Chicken biryani is a type of rice dish that is popular in South Asia, especially in India and Pakistan. Because part of the population of Mauritius came from India, you can find this dish under a similar name, briani, here as well. It is prepared from basmati rice and chicken meat, which is flavored with fragrant cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and also includes onions, garlic, and ginger. There are a huge number of chicken biryani variations, and the recipe always depends on the specific chef.
One of the common ways to prepare biryani is to marinate the chicken in a mixture of yogurt, lemon juice, and spices. The chicken is then fried until cooked through. The rice is cooked with aromatic spices such as bay leaf, cloves, or cardamom. The chicken and rice are then layered in a pot and further baked or steamed until the rice is fully cooked and the flavors are combined.
I had chicken biryani at a small bistro called Snack du Coin in the town of Pamplemousses. This bistro has only this dish, haleem soup, and roti flatbread on the menu. The biryani was perfect. The chicken was tender, the rice beautifully fluffy, and the flavors combined. The pickled vegetables and homemade sweet-sour tamarind chutney complemented everything nicely. The meal cost 150 MUR, which is approximately 3 EUR.
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