India On A Plate: How A Mughal Queen Invented Biryani & United The Foodies Of Entire Nation

A culturally rich city like Hyderabad has a lot to offer. Apart from the Kohinoor diamond that was mined here, Hyderabad also gave us our beloved biryani. It's safe to say that biryani has become synonymous with Hyderabad. So much so that when you think of one, you're bound to think of the other. But exactly how did one of our favourite dishes come to be?

There are many stories associated with the creation of this dish; while some say that Biryani came to India from Persia, others claim it was Mumtaz Mahal--the chief consort of Shah Jahan--who first cooked Biryani.

Screen grab/India On A Plate

The story goes that one fine day, when Mumtaz Mahal reached the barracks she realised that the soldiers looked very weak. Obviously moved by the sight, Mumtaz took it upon herself to come up with a solution and fix matters.

She reasoned with herself that if the soldiers were weak, so was India's safety. She knew what she had to do.

Screen grab/India On A Plate

Mumtaz summoned the army cooks and asked them to prepare a dish that was virtually packed with everything--rice, meat and a whole lot of spices--and would serve as a well-balanced meal.

The fact that the dish was easy to cook in one big pot at the army camps was an added bonus. The meal was an instant hit, and the rest is history.

Kubbra Sait enjoys a plate of Hyderbadi biryani

Today, the biryani has different types and flavours that continue to warm the tummies of most Indians. If there's one dish that truly unites us all, it has to be?Biryani. No matter where you are in the country, all roads eventually lead to biryani, be it Awadhi biryani, Lucknowi biryani, Calcutta biryani or Thallasery biryani. The list goes on.

Don't skip this yet. Watch the video for more and join Kubbra Sait and Indiatimes as we discover India's flavourful history with #IndiaOnAPlate: