No! No! I am not supplying the recipe. I just wanted to share that this month, not once but twice, I had the good fortune of savouring this awesomely delicious dish in two different outlets.
Though the master chefs of the country will scoff at the mention, as according to them, biryanis were never originally meant to be vegetarian, nonetheless, I have found all varieties of paneer, soya, mixed vegetable and the queen of all jackfruit biryani very tasty and enjoyable.
The day me and my elder sister and B-I-L went to Blind School for community service, it was past lunchtime that we were free. Since we were far from our residences, we decided to have lunch nearby and then proceed home. I guess, I have mentioned Bihar Niwas, in one of my earlier posts, and Pot Belly, the restaurant situated therein. These State Government owned spots serve cuisines of the respective States to familiarise the people of the Capital with the large and lavish culinary heritage of the different states of the country.
As the name suggests, Bihar Niwas, or more specifically, Pot Belly is famous for serving authentic Bihari cuisine (from the eastern State of Bihar) – vegetarian as well as non vegetarian. I have earlier visited this restaurant with my office colleagues on various occasions and I wanted my family to savour their delicacies too. This is the place where I first tasted Jackfruit Biryani and since then I have been raving about it.
B-I-L also wanted Machhli Biryani or Fish Biryani so we ordered both. As I did not have the Fish Biryani I cannot comment on it but B-I-L , who is the food connoisseur of the family, said it was good. However, this time Jackfruit Biryani tasted a little different than I had before. On enquiry, It was revealed that this joint has two cooks. Most probably I had earlier tasted the biryani prepared by the cook who was having an off that day. The difference was of degree and not of kind. The biryani that I had previously had was more flavorful. The one we had on this day tasted good and authentic but could have been better. Our meal ended with malpua but sans the kulfi which we thought of foregoing. The malpua was crisp dipped in sugar syrup. It comes with the kulfi which is frozen condensed sweetened milk. I am sure both together would have really complimented each other in taste. As usual in my over enthusiasm I forgot to click any of the dishes.😛
The second time was when we had a reunion with school friends at Triveni about which I have already written in great detail. Yes, the lunch included Jackfruit Biryani too in the main course. Triveni’s terrace cafe is a well known joint for serving good food at a subsidized rate. Pre-COVID we did get quality stuff at reasonable prices but post COVID I am really doubtful of what is being served in many subsidized as well as non-subsidized eateries.
The biryani served at Triveni was not to my taste perhaps because I had already had the taste of the dish at a premium location. The rice, which I am very particular about, seemed coarse. The pieces of jackfruit obscure. The raita, a must accompaniment with biryani, was too thick and tasteless. I just had a few bites. The next morning my stomach corroborated my evaluation. Since then I have not been up to the mark health-wise.
There’s nothing wrong with the dish, which is undoubtedly a delectable delicacy, but the only thing is that you’ve got to have it at the right place cooked by the right person. 😄😄😄
Trivia : I have restricted this post to Jackfruit Biryani only, however, the Vegetarian Thali and Puri Basket served at Pot Belly are also worth salivating over. The flavours are subtle, the puris are crisp and the stuffings are most delicious. The desserts are also very different and worth trying. Do visit one of these days to check out on your own. And yes, this is not a paid or sponsored post. This is just a foodie rambling over some good eats worth looking out for. The rates are pocket friendly too but unlike Triveni not “overly reasonable” – you know what I mean.
And oh, I forgot to mention, I have never had raw jackfruit in my life, unlike what is shown in the over imaginative image. Jackfruit in its raw form is a fruit. When it ripens it becomes a vegetable and is cooked. In Bengali kitchens, jackfruit is nicknamed gaachh paathaa – gaachh means tree and paathaa means mutton or lamb – a lamb that grows on trees!! Cooked well with the right ingredients it can really give a stiff competition to a mutton dish. In some Bengali households mutton is cooked with ripe jackfruit and it’s considered a special treat. However, it can also be cooked without onion and garlic and still taste awesome. In the northern state of Uttar Pradesh (UP), a vegetable pickle is made out of ripe jackfruit which is so extraordinarily yum.
Now the moral of the two divergent experiences this month is if you wish to eat good you have to pay reasonably well.
With that the foodie signs off for the time being…
Cheerio!!!
