Welcome back to learning and eating. 

Dear reader, it's understood that you're a foodie like me if you're reading this. How much do you know about Biryani, one of India's amazing meals? It is my pleasure to share with you some unknown facts about this delicious dish which we, Indians generally prepare on special occasions. 

Fact 1.  Biryani is derived from the Persian word ‘birian’ which means frying prior to cooking. 

Fact 2. Historians believe Timur brought Biryani to India as it was a part of his daily diet. Others argue that this mouthwatering food was introduced in the Southern Malabar Coast of India by Arabian traders. 

Fact 3. Proudly presenting Biryani as the most googled dish in 2020! 

Fact 4. There are mainly 8 types of Biryani. Out of them, my favourite ones are the Ambur Biryani and Dum Biryani. Other than these, there is Kolkata Biryani, Sindhi Biryani, Memoni Biryani, Malabar Biryani, Thalassery Biryani, Dindigul Biryani. All of them are named after the places in India that cook this food the best.

Fact 5. The main ingredients are meat (chicken, mutton, beef, lamb, fish or even prawn) and rice. The other ingredients include spices like nutmeg, cardomom, cinnamon, pepper, cloves, etc. 

Fact 6. Want Biryani? Then Swiggy it. Chicken biryani was the most ordered dish online in 2018. 

Fact 7. Basmati rice, which is a thin and long variety of rice is generally used to make it. 

Fact 8. Mumtaz Mahal once visited the soldiers in the army, and seeing that they were malnourished ordered the servants to prepare Biryani for them. Taj Mahal is truly a wonder of the world, given that the building is a tomb of a kind person with a loving heart. 

Fact 9. Biryani is packed with carbs and nutrients required by our body. 200g of this meal provides us with 290 calories and 20g of proteins. 

Fact 10. This dish has vitamin B3 and Vitamin B6. The latter assists in maintaining the immune system. Niacin, present in chicken, helps deal with insomnia, depression, and other mental illness. 

Fact 11. Biryani originally used to be prepared by a method called ‘dum pukth’ meaning slow cooked. 

And if you can't order it on Swiggy, try Zomato or UberEats. This dish is worth your money. Or if you prefer to save, learn how to prepare it, and surprise your family members! 

May the spice be with you!