Eid brought back memories of my friend Saleem-bhai. His doors were always open on Eid, and I kept thinking that one Eid, I would greet him and his wife in person. He was a great cook, and I still fondly remember the soft-yet-crisp shami kebabs that he had cooked for us, many years ago. But Saleem-bhai passed away suddenly some months ago, leaving behind an immeasurable void. And that is why, this Eid, I thought I needed to have some biryani and korma in his memory.
I didn’t go to any of the well-known biryani places, but decided to try out a new eatery that has just opened up in Mayur Vihar Phase II. Called More Than Biryaani, it’s a tiny place in the middle of the shopping arcade that you face the moment you enter Phase II (Shop No. 8, Durga Complex, Pocket B, 9899664778 and 9811113405).
What makes this a little different from the other biryani places that the city is peppered with, is the menu. They have varieties that you don’t easily find elsewhere. So this is not the place for an aromatic Awadhi biryani or the spicy Hyderababi variety. This serves what we can call Punjabi biryani. They have, for instance, something called Chicken Tikka Boneless Biryani (₹169) and Garlic Chicken Biryani (₹99). We asked for these two dishes, along with half a plate of Chicken Korma (four pieces, ₹189) and four rumali rotis (₹8 each). The menu also includes Mutton Seekh Kabab biryani (₹149), but I was told it was not available in the month of Saawan. There is also something called Seekh Kebab Egg Paneer Biryani (₹139) which I am not sure I want to try out.
Since this is my neighbourhood, the food arrived before I could say Eid Mubarak. Packed in aluminium containers, the biryanis smelled good. I tried out a tiny bit from the two biryani dishes and came to the conclusion that the tikkas in the Chicken Tikka Boneless Biryani were overdone. If they were a little softer, the dish would have been memorable. But what I really enjoyed was the rice of the Garlic Chicken Biryani, which had soaked in the strong flavours of garlic. The rice was long and, though a bit too orange, tasted good. I enjoyed the korma, too. It had four juicy pieces of chicken in it, and the gravy — nicely tart — went well with the rumali roti. It was oily, but then what is korma without a good layer of oil?
Since it was Bakr Eid, I was actually looking forward to having some Mutton Biryani. So, sometime this week, I shall pay another neighbourhood biryani place — an old favourite — a visit. Called Zara (ph: 7042410982, 8527128070), this is in I.P. Extension, next to Mayur Public School. Zara sells Awadhi Biryani. They have on the menu Mutton Biryani (four pieces, ₹350), Handi Murgh Biryani (six pieces, ₹300), Mutton Handi Stew (eight pieces, ₹700), Chicken Handi Nihari (full, ₹600), and Kakori Kebab (2 pieces, ₹170). Especially popular among its regulars, the owner tells me, is its Bhatte Ki Murgh (₹320). The food is delivered in handis, which somehow adds to the taste.
By the time this piece is published, Eid would have come and gone. But the spirit of Eid will carry on. And the memories – of kebabs cooked by a friend — will linger.
The writer is a seasoned food critic
