT
Hmm. I thought so. Now, all you have to do is to tell this fact to the ID appearing above me, who puts a lot of sugar 🙂
Ya ya I will 🙂 and the next time we’re invited for lunch I will be the official Biryani taster… lol