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Fragrant rice, spiced meat, layers of flavours—all of these combine to make Biryani one of the most-loved dishes among South Asians, especially Indians and Pakistanis. But the one fact all Biryani-lovers know about this incredible dish that traces its origins back to the Middle East is that there are many versions of this dish. From the popular Lucknow and Hyderabadi versions to the potato-loaded Kolkata one and the spicy Malabar ones, from the flavours of Sindhi biryani to that of Karachi, there are innumerable Biryani flavours for foodies to explore.
Given the varieties of Biryanis people from different regions love, debates about which one is better have been raging for decades now. An aspect of this debate recently came to its head when members of the Pakistani cricket team, in India for the ICC World Cup 2023, savoured the signature Biryani of Hyderabad and compared it to the one they relish at home, especially Karachi Biryani. Their comments and follow-up ones by former Pakistan skipper, Wasim Akram, has sparked the Hyderabadi vs Karachi Biryani debate once more.
Video Credit: Youtube/Chef Ranveer Brar
Hyderabadi Biryani Vs Karachi Biryani: What’s The Debate About?
In a video shared by the ICC on Instagram, Pakistani cricketers like Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam ul Haq and Haris Rauf were asked if they have tried Hyderabadi Biryani. The team, which reportedly relished the dish as well as other Hyderabadi culinary gems, revealed that they did indeed enjoy the dish immensely. But when asked if they loved it more than their native Karachi Biryani, their answers were divided. The video then went on to go viral and Indian foodies who love Hyderabadi Biryani also chipped in with their opinions.
More recently, Wasim Akram and Shoaib Malik were asked by a Pakistani news channel about their Hyderabadi Biryani preferences. Akram responded that he had indeed tried Hyderabadi Biryani, but believes that it is no match for Karachi Biryani as he found the dish to be dry like Pulao with “coloured rice” and pieces of chicken or mutton. He added that Karachi Biryani is much more masala-packed and delicious, and requested his Indian friends to not get offended by the remarks. Malik, who is married to tennis star Sania Mirza from Hyderabad, remarked that Akram must have missed the Hyderabadi Biryani masala by eating only from the top of the bowl.
So, What’s The Big Difference Between Karachi Biryani and Hyderabadi Biryani?
To say that these comments have further fuelled the debate over which Biryani is better, Hyderabadi or Karachi, is an understatement. With social media getting flooded by Biryani-lovers from both sides of the border, this Biryani debate is garnering just as much attention as the ICC Men’s World Cup itself! But for those who just want to take this opportunity to learn more about Biryanis and indulge in more varieties, here are some of the key similarities and differences between Karachi Biryani and Hyderabadi Biryani.
The first thing to note here is that both Hyderabadi Biryani and Karachi Biryani have Mughlai origins, in the sense that the dish’s basics were introduced by the Mughal rulers of medieval times. Biryani as a dish travelled to Hyderabad, where its signature flavours were finessed by royal chefs in the Hyderabadi Nizam’s kitchen. Karachi Biryani on the other hand, was finessed on the streets of the major Pakistani city—and like all street-style foods, it does indeed have bolder flavours.
Video Credit: YouTube/Food Fusion
Apart from this, one of the major differences between Karachi Biryani and Hyderabadi Biryani is that the former’s recipe usually includes tomatoes, which adds a depth of colour that the latter may often lack. Karachi Biryani also relies on a heavier use of spices, especially powdered spices, which is why the first thing that hits you when you taste the dish is the spiciness. Hyderabadi Biryani, on the other hand, has a balanced use of whole spices, which is why it is spicy but not as full of heat as Karachi Biryani. What adds to the spiciness of Hyderabadi Biryani is usually the Salan that is served on the side.
A factor that goes in favour of Hyderabadi Biryani is that those who taste it always comment on how well the rice has captured the fats from the meat and aromas of the spices. This is probably because Hyderabadi Biryani is always made with the fattier or Rewazi cuts of meat, allowing the fats to seep into the rice layers when the Biryani is cooked on dum slowly for hours. So, the Yakhni for the Hyderabadi Biryani is much more fatty, while that for Karachi Biryani is dominated by spices.
So, these are all the differences that separate Hyderabadi Biryani’s flavours from those of Karachi Biryani’s. But the underlining fact is that despite the differing tastes and the sentiments around both these Biryanis, these signature Biryanis from India and Pakistan do unite foodies from both nations under their shared love for the gem of a dish that is Biryani.
