Biryani's legend, ancient Indian diet, and food evolution: tracing culinary history from the Indus Valley to modern-day influences.
- Did you know that neither jalebi, gulab jamun or samosa is authentically Indian?
- When did sugar production start in India?
- What was the food of the Indus Valley Civilisation? What did ancient Indians eat?
- How did Indian cuisine evolve? When was paneer was introduced to Indians?
- From the influx of potato, tomato and chilli to biryani, a brief history of Indian food
Legend goes that biryani came into existence when Mumtaz Mahal, the queen of Shah Jahan, one day went into the army barracks to meet the soldiers. Seeing them look sickly, she ordered that a dish made of rice and meat, fried in ghee, be made for them. And thus was born biryani, a dish that derives its name from the Persian birian, meaning fried before cooking, and birinj, which is Persian for rice.
While the story may be more apocryphal than factual, it gives a peek into the intricate history of the evolution of food in India. Tracing back 5,000 years to find what ancient Indians ate is not easy. There have been plenty of influences in between, and as we know, nothing is ever strictly original, especially food.