For Christmas 2024, I crafted a humbled version of Danbauk—Burmese Chicken Dum Biryani. Inspired by the fragrant sophistication of Lucknow and the bold, robust flavors of Hyderabad, every step, every spice, and every grain of rice was treated with the respect it deserved to create a dish that was as much art as it was sustenance.
Drawing from A Princely Legacy: Hyderabadi Cuisine by Shrimati Pratibha Karan ji, I enhanced the Hyderabadi garam masala with cassia buds and dried lemongrass. Succulent chicken breasts and drumsticks were brined for 12 hours, marinated overnight, and layered with rice fragranced by mace, cardamom, sandalwood, and Sargol-grade Iranian saffron. Before sealing the pot for dum pukht, I added a luxurious blend of rose water, screwpine water, and meetha ittar to create an aromatic crescendo.
Golden-brown tale hue pyaaz, laced with Lazzat-e-Taam—an Awadhi “super masala mix” of 25 meticulously sourced ingredients—and MSG, added a layer of umami that we Burmese adore. Aloo (potatoes) at the base of the pot, flavored with onion oil and droplets of saffron-rose water, transformed into a fragrant aloo tahdig in a nod to Persian cuisine. Upon opening, the fragrance of saffron and spices created a sensory euphoria that delighted my olfactory senses.
Each grain of rice was perfectly infused, the chicken tender and flavorful, and the garnishes of fried onions, roasted cashews, and jumbo raisins sautéed in ghee elevated the dish’s presentation. To complement the Danbauk, I served balachaung and a refreshingly minty salad of thinly sliced shallots, lime juice, sugar, salt, and Thai red chilies, bridging flavors and cultures. This Christmas Special Danbauk, the "Queen" of biryanis, was a celebration of my Burmese heritage.
