Biryani vs Pulao: How Are They Different?
Whether it be the mesmerising aroma & flavour of Biryani or the satisfying taste of pulao, we all love both. Biryani and Pulao can come close to being distant cousins for both are rice preparations but they have too many dissimilarities in origin, preparation and spice blends to be called the same.
However, foodies with non-discerning tastes can spot little difference often saying things like ‘veg Biryani is just pulao’ and assume these are the same. But the truth remains that these two are entirely dissimilar dishes.
Let’s dive in deep into the nuances that prove that these are two distinct standalone servings and find out what provides them their uniqueness in flavour and texture.
- Origin
Pulao made its way to the Indian subcontinent from central Asia. You would be surprised to find that Turkish pilaf (pulao) is hardly any different from the Indian version.
Thus, it can be assumed that the popular Pulao is a central Asian dish which has remained the same over the years. On the other hand, Biryani came along with the Mughals and was a dish, savoured by Nawabs, with a diversity of recipe variants such as Lucknowi, Hyderabadi and Kolkata Biryani arising.
- Method of Preparation
The distinct taste of Biryani & Pulao comes from differences in the ways of their preparation. Biryani is prepared by the ‘draining method’ which involves rice to be par-boiled first and then the water is drained off.
Next, the half-cooked rice is layered with meat and lightly sauteed onions. Preparing Pulao is much simpler. It is made via ‘absorption method’ in which rice with veggies absorb the water to be cooked full.
- Spice Blend
Biryani is a dish that’s rich in aromatic spices such as whole cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, saffron, bay leaves, dry fruits and more. Those who want to get the authentic taste of luscious Biryani in their servings without having to go through all the effort, ready to cook Biryani masala paste which serves delight in each spoonful should be your pick.
When it comes to spices, Pulao is more focused on veggies and contains much less of them as compared to the spice-abundant Biryani.
- Layering
The main characteristic of Biryani is that it is prepared in layers with ingredients first separately cooked and then together. The diverse layers of meat and mildly sauteed onions and vegetables add uniqueness to the flavour.
There are no layers in pulao. It is always prepared with rice, veggies and spices cooked together.
- Heating
Biryani is cooked in dum-pukht style with the layers of ingredients simmering on a low flame. It takes a lot of patience and the long wait of hours pays off with the absolutely satisfying taste and aroma that is infused in Biryani. On the other hand, Pulao is always cooked on medium to high flame and is generally ready in a matter of minutes.
Hope it is abundantly clear how the two rice dishes – Pulao & Biryani differ in diverse ways and with that, you can enjoy the authentic taste of each without stacking them against each other anymore.
