By Eunice Quek The Straits Times Wednesday, Nov 07, 2012
SINGAPORE - Two chefs from Park Hyatt Hyderabad, India, are here to set the record straight about briyani, where the meat and rice are commonly
cooked separately and served on the same plate here. Chennai-born chef Thulasidaran Dayalan, 35, and Hyderabad-born chef K. Vara Prasad, 32,
explain that the key technique lies in layering the basmati rice and meats so that they cook together in the same sealed pot. Chef Dayalan says:
"It's all about balance and equal ratio of rice to vegetables and spices. "Rice that is cooked only 10 per cent is at the bottom, while the rice cooked
to 80 per cent is at the top. This ensures that everything is perfectly cooked at the same time." From now until Nov 14, you can savour authentic
briyani from its Hyderabad homeland as part of the lunch and dinner buffet spread at Straits Kitchen at Grand Hyatt Singapore. The dining event is
part of the month-long annual Asian Masters culinary festival organised by Singapore Press Holdings' subsidiary Sphere Exhibits. At Straits Kitchen,
you can tuck into aromatic lamb and chicken briyani, with the marinated meats cooked to tender perfection. Prawn and vegetarian briyani are also
available. The rice - which includes various spices including star anise, cumin, cinnamon and cloves - pairs well with the accompanying sauces such
as yogurt and a special gravy made with ground peanuts, sesame, dried desiccated coconut and coriander powder. Besides being masters at briyani,
the chefs also serve up different desserts every day, such as rice pudding made with milk sugar, saffron and cardamom topped with julienned nuts
and saffron. Having grown up eating briyani, the chefs joke that they can easily finish a 1kg pot filled with the savoury rice. As teenagers, they learnt
from their mothers how to cook the dish using charcoal . Chef Prasad says: "Cooking with charcoal trained us to make sure everything is cooked properly.
It's part of our culture and we present what we love to everyone."
CUISINE OF THULASIDARAN DAYALAN
Where:Straits Kitchen, Grand Hyatt Singapore, 10 Scotts Road
When: Till Nov 14, noon to 2.30pm (weekday lunch), 12.30 to 3pm (weekend lunch), 6.30 to 10.30pm (dinner daily)
Price: On Nov 12 & 13, $52 (lunch), $62 (dinner). Other days, $44 (lunch), $54 (dinner)
