19/01/2019
Indian Muslim Food
( Stall No.5 )
Proprietor : Alisa Mahal.
56, Upper Changi Road, Coffeeshop.
Next to the entrance to âThe Market Place @58
The Nasi Biranyi here is genuinely Dum !
I am one of those who get genuinely excited whenever I come across a Muslim stall in a food centre or restaurant that claims and advertise Dum Biranyi .In most cases, these turn out to be Fake Dums ! You can easily tell by first looking and then tasting the separately cooked, masala mutton ( with or without bone ), which is added onto your plate or packet when executing your order.
So you understand my skepticism when I came across this new Indian- Muslim food stall promoting its âPower Biranyiâ.
The biranyi dish here is genuinely Dum. With each spoonful you get a whiff of saffron whilst experiencing the flavour of the many spices in the thick, darkened âmasalaâ paste accompanying the moist and tender pieces of slightly burnt b***d mutton buried in the saffron coloured , steamed basmati rice inside the cauldron.
In genuine Dum biranyi, the pieces of buried b***d mutton tend to breakup during the high pressure steaming in the sealed metal cauldron, releasing into the basmati rice a rich muttony taste as well as the opportunity to eat morsels of tender, succulent meat with each spoonful of rice.
Now you understand why biranyi lovers like me, go into ecstasy when we come across a premier Muslim stall or restaurant that offers genuine dum biranyi.But its not going to be cheap because of the high quality ingredients that go into it : the premium basmati rice, expensive saffron, variety of spices and selected lamb cuts ... plus the meticulous care and attention in the preparation.
This Indian Muslim stall offering dum mutton biranyi doesnât measure up to my high expectations in fulfilling all the above criteria . It is akin to the âHydrabadâ Dum Chicken Biranyi ( with a boiled egg, pappadum , unpickled raw salad and yogurt accompanying the dish ) which is available at the popular Indian prata/ tandoor corner shop , after the Shell Petrol Station, facing the Market Place at Simpang Bedok, costing $7.50 .
But then what can you expect for $7 when the super duper ones from well established and reputed Dum biranyi restaurants, like âThe Islamic' at North Bridge and 'Bismillah' at Dunlop Street cost between $10 to $12 for a similar amount ?
Bon Appetit.
PS: Cam anyone guess why chicken meat is seldom used for dum biranyi and instead cooked separately and then added into the cooked saffron rice in the cauldron,to create the impression that it has been dummed?
