The bombastic biryani

By Qasim A. Moini

IF there were such a thing, biryani could very well qualify as the national dish of Karachi. In the few months that I have been writing this column, I have mentioned several foods - broast, bun kebabs, haleem, ice cream, etc - that are found in abundance across the city of Karachi and are savoured with unrestrained relish. But without fear of exaggeration and contradicting myself, I can say with conviction that when it comes to popularity, biryani may well eclipse all these foods.

I don't quite know what it is. Perhaps it is the knock-out mix of spices and herbs. Maybe it's the tenderly cooked meat or velvety potatoes. Or is it irresistibly fluffy, fragrant steaming basmati rice, soaked in mint chutney? Methinks it is the superb combination of all these factors that keeps the punters coming back for more, and more, and more …

There are quite a few subcontinental and regional rice-based dishes that Karachians have a taste for. Pulao - specifically the type popular in North India - is a traditional favourite, especially on special occasions and when serving honoured guests. As a matter of fact, many families who still uphold old world values look down upon biryani as 'fast-food' and swear by the old home-cooked pulao.

I remember when the matriarch of one such family told me that in the old country of Rajasthan - before Partition and all it brought along with it - the ladies of the house used to cook pulao for guests whereas biryani was the preserve of bhatyaras or professional cooks, and was a rare treat. This is in stark contrast to the wide availability of biryani today on almost every street-corner.

Other rice-based dishes available in the city include Kabuli pulao, bringing a taste of Afghanistan to the shores of Sindh, while those with a taste for something more exotic swear by the absolutely delectable Arabian delicacy of ruz laham, literally translated as rice and meat. Ruz laham is quite closely related to Kabuli pulao and is just as integral at feasts - particularly in the Arabian Peninsula - as pulao, biryani or qorma is in these parts.

Of course, one cannot forget the humble but incredibly tasty tehari, which seems to be a vegetarian version of biryani. Served with a side of raita and or chutney/achchar and fresh kachoomer salad, it is pure dynamite.

But whereas all these rice dishes have their due place in the hallowed halls of local cuisine, biryani has, it seems, conquered the city convincingly. Be it lunch-time at the office, wedding feasts, nazr-o-niyaz, a quick bite while shopping, etc, biryani seems to be the dish of choice. And with the increasing popularity of masala packs marketed by different manufacturers, whipping up a mouth-watering pot of biryani at home is now a task accomplished in very little time.

Across Karachi, there are countless joints which offer up biryani to the adoring multitudes by the degh-ful. But not just any yahoo can cook up quality biryani. Just as with any other food, it takes a seasoned hand. For instance, biryani can go wrong very easily. If it is too spicy, greasy or watery it can kill the overall experience.

The popularity of biryani in Karachi can be gauged by the fact that a set-up which had rather humble beginnings in the Lines Area now has air-conditioned outlets across the city that can give the multinational fast-food franchises a run for their money.

Matter of fact, they even have a website (most of the links don't work, though) and all that is needed is a mascot. With all the anthropomorphic clowns, chickens and other beasts running around hawking burgers, pizzas and the like, could Biryani Man be far behind? God only knows.

The biryani here is not bad, albeit a bit greasy, and one feels that as they have started concentrating on other food items, they have lost touch with the dish that is their claim to fame.

Another joint - nowhere near a franchise - is located off Pakistan Chowk and initially was known for their bun kebabs. Now, one has to take a number and wait quite a bit during lunch-time to get served as the rush of biryani lovers is so intense. The crowd on Fridays after prayers is so large that arguments often ensue as customers jump the queue to get served first. The biryani here is also not bad, though a bit on the spicy side.

I have also had my share of biryani nightmares.

The worst was when - in a fit of hunger - I ordered a full plate of chicken biryani (chicken far outnumbers beef and mutton varieties, it seems) at an established eatery on I.I. Chundrigar Road. Now this place serves reasonably passable fare. However, the biryani was truly unpalatable. Not only was it watery, but the spices hadn't even blended into the rice and were sitting in little lumps. Not a fun experience.

