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{{Short description|Indian rice dish}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Kolkata biryani
| image = Kolkata mutton biryani.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| caption = Kolkata biryani with two pieces of mutton (goat meat), an egg and a potato.
| country = India
| region = [[Kolkata]]
| served =
| main_ingredient = {{plainlist|
*[[Basmati rice]]
*[[Goat meat]]
*[[Chicken as food|Chicken]]
*Vegetables
*Spices
}}
| variations =
| calories =
}}
{{Indian cuisine}}
'''Kolkata biryani''' ({{langx|bn|কোলকাতা বিরিয়ানি}}) is a spicy [[rice dish|rice-based dish]], a local tradition originating from [[Mughlai cuisine]].{{sfn|Srividya|2017|p=32}} The name of the dish comes from the city of [[Kolkata]] in West Bengal. Rice is used as the base ingredient, and meat, eggs, [[potato]]es and [[spice]]s are added. It is best known for its use of potatoes, and is famous for its light blend of spices.

Although there is uncertainty about the exact origin of [[biryani]], it is believed to have originated in [[Iran]].{{sfn|Srividya|2017|p=32}} Historians and experts agree that the dish known as modern day "Biryani" was invented in Delhi during the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal period]]. The Kolkata style of Biryani was invented in the 1850s and 1860s.{{sfn|Srividya|2017|p=32}}

Kolkata biryani is very popular in the city of Kolkata and its [[Neighbourhoods in Kolkata Metropolitan Area|suburbs]], also popular throughout West Bengal outside [[Kolkata metropolitan region]].

== History of origin ==
The Kolkata biryani originated in the kitchen of [[Nawab Wajid Ali Shah]] during his exile in [[Calcutta]], after he was dethroned by the British [[East India Company]] in 1856.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ghosh |first1=Rupak |title=The Red Hibiscus |date=28 January 2017 |publisher=eBooks2go Incorporated |isbn=9781618135650 |page=44 |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/The_Red_Hibiscus/Nn4ADgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0 |access-date=6 April 2026}}</ref> Biryani was one of his favourite cuisines. But for being in exile, he faced severe financial problems. To cut the costs, the amount of spices were decreased and the meat-to-rice ratio was lowered in the biryani.<ref>{{cite news |title=নবাবের পকেটের টান নাকি ‘পেট রোগা’ বাঙালি, বিরিয়ানিতে আলু যোগের নেপথ্যে কে? |url=https://www.anandabazar.com/ananda-utsav/food-and-recipes/the-untold-history-of-why-potato-became-a-star-in-kolkata-biryani-dgtl-photogallery/cid/1631392?slide=1 |access-date=7 April 2026 |work=[[Anandabazar Patrika]] |date=7 September 2025 |language=bn}}</ref> Hence, the new biryani prepared, was much subtle and lighter in texture compared to the Lucknow biryani. Since meat was expensive, the cooks added large chunks of potatoes to fill the void created by lowered number of meat chunks. Over time, as biryani became popular among the masses, potato became a signature ingredient of the Kolkata biryani.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Karmakar |first1=Kalyan |title=The Travelling Belly: Eating Through India's By-Lanes |date=20 December 2016 |publisher=Hachette India |isbn=9789350099117 |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/The_Travelling_Belly/AsORDQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0 |access-date=6 April 2026}}</ref>

Few sources suggest a different reason behind the presence of potato in the Kolkata biryani. In the early 16th century, potatoes, chillies and tomatoes were cultivated for the first time in India by the [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]]. Potatoes were mainly cultivated in [[Surat]], but since the cultivation was low and it was not easily available, potatoes were considered as an exotic vegetable.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dasgupta |first1=Srishti |title=Here's how Wajid Ali Shah made the Kolkata Biryani |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/heres-how-wajid-ali-shah-made-the-kolkata-biryani/articleshow/58622647.cms |access-date=6 April 2026 |work=The Times of India |date=11 May 2017}}</ref> During [[Nawab Wajid Ali Shah]]'s exile in [[Metiabruz]], Calcutta, the chefs added potato to biryani as an experiment.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ghosh |first1=Deepanjan |title=Who put the Potato in the Kolkata Biryani? |url=https://www.livehistoryindia.com/story/living-culture/who-put-the-potato-in-the-kolkata-biryani |access-date=7 April 2026 |work=Peepul Tree |date=5 January 2022}}</ref> Nawab liked the potato cooked with [[saffron]] spices and henceforth, potato was always added whenever biryani was prepared. The nobles also loved potato when royal biryani was served to them. At their homes, they asked their wives to add potatoes whenever biryani was prepared and over time, potatoes became an intangible part of the Kolkata biryani.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Singh Bhandari |first1=Kabir |title=The curious case of potato in Kolkata biryani and how the British fed us a lie |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/more-lifestyle/the-curious-case-of-potato-in-kolkata-biriyani-and-how-the-british-fed-us-a-lie/story-k1smJjNz1QhxyyVZVdNyKN.html |access-date=6 April 2026 |work=[[Hindustan Times]] |date=21 April 2020}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|3}}

== Bibliography ==
* {{Cite tech report |last1=Srividya |first1=V. |title=Tracing the Trails of the Nawabi Dish – Biryani |date=15 November 2017 |url=https://www.academia.edu/38483629/Tracing_the_Trails_of_the_Nawabi_Dish_Biryani_pdf?auto=download |publisher=University of Delhi}}
* {{Cite tech report |last1=Pal |first1=Dr. Arghya |title=Tracing the Trails of the Nawabi Dish – Biryani |date=2022 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/362814096_Kolkata_Biryani_and_what_we_can_learn_about_migration_from_it |publisher=All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Raebareli}}

==External links==

[[Category:Indian rice dishes]]
[[Category:West Bengal cuisine]]
[[Category:Goat dishes]]
[[Category:Indian cuisine]]
[[Category:Chicken and rice dishes]]
[[Category:Chicken dishes]]
[[Category:Bengali cuisine]]

Kolkata biryani - Revision history

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