The Great Veg Biryani Debate: Is It Really a Fancy Pulao? separating fact from fiction

“Veg Biryani – What a joke! It’s just a fancy pulao.” Well, you are not alone. The battle for the survival of veg biryani has been going on for years, and people across India are divided in their stance on veg biryani and pulao. If you have been confused your entire life, dear reader, we are here to solve it once and for all. Veg biryani and pulao are not the same! In fact, in this article, we will take an in-depth study to help you understand the differences between the two dishes, and establish them as completely different cuisines. read on.

What is Veg Biryani? Are Veg Biryani and Biryani the same?

According to historians, the word biryani comes from the Persian words ‘birian’ and ‘birinj’, meaning ‘fried before cooking’ and ‘rice’ respectively. Over the years, biryani in India has seen various regional modifications in terms of ingredients and spices. But what remained common was rice, roasted meat and lots of flavours.

With increasing popularity, another version of biryani that came into existence is the veg biryani, which is made with long grain rice (preferably basmati), lots of vegetables, herbs and the quintessential biryani masala.

What is Pulao? Can pulao be non-vegetarian?

According to ‘Indian Food Traditions: A Historical Companion’, written by food historian Katie Achaya, there is an example of cooking rice and meat together in the Mahabharata, called ‘pulao’ or ‘pallao’. The importance of the Oxford Dictionary is; Pulao is quite similar to Turkish ‘pilaf’, and this version includes meat in the dish.

However, in India, the vegetarian version of pulao gained more popularity, making it a staple in the cuisine. Traditional Indian pulao is a one-pot meal made using aromatic rice, ghee, spices, dry fruits and vegetables of your choice.
Also read:6 Delicious Veg Biryani Recipes Perfect for Your Festivals

_{Photo Credit: iStock}

Veg Biryani Vs. Casserole: what are the differences?

1. Origin:

As mentioned earlier, biryani is of Persian origin and comes from the words ‘birian’ and ‘birinj’. Whereas, if we go by historian KT Achaya’s theory, pulao may have its origins in ancient India.

2. Cooking Process:

Pulao is a one-pot meal in which all the ingredients are cooked together and then simmered until done. Whereas to make biryani, you have to use the ‘dum’ technique to blend all the flavors together. Here, vegetables/meat and rice are cooked separately and then added to the dum for flavor and texture. However, there is a variation called Kachchi Biryani, where the rice is cooked with all the other ingredients following the cooking process in a pot.

3. Ingredients:

Veg biryani and pulao both require rice, spices and vegetables. But if you dig deeper, you will find a huge difference in the spice mix. While the spices used in biryani are strong and aromatic, the spices used in pulao are mild. Experts prefer using whole spices to make pulao.

4. Taste:

Simply put, biryani becomes a nutritious meal in itself. You can eat it as is or mix it with spices like raita, salan or burani to cleanse the palate. Whereas, for a traditional pulao, you need some gravy-based dish on the sides to prepare a complete meal.

5. Texture:

Pulao generally has a uniform texture, with the rice grains remaining separate from each other. Whereas, due to the heavy use of spices, biryani often turns out bland and binds all the vegetables and spices together.

Now that you know the difference between Veg Biryani and Pulao, we suggest tasting both the dishes separately to enjoy the taste to the fullest. Click here for Veg Biryani Recipe. Click here for traditional pulao recipe.