The Beauty of Biryani & the Tyranny of Gas Stoves
Stories by Lynne Weiss and Divya Chirayath
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A Biryani Love Letter
By Divya Chirayath
The union of fluffy grains of aromatic basmati rice and juicy, spice-coated meat is almost sacred in many Indian cities. Often said to be the most-ordered dish in India, biryani represents a perfect symphony, the height of one of the great cuisines of the world.
The meat of choice, usually chicken or lamb, is marinated with turmeric, coriander, mint, cumin, cinnamon, and other herbs and spices, sometimes with yogurt, then cooked in oil. Basmati rice, a type of long-grain rice found in India, is cooked al dente with whole spices and then layered with the meat, along with a copious amount of caramelized onions. As the dish slowly simmers in its own steam, the combination of heat, moisture, and spice creates a cocoon of fragrance.
Biryani is a dish that has stood the test of time, transcending borders and cultures: every region in India has its own variation of this quintessential dish, from the milder Lucknowi biryani in the north to potato-inclusive Calcutta biryani in the east, to the spicier, and most popular, Hyderabadi biryani in the south.
Biryani's history can be traced back to the Mughal Empire (16th-19th centuries), and appears to be a mix of Persian and native Indian food traditions.
In many restaurants bashing out plate after plate of biryani, it is often served with raita, a side dip made of yogurt, onions, and herbs. The creaminess of raita balances out the spiciness of biryani. The combo is best finished with a chilled lime soda.
The Origins of Cooking with Gas
By Lynne Weiss
There’s no easier way to feel powerful than creating fire at your whim, which is an enormous part of the appeal of gas stoves. Throughout their history they’ve often struggled for kitchen dominance against other technologies, but marketing and advertising have saved them time after time.
An Englishman named James Sharp patented a functioning gas stove in 1826, but the public was dubious. In the 1850s, Alexis Soyer, chef at a men’s club in London, popularized what was still seen as a novelty by using gas to cook for club members. Soyer also invented a precursor to the camping stove, called The Magic Stove, but it wasn’t intended solely for the outdoors: Gentlemen were urged to use it to cook at their desks and ladies alongside their needlework. By the late 19th century, gas had caught on as a cooking fuel in England, but it was still more expensive than coal in the United States. Many Americans also thought foods cooked over gas had an unpleasant aftertaste.
After 1900, when electric lights began to replace gas lights, gas companies came up with a marketing campaign to encourage use of gas ranges. Gas stoves had a lot going for them: made of sheet metal, they were lighter and more compact than older brick and cast-iron coal-burning stoves. They took up less space and they didn’t need a chimney. And many Americans were concerned about pollution from smoke- and soot-spewing coal and wood. By the 1920s, gas stoves were used in most American kitchens.
The gas industry and gas stove manufacturers faced a new threat in the late 1930s: the electric range. These were as compact as gas stoves. With no open flame, they were arguably safer. The gas industry began using the term “natural gas” to suggest that gas was clean and environmentally friendly. The industry also seeded the expression “cooking with gas” in the entertainment industry. It solicited celebrity endorsements from the likes of Marlene Dietrich, who claimed her recipes came out better when she cooked with gas.
The campaign worked. Sales of gas stoves went up. According to Mother Jones, more than 70 percent of homes in major American cities in the Northeast, Midwest, and West Coast are now equipped with gas stoves.
Gas stove manufacturers now face a new challenge in the wake of reports blaming indoor pollution overwhelmingly on their product. Dozens of cities and counties and three states have banned gas in new construction. Some celebrity chefs are endorsing induction stoves. But it probably won’t be the most efficient or earth-friendly cooking method that wins. It’ll be the one with the savviest marketing.
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I love our gas stove but I’m interested in learning more about induction. Sounds cool!
I haven't been to India (yet) but I've had a lot of biriyani. The best biriyani I've ever had was in a restaurant near Boat Quay in Singapore. It was sublime.