Dubai: The perfect plate? Biryani unites, divides residents

Dubai: The perfect plate? Biryani unites, divides residents

Dubai is a city of boundless opportunities, where towering skyscrapers and bustling shopping malls merely scratch the surface of what it has to offer. Yet, beyond the glitz and glamour lies a treasure that has captured the hearts and taste buds of both Emiratis and expats alike - the biryani.

With each restaurant offering its own unique version of the beloved delicacy, biryani has become an integral part of the city’s food culture and the quest to find the perfect plate remains a thrilling adventure.

The rice and meat dish possesses the remarkable ability to unite people through its flavours. Paradoxically, it has also stirred intense divisions, giving rise to never-ending biryani wars among passionate residents and perpetuating a state of culinary confusion.

Some swear by the traditional Hyderabadi biryani, with its layers of seasoned meat and saffron-flecked rice sealed under a lid of dough and then steamed in the traditional preparation called dum.

Others wouldn't settle for anything less than the Awadhi biryani from Lucknow, renowned for its delicate flavours, subtle aromas, and refined character. Many prefer the spicier version from Chennai, with chili pepper and acidity from tomatoes. And some enthusiasts swear by the potato-studded biryani from Kolkata’s Arsalan chain of restaurants,