Thalassery biryani is different from other kinds of biryani as it is made with kaima rice, which is aromatic. It is a part of Mappila cuisine. Before Thalassery was colonised, it was the congregation ground for nearby kingdoms, and a place for Arab merchants to trade. The town saw Kerala’s first bakery in 1880 and also India’s most influential circus institute. Thalassery biryani has Malabari, Mughal and Arab influences. The Mughals first brought the biryani from Samarkand and the dish later developed in different regions of India. Thalassery biryani remains the only biryani recipe in the cuisine of Kerala. It does not use yoghurt to make meat tender but instead uses the “dum” technique, where the vessel containing rice and meat is sealed while cooking.