Meal 65. Pakistani Sindhi biryani with raita and custard trifle

Tanzeela layering the biryani

I have seldom met anyone so happy to cook for me as Tanzeela - she messages me the day before the dinner that she has been excited all week! Is it impossible not to smile in her presence, as she is so warm, open and welcoming. Lucky for me, her cooking skills turn out to be as memorable as her charm. I have little knowledge of what Pakistani food involves; it is much less well known than Indian food. Interestingly, in Berlin there are quite a few restaurants that advertise themselves as 'Indian-Pakistani', something I had not seen before. Tanzeela tries to explain some of the general differences between the two. Though Pakistani cooks use similar spices as their neighbours, she says the taste of the base ingredients (vegetables, chicken, etc) can still be detected when she cooks, rather than being overpowered by the spices used. She absolutely loves cooking and hosting, and before corona hit, was even planning to start a kind of pop-up restaurant featuring Pakistani food, called 'Desi Hut'. I was slightly confused by the term desi. I mainly remember seeing it in a funny 'Growing up Desi' video by Indian-American comedian Hasan Minhaj. But apparently it applies to the whole Indian subcontinent (and their diaspora!). It comes from the Sanskrit word for 'country' (desh).

The biryani consists of rice, chicken, potatoes, lemon, mint and coriander

Though Tanzeela definitely identifies as Pakistani, I would maybe call her a 'Pakipolitan', borrowing from the existing 'Afripolitan' concept. She has lived in Pakistan during her teens, but has also lived in the US and Germany for many years. 

The biryani with the raita

She is very effusive about all of the good sides of her country, not just the amazing food, but the beautiful countryside, the colourful 'truck art' and especially the hospitable population. She also has a painting in her living room showing the beauty of a sky filled with kites during a kite flying competition. However, these sadly turn out to be banned for the moment, as the competition had literally become cut throat. The glass coated string meant to cut through the competitors strings had become so strong that accidents happened where bystanders got their throats slit by a taut string, specifically the metal ones. 

Apart from these competitions, Tanzeela swears Pakistan is a very safe country, and is frustrated that the number one question she gets asked in Europe and the US is if she 'feels safe' in Pakistan. When I ask her about Malala, it seems the main reason Tanzeela is conflicted is because all the publicity she generates is basically negative for Pakistan. Whereas Tanzeela feels the restrictions to education for girls are limited to only a few regions within the country. In her own circles, education for girls is encouraged. At the same time, after marriage, a well educated woman would normally only be expected to work if it was 'her passion.' It is a source of pride for the husband to be able to provide for his wife, so that she does not need to work for the extra income. Regarding cooking, it is interesting to note that though the woman is responsable for the cooking (in affluent households with the help from staff), it is the husband who is the one who does the shopping for the ingredients. This would be based on his wife's requests. In the case of a biryani like we are having tonight, the shopping list would include rice, chicken, onions, garlic, potatoes, tomatoes, lemons, mint, coriander, green bell peppers and chilli peppers.

Tanzeela's spice cabinet

 In the home, there should be a well stocked spice cabinet with cumin, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, black cardamom pods and brown mustard seeds. The spice rack in Tanzeela's home (see photo) is one of the most impressive I have ever seen in a private home. The end result is truly delicious. After cooking the rice, it is layered in the pan with the chicken in sauce, the herbs and lemon slices. This allows it to be infused with these flavours, rather than completely mixed in like with pilau, another typical rice dish, where the flavour is more uniform. With this biryani, I love all the separete little taste explosions with each mouthful. The lemon, mint and coriander especially can all really be tasted individually. The chicken is super tender and moist. The yoghurt based raita adds a cooling touch, though for me this biryani has been adapted a bit to not be overly spicy. Tanzeela does explain that there are 180 ways to prepare a biryani, and this is only one, based on the Sindhi style which she prefers, even though she is Punjabi herself.

The chai with the draped malai (milk skin)

After two generous helpings of the biryani, I am treated to a traditional chai, where the tea (from Pakistan!) and spices (here just cardamom, though ginger and fennel seeds can also be added) are boiled together with the milk. Poor Tanzeela is distracted by all my questions about culture and identity, and the milk boils over while she is looking at me while answering one of my questions. However, the situation is quickly salvaged, and we soon sit down with the chai. Tanzeela shows me it is traditional to pluck the thin film from the tea (the malai) and drape it over the edge of the cup (see photo). This is followed by another 'moreish' dish, a dessert with a British twist called 'Custard Trifle.' It is made with fresh marble cake, mango flavoured custard and dessicated coconut flakes, quite different from the traditional Trifle I had for my 'English meal'. Again, I end up going for a second helping! 

As we say goodbye, Tanzeela again expresses the wish that I can at some point actually visit Pakistan, to
discover in person what she has been telling me about. Based on her cooking and the mouth watering descriptions of lots of different streetfood, I cannot wait to try all the options. Though maybe all 180 varieties of biryani might be a bit too ambitious!

The custard trifle, a British-Pakistani fusion dish!