Biriyani galore

Navratna at the plush Taj Samudra, Colombo bringing the most authentic Indian cuisine incomparable to any other for many years is delighted to bring to you a ‘Biriyani Fest’ this July.

Full of spices and succulent meat, or flavourful sea food, mixed with long-grain basmati rice, biriyani is a preparation that can easily be ranked among the most mouth-watering dishes available anywhere. Its vegetarian version in which, the meat or sea food is replaced by a number of different vegetables, is also equally appealing.

The method of cooking ‘Dum Biriyani’ is also unique and vastly different from regular rice delicacies.

An earthen pot known as Handi is used for the cooking. Meat and other spices are layered over rice and the pot is sealed using dough and is placed on embers of coal for cooking.

Indian Master Chef Chauhan of Navratna explains “the best Dum Biryani takes nearly 24 hours to prepare and calls for measuring of the spices by hand. The ‘dum’ or heat should be supplied for a period of four or more hours for the meat to acquire the full flavour of the rice and the spices and the biryani to carry that special taste”

Savour the many types and variations of Biriyani with a selection of flavorsome vegetarian options including, kathal dum biriyani – a combination of baby jack fruit and fine basmati rice blended with aromatic herbs, or dhingri dum biriyani – mushroom and fine basmati rice cooked on dum and Subz zaffrani biriyani - collection of fresh garden greens cooked with saffron basmati rice in aromatic herbs and much more. For the non-vegetarians we offer an equally great selection; jalpari zaffrani biriyani – a combination of saffron flavoured lagoon prawns with finest basmati rice, or chicken kofti biriyani - small dumpling of minced chicken with aromatic basmati rice, cooked on dum are only a few on the menu available during the promotion.