Similarly, a friend narrated his experience in Singapore. He was in the city-state for business and was looking for a halal eatery, which he easily found due to the country's large Muslim minority. When he saw biryani on the menu, he ordered it without a second thought. But what arrived resembled nothing of the sort that is served in Karachi and he pined for the stuff served on the streets of the metropolis.

And though we might not enjoy the best reputation in the world, a Sri Lankan friend told this writer that of all the biryani served in the world that he had tried (he is an amateur chef), Pakistani biryani is by far the tastiest!

Times are bad, friends. So enjoy what you have and tuck into a plate of biryani or two.

Islamabad will miss the magician from Lahore

THE Islamabad that we know today is manifestly many a heady mile removed from the city it was when Kamran Lashari became the custodian of its upkeep in 2003.

For a better part of three-and-a-half decades, the seat of the federation drew inferences that quintessentially, found proximity with still life — including the ‘epithet’ that likened it to being “half the size of Arlington cemetery and twice as dead”.

It is some tribute to the genius of a man, who was especially called from Lahore to spruce up the federal capital in time for the historic 2004 Saarc summit, to leave the ‘dead’ city with enough zing to draw colourful metroblogs.

Given to the nature of political and bureaucratic scheming that is so intrinsic in this part of the world, especially when a new government is heralded, it was a foregone conclusion that Lashari would be fighting for survival.

He is known to have weathered the bureaucratic storm stirred by a number of aspirants for the coveted post before being fed the transfer orders last Tuesday, a month shy of his contract’s expiry.

Unsurprisingly, disgruntled elements within the Capital Development Authority (CDA), especially those who had been taken to task by Lashari for not being up to scratch were out of the woodwork with the change of government and are known to have pushed the city limits so to speak to seek his ouster.

The CDA boss, too, is known to have countered the move but it would seem Lashari fell short of the required pull in matters of clout. There is of course, no argument against change of guard if it follows merit. And considering he was already serving an extension, Lashari’s exit was inevitable.

But in a land where extensions are legendary for selfish reasons — a certain Pervez Musharraf allowed himself to remain army chief indefinitely (before the party eventually got out of control) to cite one instance — letting the architect of a ‘living’ Islamabad see through major ongoing development work would not have been asking for the moon.

As it is, his successor will face an enormous challenge to make the grade and be anywhere near as competent and delivering as Lashari. This is not to suggest the former CDA boss was not without his share of the brickbats.

To be sure, he leaves behind a legacy that will remain controversial in certain respects. Not in the least because vast tracts of Islamabads green belt did go under the hammer, drawing howls of protests from environmentalists, NGOs and civil society, but these were always defended in the interest of expanding the road network and development infrastructure to cater to the growing needs of the capital’s residents.

Admittedly, grey concrete is no match for resplendent green and therefore, all those who protested on the streets, through fine print and moving court were not only well within their rights to jealously guard nature’s bounty but also did themselves proud in actively looking after the interests of their city.

An enlightened citizenry with pressure groups is critical to its own wellbeing as well as the land it inhabits. In hindsight, this may have contributed to the CDA trying to make up for the loss of the greenbelt by planting saplings in excess of the trees that were uprooted.

However, in the ultimate analysis — and notwithstanding the possibility of the Lashari-led CDA losing the plot on the odd occasion — this is about viewing Islamabads evolution in perspective. Few can deny the scale of development, which the federal capital has seen in the last half a decade and the accompanying landscaping.

Under Lashari’s stewardship, the development of road infrastructure, recreational and sports facilities as well as promotion of cultural activities touched unprecedented heights.

During this time, and given the spate of ongoing development/uplift work, finding alternative road routes, for instance, may have tested the patience of the most tolerant amongst us but one should not lose sight of the fact that these all add up to give Islamabad depth and enhance its profile as one of the world’s best planned capitals.

It is fitting therefore, to take a bow to the man for giving Islamabad not just a sense of direction — literally, evident with the immaculate signposting all over the picturesque capital — but also helping it come of age.

Thank you, Kamran Lashari.

The writer is News Editor at Dawn News. He may be contacted at kaamyabi@gmail.com