What: Takeaway counter of Haan ‘D’ Biryani
Where: 8 AJC Bose Road, between Jimmy’s Kitchen and Audi showroom
Open: 1pm to 10pm
Parking: Available; there’s enough space to park your car in front of the outlet and enjoy the food in the car.
Pocket pinch: Biryani starts from Rs 190-plus while the kebabs start from Rs 130-plus per plate.
Download the app: Available on IOS and Google Playstore, the app lets you choose your food and place an order for delivery/self pick-up, now or in advance.
Biryani is in our blood, declared the De Sarkar brothers, Indrajit and Abhijit, as t2 dropped by the first outlet of Haan ‘D’ Biryani on AJC Bose Road. Yes, we have had it first in 2014, when the duo had officially introduced their “light and Dalda-less biryani” to the city through a ‘call and pre-order for bulk delivery’ service. Now that they are available daily, with not just biryani but an extended repertoire of kebabs, chaanp and butter chicken, we couldn’t stop asking what makes their biryani, cooked in sunflower oil, such a hit?
“Our dadu (grandpa) loved biryani but had to stop eating it after a heart attack. Our father (Ranajit), who has a hotel management background, started experimenting in the kitchen to cook a low-fat, light biryani so that dadu could have it. Now, we used to get professional biryani makers come to our house and cook biryani whenever there was some family function. The challenge for my father was to make the ‘healthy’ version as delicious as that biryani. It took time but eventually everyone including dadu loved it and our fan base started growing,” said Abhijit, who left his job to join his brother Indrajit in his venture to take their biryani, a family recipe perfected over 20 years, to the public.
“Our Chicken Biryani contains just 5.36 per cent fat per 100g. Our Mutton Biryani is not far behind, with 6.5 per cent fat per 100g. No more post-biryani heaviness in the stomach, no more guilt about cheating on your diet,” said Indrajit, who loves sampling biryani from roadside eateries to iconic restaurants.
In the De Sarkar family, everyone cooks. “We have seen our dadu cook, our father cook and it was only natural for us to start cooking as soon as we could reach the gas oven. We have seen my father using a stethoscope to listen to the bubbling sound of the rice and meat boiling in the sealed handi… to understand when exactly to take it off the heat. That’s the dedication!” said Abhijit.
BITERIGHT
What: Sizzle Drizzle Food Festival
Where: Kalash, The HHI
On till: October 22, dinner only (7.30pm to 11.30pm)
Menu highlights: The a la carte menu, curated by executive chef Bipul Majumder, celebrates the spirit of Diwali with a range of Indian sizzlers. “Usually, one expects European or Continental food in sizzlers. This time we have given it an Indian twist across 16 sizzlers including starters, main course and desserts. We have created special vegetarian sizzlers for those who avoid non-veg food during the festivities,” said chef Bipul.
Meal for two: Rs 1,500-plus
Text: Sibendu Das
Pictures: Arnab Mondal