People on the internet always ask: “What’s the difference between pulao and breyani?”
Let's settle this once and for all. Breyani and pulao are not the same. There are many differences between breyani and pulao, establishing them as entirely dissimilar delicacies.
Both are popular dishes that are enjoyed by people all over the world, and both dishes are made with rice and various ingredients but differ in their preparation and flavour.
When it comes to origin, breyani originated primarily on the Indian subcontinent among the Muslim population. On the other hand, pulao has its origin in Central Asia.
Another difference between the two dishes is that preparing breyani is a time-consuming process compared to pulao. It is cooked on a very low flame, while pulao is cooked on a medium to high flame and, thus, is made quickly.
With all the confusion around the dishes, popular chef Kunal Kapur recently took to his Instagram to point out the intertwining histories of these two rice dishes and also talked about their key differences.
“Pulao was first made in Central Asia, which is modern-day Baghdad. That too with meat. When this meat pulao, or yakhni pulao, came to India, different types of spices were added to it.
“And inspired by the pulao, breyani was made in India for the first time,” Kapur shared.
In his video, the chef broke down the one aspect that makes pulao so different from breyani, and it has to do with the cooking of the meat. It turns out pulao relies on a much milder recipe, while breyani uses the “bhuna” technique.
“Pulao meat is always boiled with spices. While cooking breyani, meat is always stir-fried in oil and ghee. Boiling and frying is the biggest difference between pulao and breyanii,” he said.
In pulao, rice is typically cooked together with spices, vegetables and/or meat in a single pot or cooker. The ingredients are usually cooked together with the rice, resulting in a more integrated flavour.
Breyani involves a more complex and layered cooking process. The meat (often marinated) and partially cooked rice are layered in a pot, with each layer having its own set of spices, herbs and condiments.
The pot is then sealed to trap steam and flavours, allowing the rice and meat to cook together slowly, resulting in distinct layers of flavours.
Many people do get confused between breyani and pulao, but it is not their fault as the two food items do have some similarities.
Both of them are rice dishes. Both of these dishes were originally made with a kind of meat but with time, vegetarian options of both started to become available.