When it comes to biryani, I’ve grown up with what is pretty much standard Bangalori style. The biryani meat is usually lamb, served with baigan ka salan (eggplant gravy) and standard dahi ka chutney (AKA raitha). This is has been the case for my house, as well as my five mamu’s houses in MI whenever I’d visit for shadis, dawaths, or Eids.

Lately, however, my mom has evolved her Fiqh of making the staple Desi delicacy, and today, I had a plate that was so outstanding, it made way to be Khana Spotlight #002.

There were some key characteristics to this killer plate. Firstly, the base, Bangalori biryani. For those who don’t know, it really is something else. Obviously I’m biased glorifying it, but those who’ve had it can agree that there it is off the chain. Some people don’t like Hyderbadi style, while other complain about Pakistani versions of the Desi delight. I think the Bangalori style biryani, particularly how my mom and khandan-mates make it, is a straight up perfect balance between all kinds. Again, I’m probably biased, but those who’ve come over most probably also agree.

Next, I topped it with tamatr ki chutney. Tamatr ki chutney is beautiful. It gives biryani a wonderful kick that is far superior to baigan or michi ka salan. I particularly like the Hyderbadi style the best, and that’s I had employed on this plate here. What? A Banaglori praising food from Hydros? Firstly, I’m not at all sectarian when it comes to regional culinary differences. The more the merrier. You’re talking to Bangalori who married a Pakistani!

I remember falling in love with TKC at my friend Aamair’s house during a big YMMA meeting dawath that doubled as a play-N64-all-night sleepover in 1998. I also really liked my friend Abdul Mujeeb’s mom’s tamatr ki chutney and went ga-ga over it when she cooked biryani for a CODMSA Iftar in 1426. After that reawkening years later, it became a top tier biryani item on my list. Luckily for me, my wife makes pretty solid, too.

This past Ramadan, I hosted a big Iftar dawath at my place where a handful of moms cooked food for 65 some guests. I made sure to ask Abdul Mujeeb to get his mom to cook up a batch for the night. Not only did she make it amazing, she also made excess!My mom froze it for later use, and busted it out for Eid biryani yesterday.

That mixed with the next key item, dahi ka chutney, added to even more amazingness. Now standard chutney is usually runny, at least traditionally back home in Banaglore. When my mom came here, she started adding sour creme and more yogurt to her batches, to make it nice and thick. The consistency has evolved over the years, but I think my mom has got it down to a perfect balance.

When the tamatr ki chutney and dahi ka chutney combined together, I think I was on cloud 9. It’s just too good. You could fill up a shot glass with a mixture of the two and I could drink it cuz it’s that good. Okay, maybe not, but having those two mixed into biryani with garam naram lamb gosht, oof! It’s something that a mere blog post can never do justice to.

Lastly, there was the fact that it was day after biryani. There’s something about day after biryani that is unique. What is it? Does it taste better than fresh biryani? Not necessarily. It’s actually different, and it’s that very difference that deserves mention here. It’s almost as if when you eat it fresh and you have it again the following day, it’s like an entirely new dish, only not. Sound confusing? You’ll have to try it to know what’s up.

One interesting point to note, this phenomenon of day after biryani applies better to lamb biryani than chicken biryani. For some reason, chicken biryani tastes amazing only when it’s fresh. With regards to which is the “better” biryani, well, this is one point that drives home lamb biryani for me. I respect the chicken biryani fans out there, but for me, it’s gosht all the way. Especially with the two toppings enjoined into it.

Sound like something you’d want to try? Let me know, next time my mom makes biryani I’ll let you know. You can come over the next day and enjoy a plate of perfection yourself.