The smell of fresh ginger and garlic paste draws us as we search for Kudrath Ali Makkan Street on Natesan Road, Triplicane. Right at the entrance of the alley, Mohammed Ghouse sautés onions and ginger-garlic paste over a blazing golden-yellow flame from the firewood, forcing one to quickly enter the narrow lane cluttered with houses and shops. It is here that chief biriyani master S. Tajuddin and his family have been preparing briyani and other dishes needed to break the Ramzan fast. Every day, on an average, nearly 20 kilos of chicken or mutton briyani is prepared to be supplied for Iftar parties and hotels.
“Id is the D-Day for us, through the night we have people taking up various chores to start preparing briyani by 5.30 a.m.,” says Tajuddin, who has been in the business for 40 years. Ramzan is the busiest period when this unit gets requests to either supply briyani or send briyani masters. Last year, he received nearly 70 orders from various parts of the city where his team cooked 140 kilos.
Apart from catering to star hotels and functions, Tajuddin sends his briyani masters to various houses in Kilpauk, Adyar, Tambaram and other areas outside the city where they are involved in preparing the feast. A briyani master is assisted by a helper, and together they set the dinning table ready in two hours.
“Last year, we got calls from more than 15 houses. I have divided my team in such a way that each can attend to two or three houses on the festival day,” Tajuddin, while excusing himself to check the consistency of the rice — a task reserved for him when the preparation quantity is huge. On the festival day, a range of dishes such as chicken 65 and other accompaniments are prepared.
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