Tamil Nadu’s Dindigul biryani is said to be famous globally. Whenever Dindigul is mentioned, people immediately think of its biryani. Recently we celebrated Bakrid, and Dindigul biryani has always been a part of the Eid celebrations. Introduced to India during the Mughal era, biryani became popular in the Dindigul region during Hyder Ali’s reign. Though originally a Persian dish, biryani now has many regional variations in India, influenced by local cultures and cuisines. Despite the many types of biryani, Dindigul biryani holds a special significance for many. Local18 spoke to Yasin, who runs Jafar Biryani in Dindigul about the dish becoming the symbol of Dindigul, and Dindigul becoming the biryani capital. Yasin says, “We have been making biryani for over 50 years. My grandfather started it, followed by my father, and now I continue the tradition as a biryani master. The distinct appeal of Dindigul Biryani comes from the four unique types of ingredients we use”
Mecheri goats are found in abundance in the villages around Dindigul. Meadow goats are goats that graze around lakes. Dindigul Biryani is very tasty due to the high fat content of these goats. “The second key ingredient is Seeraga Samba rice. There are many varieties of this rice, but the one we use, and have used since the beginning, is Kalabad. The third ingredient is clove and cardamom powder. Typically, whole cloves and cardamom are used in biryani, but here, we grind them into a powder to incorporate into the dish. Fourthly, for biryani, generally everyone uses big onions. But here in Dindigul we will use small onions. We will also peel a small onion and grind it,” said Yasin.
“I have a postgraduate degree in engineering, but making biryani brings me immense happiness and fulfilment. It makes me very happy when people enjoy my biryani and compliment it. That’s why our family has been in this business for generations,” he said.
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