My friends know that I am a little crazy about nasi biryani. But, truth be told, nasi biryani is one dish I don't know well as I have never eaten it in India before. (Hope to have the chance one day.)
So, I was eager to taste the biryani at Taj Banana Leaf which is cooked by experienced chefs from India.
Photo credit: Wikipedia
My first taste of nasi biryani came only when I started working as it was still considered a luxury in 1970s Singapore. One of the highlights whenever I was rostered for night duty was to tabao (打包) a packet of nasi biryani from TABAR Club (Tengah Air Base All Ranks Club canteen).
I remember the basmati rice was greasy and soggy from the flood of curry splashed over it. I always had mutton which came with bone and it was quite gamey. It was delicious and filling enough to power me till the end of my shift. Since then, l am an avid biryani fan, eating the dish whenever it is available in Singapore and Malaysia.
I am glad to meet Chef Rohit (left) and Chef Srinivasa who are from India. Chef Rohit is a tandoor and kebab specialist while Chef Srinivasa is a biryani master. Both chefs have decades of experience in their respective specialities. Together, they serve over a dozen different biryani dishes in Taj Banana Leaf restaurant's menu.
The centrepiece is Hyderabadi dum biryani which is considered the Royalty of biryanis. The word "dum" comes from the Persian "dum pukht" which means slow cooking. Hyderabadi dum differs from other biryanis in that in the rice, spices and meats are cooked together in a sealed container (traditionally by kneading a roll of dough over the lid and rim of the pot). In the sealed pot, all the flavours and aromas of the ingredients are infused and blended harmoniously into each other. (Biryanis are eaten all over India. Outside of Hyderabad including in Singapore and Malaysia, the spiced rice and meats are cooked separately before serving together.)
Chefs Rohit and Srinivasa started us off with Hyderabadi chicken biryani. The colourful spiced long grain basmati rice was aromatic, fluffy and light. It tasted subtly sweet along with gentle flavour of spices. There were just hints of ghee. This was quite different from the heavy grease and robust spicy taste of old TABAR Club nasi biryani.
The chicken was tender and juicy with its mild natural savoury sweetness still discernible beneath the gentle spices.
Chef Rohit and Srinivasa also let us taste biryanis which they created together - where the basmati rice and meats are cooked separately (the way it is mostly done in Singapore and Malaysia). Biryani is a supremely versatile dish as with this approach, the spiced basmati rice can be paired with an infinite possibility of side dishes.
We tasted basmati rice with tandoori chicken. The long grain rice was fluffy, light, not overly greasy, and infused with nicely balanced sweet, savoury and spice flavours.
Chef Rohit is indeed a master of the tandoor. The tandoori chicken was tender and moist inside, and nicely sealed outside with fiery looking but mildly savoury flavourful masala spices.
Mutton biryani
Paneer biryani. (Paneer is fresh unaged cheese.)
Prawn biryani.
Recommended for biryani lovers, especially those who like Hyderabadi dum biryani. There are many different biryanis to taste here. Prices are reasonable for a taste of authentic dum biryani by master chefs from India.
Restaurant name: Taj Banana Leaf
Address: 127, Jalan Austin Heights 3, Taman Mount Austin, Johor Bahru (beside Hong Leong Bank branch)
GPS: 1°33'30.3"N 103°46'53.8"E 🌐 1.558418, 103.78160
Waze: Taj Banana Leaf
Tel: 014-907 0838
Hours: 10:00am - 11:00pm
No pork, no lard, no Halal cert
Date visited: 19 Apr 2019
Appreciate the recommendation. Will try it out.
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