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Our beloved food writer and televisual cook Nigella Lawson has recently identified a fascinating lineage between simple chicken biryani and Indonesia.
Known for being relaxed and cozy when cooking food, Lawson is moving the viewer to the fascinating sphere of food connections, and how some dishes can be found in different countries.
In her journey, Lawson claims that while Indians have taken pride in claiming biryani as their dish, it is most certainly not exclusive to India nor is it original to the subcontinent.
She also points out that Indonesia has its own type of biryani that is prepared from a variety of spices other than the red onions and cooking techniques that are familiar to the Indian kitchen.
This link shows the traditional arrangements that have been used in the past in exchange and social relations between the two cultures that affected their food habits.
An important thing described by Lawson is the aroma spices section. The base of both Indian and Indonesian biryani essentially consists of spices such as cardamom, cloves and cinnamon, and the reported smell is warm to aromatic.
But the Indonesian style of preparation includes more coconut milk and local Indonesian spices making it a completely different dish.
One of Lawson’s most memorable trips was to Amsterdam; she first tried Rijsttafel – a Dutch-Indonesian meal that includes rice and different sorts of small dishes.
It was during this encounter that she got the passion of comparing the Indonesian and Indian culinary procedures. Driven by this combination, she thought of trying out her own chicken biryani recipe and, while doing so, she decided to add Indonesian spices and aromas to Indian techniques of preparation.
Warning home cooks to be creative, Lawson gives a novel recipe to the biryani upon its redo.
To give Indonesia a nuance to the Indian cuisine, she proposed to incorporate sour ingredients such as lemongrass or kaffir lime leaves.
This method results in the delicious meal and makes the learner discover more about the culture behind food.
What, the relationship of chicken biryani and Indonesian cuisine extends beyond its ingredients, but the beautiful recognition of the cooking variation. Lawson got it right in saying that food is the international language per se.
She shared her thoughts so people would be willing to try out certain dishes and appreciate the history behind the foods.
As Nigella Lawson explores these culinary intersections, she invites all to join her on this flavorful journey.
Whether you’re an experienced chef or a novice, there’s always something new to uncover especially with beloved dishes like chicken biryani.
So gather your spices and prepare to celebrate this delightful link between India and Indonesia
