India Post To Release Stamps With Photos Of Hyderabadi Biryani, Seviyan, Idli-Dosa And More
These three signature dishes of Hyderabad have made their way into India postage, with the Department of Post issuing stamps with photos of these dishes.
The aroma of Hyderabad's trademark cuisine biryani, baghare baingan and seviyan -may 'waft' through the air the next time you receive a mail from the India Post. These three signature dishes of Hyderabad have made their way into India postage, with the Department of Post on Friday issuing stamps with photos of these dishes.
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These stamps are part of the postage on 24 different Indian dishes, including the famous Tirupati laddu. Andhra dishes ¡ª idlidosa and pongal - have also been honoured with exclusive stamps. Stamps on Hyderabadi dishes have come as a tribute to the rich and varied cuisine of the city two months ahead of the 500th anniversary of the construction of Golconda Fort and foundation of Qutub Shahi dynasty. Biryani was nurtured in the royal kitchens of Qutub Shahis and Asaf Jahis.
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"Biryani in Persian means fried onion. The fables surrounding the origin of biryani are many. Emperor Babar was credited with bringing biryani to north India. In the south, Qutub Shahis, who was of Iranian descent, introduced several Persian and Turkish dishes. The Asaf Jahis, who were influenced by Moghuls, added more dishes to Hyderabadi cuisine," said city historian Dr Mohammad Safiullah, who is doing research on the foods of Hyderabad.
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He said the Hyderabadi cuisine was also enriched by Sufi saints. Those in the `Khanqah' of Sufi saints brought with them their own recipes. There was an interchange of recipes leading to new dishes with different flavour. Thus Hyderabadi biryani, though of Persian origin, turned native with a dash of local spices.
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Bagare baingan is a hallmark dish of royal kitchens of Hyderabad. As brinjal is a native Indian plant, it had always formed part of the Indian cuisine. Tomato is a later entrant into the Indian kitchen and forms an important ingredient in Andhra Pulao, which is also of Persian-Central Asian origin. Cuisine experts are not sure when seviyan became part of Id-ul-Fitr celebrations.Seviyan was introduced into Deccan by the Qutub Shahis.
