The city of Nawabs, Lucknow, is a hot spot for mouth-watering foods like kebabs, kormas, and the iconic Lucknowi Biryani. Many restaurants across the country promise the same authentic Lucknowi taste in their handi, but does anyone even come close to it? We tried the Lucknow Ki Biryani (Awadhi Murgh Biryani) by Biryani Central from Cross Border Kitchens and here is all you need to know.
Fun Fact – According to a survey conducted by the food delivery portal, Swiggy, Biryani was the most ordered food item during the lockdown period. Biryani was ordered over a whooping 5.5 lakh times!
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What Is Cross Border Kitchens?
Cross Border Kitchens (CBK) believe in delivering an exceptional food experience at your doorstep. They have partnered with different restaurants throughout Delhi NCR and promise consistent quality foods and delivery. CBK is a food & beverage company that offers food from multiple cuisines that can be ordered through each brand’s website, app, phone number, or through their delivery partners – Zomato & Swiggy. It also offers full-service catering for large and small private gatherings.
Difference Between Hyderabadi Biryani And Lucknowi Biryani
The main difference between Hyderabadi biryani and Lucknowi biryani is the spice quotient, the treatment of the meat, and the method of cooking. Hyderabadi biryani is spicy and has bold flavors while the Lucknowi biryani has a mild, delicate flavor brimming with aromatics. Another major difference between the two types of biryanis is the way they are cooked. Lucknowi biryani is made using half-cooked ingredients. They are then layered together and cooked fully on a slow flame (dum cooking).
#FirstImpression Of The Lucknow Ki Biryani By Biryani Central – Cross Borders Kitchen
What’s In The Pack – The contents of the package include a portion of the biryani in a clay handi, salan, papaya relish, burani raita, malai phirni and two cans of super-strong Bira 91 beer.
Packaging – We loved the packaging! The beautifully packed corrugated box looks chic and pleasant. Everything is neatly labeled and packed away in individual containers. The handi that contains the biryani is sealed off properly.
All about the biryani – As soon as you open the earthen handi’s seal, there is a mild saffron aroma which is very pleasing. The long-grain rice are cooked well. The chicken pieces were soft and well done. Even though we felt the pieces weren’t enough, the overall experience of eating the biryani was nice.
Accompaniments – The accompaniments that came with the biryani matched perfectly with the mild flavors of the rice. The salan was just the right consistency and had adequate amounts of spices. Unlike the ones we get from some biryani joints, that seem as if they have been strained, this one was spiced correctly and wasn’t too oily.
The burani raita had the correct hit of garlic and was thick and creamy. The spices added to the raita were well balanced and made for an ideal accompaniment.
An unexpected addition was the papaya relish which matched the texture of chunky mango chutney. The relish was sweet and salty and paired beautifully with the biryani, salan and raita.
Dessert (Phirni) – When we hear the word phirnee (phirni), we instantly expect a grainy sweetened pudding served in mitti kasooras. Even though the phirni tasted nice with hints of saffron, the texture was pasty and did not meet our expectations. The chunks of pistachios and chaandi varq (silver leaf) on top of the phirni did give it a regal appearance, no doubt about that.
What we liked and what needs improvement- The packaging, layout, and presentation were superb. From rice to chicken, the cooking of the biryani was perfect. We also loved all the accompaniments. The salan and raita were the stars. We also felt that real biryani-lovers always look for more pieces, and that’s another thing that could be improved. The texture of the phirni definitely needs to be looked at.
If you are expecting sophistication and delicate flavors, then this kind of biryani does justice, because Awadhi cuisine relies heavily on natural aromatics like cinnamon and saffron rather than bhuna masalas and chilies.
Mishry rating (On a scale of 0-5) – 3.5 Mishrys out of 5 for Biryani Central’s Lucknow Ki Biryani (Awadhi Murgh Biryani) that came as part of the Biryani and Beer celebrations.
Disclaimer – This meal was sent complimentary or at a discounted price by the restaurant. For us, a discounted meal does not mean that we compromise on our legitimate opinion and feedback on the product. This review, like all reviews on Mishry.com, is a true reflection of our overall experience.