Biryani, as we all know, is a spicy chicken dish made with rice and spices. In some regional varieties, eggs and/or vegetables like potatoes are also added. It is widely known that Biryani, an iconic dish of India, was created by the Mughals. However, you might be surprised to learn that this recipe has been around for a long time before the arrival of the Mughals in India.
The Mughals came to India in the 15th century, but this dish was made by a king named Nala in the 12th century. Cooking was King Nala’s hobby, and he was excellent at it. One day, while he was trying to cook fish, he thought that cooking fish with rice would be better. As he started to cook, he realized he had come up with a new recipe and named it “mans-odan” (odan means grains cooked in milk). King Nala is, in fact, credited for the first-ever cookbook, ‘Pakkadarpan’. You can still find a modified version of this book.