Geeta, now I really have a hankering for biryani… and honestly, this post feels less like content and more like a carefully orchestrated attack on my self-control.😊
Biryani for the soul, malpua for emotional stability, and kulfi to seal my fate – guess I’m canceling all plans and committing fully to this delicious downfall. 😄
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It’s not a downfall Rohini. It’s a kind of spiritual elevation. Once the flavoured jackfruit melts in your mouth you experience an ecstasy which borders on the epiphany. Just go for it. You will realise you have been emancipated from petty emotional squabbles and levitated to a much much higher plane. Trust me. 😂🤣😂🤣
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:-) love this theory. I will remember it for life 🙌.
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Even the name Gaach Paatha made me think of lamb 🐑 growing on trees,the reason being we can’t think of a Biryani without meat,though many restaurants here serve paneer biryani and mushroom biryani_but Dil hai ki maanta nahi,may be some day I will try this jackfruit biryani in Delhi at the place you have mentioned.
You are right Geeta Ji,we should eat food at the right place cooked by the right person to get the right taste.My daughter took me to many new restaurants during her vacations but it was only at one or two places we got the right food.
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You are most welcome Nusrat. Come to Delhi and I will take you to Pot Belly. They have an elaborate non veg cuisine too.
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Thank You, Geeta Ji
I will come there for vegetarian dishes.
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Woo Hoo ! Lovely…
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A tasty post
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Thank you so much Derrrick
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Your dish sounds interesting, gc. I eat fresh jackfuit mostly, not on dish. But, we like to cook it with coconut milk sometimes. I hope your stomach is okay now.
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We do garnish the cooked dish with coconut. Every region has different ways of cooking. Thanks for the visit Hazel. God bless.
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My pleasure, gc. God bless you too
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I don’t think we have jackfruit in our country. Sounds really interesting.
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Is it ? Jackfruit is Kathail in Hindi. I don’t know what it is called in Urdu. I believe Karachi is famous for its biryani with aloo. Calcutta biryani also has aloo in it thanks to Nawab Wajid Ali Shah who spent his last few years there. He traveled all the way from Lucknow, the city of zaika. Every region has its own speciality. And by the way more or less the cuisine matches …. If you look at history food has also travelled from one place to the other and amazing similarities are found in dishes and delicacies. So one day Jackfruit will also travel across the border I am sure😃
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Perhaps I need to go to Karachi to taste this delicacy. Thanks
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I googled and found jackfruit is known as kathal in Urdu as well. In some regions it is called phanas. The ripe fruit is cooked like mutton. So if you get hold of it you can just cook it like mutton biryani.
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Perhaps it’s available in other parts of country like Sind. But I’ll ask around. Thanks dear friend
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I have never tasted Jackfruit biriyani or malpua! Seems these are new recipes introduced in restaurants in India and I have seen people posting recipes on Youtube! Maybe should try one and yes I can’t comment because I am a vegetarian 😃 to it’s authenticity! Anyhow having Kerala as my mom’s hometown have tasted Jackfruit in various other forms and love the fruit in it’s ripe form.
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Ganga, these are all vegetarian recipes.
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Yes I know! But biriyani is technically a non vegetarian recipe. So if you say Jackfruit comes close to it you are a better judge than me! Malpua is something becoming popular in the South it seems. I have never tasted the sweet!
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Yes, if you are averse to onion and garlic biryani is not for you
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Loved how you captured the journey of taste… from “almost perfect” to “not quite there.” It really proves your point. Sometimes it’s not just the dish, but the hands behind it that make all the difference. 😄
And here in Kerala, we’re blessed with jackfruit in abundance. Truly the jack of all fruits!
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We believe that the sanskaar of the one who is cooking does impact the making and taste of the dish. That’s the x factor which determines the quality of the food.
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Absolutely… that invisible ingredient rarely makes it to the recipe card, yet it shows up in every bite. 😊
Maybe that’s why some dishes feel like a warm conversation, while others are just… food. The x-factor isn’t just taste. It’s the touch behind it.🙏🏻💛
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Jackfruit isn’t something easily obtained where I live, but I’ve read about it on Filipino sites, as well. The dish sounds interesting,
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Thank you Mary. Here too jackfruit has its seasons but many fruits and vegetables are now available throughout the year.
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Such a delightful read! 😄 Loved your honest take—jackfruit biryani truly shines when made right, and Pot Belly still seems to win the crown. Now I’m craving a good plate myself!
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Thank you Maha…I am delighted that my post made quite a few readers crave for a good plate !! 😉😉
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